This month we have chosen a classic Victoria Sandwich. Light vanilla sponge filled with lashings of buttercream and delicious raspberry jam.

Thank you for all your lovely feedback about our January Cake Boxes. We love hearing that you have had a go at one of our bakes so please do send us a photo.

Thank you to @heyimjasmineh on Instagram for sharing your photos. Your cake looks awesome and it looks as though you had some great helpers!

Here at Cake HQ we believe that Victoria Sandwich is a classic for very good reason. Also, once you have mastered the perfect sponge you can apply those skills to so many other great cake recipes.

We grew up baking with our mum’s and still believe that the “creaming method” is the way to go. However, if you are new to baking then Mary Berry’s “all in one method” is super easy and always produces great results.

When baking our cakes for our subscription boxes they are still done one at a time as you would at home, although they are slightly larger! We have scaled our recipe back down to make the perfect 8″ cake for you to enjoy at home.

Cake ingredients:

• 225g butter – softened
• 225g golden caster Sugar
• 4 eggs – lightly beaten
• 225g self raising flour
• 1 tsp vanilla paste/extract

For the filling:

• 125g butter – softened
• 250g icing sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla paste/extract
• 1/2 jar good quality strawberry/raspberry jam

Method:

1. Cream the butter and sugar in a mixer until pale and fluffy – this really needs to be done with a hand held beater or stand mixer. It will take a while so do be patient.
2. In a separate bowl lightly beat the eggs with the vanilla paste/extract.
3. Beat the eggs into the butter/sugar gradually with a little flour*.
4. Gently fold in the remaining flour.
5. Divide the mixture between the two lined tins and level the surface.
6. Bake in pre-heated oven for 20-25 mins.
7. It’s ready if it springs back when pressed in the centre and the edges are coming away from the tin.**
8. Cool for a few minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack
9. Make the icing – beat the icing sugar with the butter and vanilla until light and fluffy***
10. Assemble the cake! Top one cake with jam and the base of the other with icing
11. Then sandwich together and dust the top with icing sugar
12. Take a photo and send it to @thecaketastingclub over on Instagram or Facebook.
13. Pour a cuppa and gobble!

 

Remember, we’d love to hear how you get on if you make the cake. The best place to find us is usually over on Instagram but you can also find us on Facebook or just drop us an email.

Happy baking!

Vikki x

TIPS

*I add a third of the beaten egg mix with a tablespoon of flour, beat until combined. Then repeat this twice more until all the egg is added.

**A skewer inserted into the middle of the cake should come out clean with just a few crumbs attached.

***Make sure you cover the mixer and start slowly otherwise you will disappear in a cloud of icing sugar! I also make the sure that the butter is very soft.