Easy Victoria sponge cake recipe! Soft, fluffy sponge cake filled with jam and cream; this classic Victoria sandwich recipe is simply perfect. Let me show you how to make the best sponge cake from scratch with this step by step guide with video.
This is a classic sponge cake recipe that is light and airy. Another simple basic sponge cake recipe for beginners or professionals alike. Like madeira cake, it's a British cake that you can find in most cafes, cake and tea shops in England.
When you hear the term feather light sponge cake, it is what this Victoria sponge cake is about. Perfect with teas or served as a dessert or even as a birthday cake, you will surely enjoy this traditional spongy cake.
This cake is one my family enjoys eating and it's inexpensive to make.
Victoria Sponge Cake Recipe
Victoria sponge cake is a type of vanilla sponge cake that is named after Queen Victoria who enjoyed the cakes with her afternoon tea. It is traditionally filled jam and cream (whipped cream or buttercream) and the top dusted with icing sugar. It's not iced or covered in frosting.
It is also called Victoria sandwich cake or simply sponge cake. It's traditionally made using the creaming method but the modern all in a bowl cake method can be used. Victoria sponge is light and fluffy, sweet, and delicious.
There are other types of sponge cake including genoise sponge cake, chiffon cake, angel cake, madeira cake amongst others but today it's all about the British classic Victoria sponge.
It's made with few ingredients you most likely have in your kitchen cupboards and no need for expensive baking tools.
This is the best victoria sponge cake recipe if I do say so myself. It's homemade, no preservative, failproof recipe and you get consistent results.
Tools to make Cake
Mixing bowl - A bowl big enough to mix the cake batter in.
Mixer - You can use electric hand mixer, wooden spoon, or stand mixer.
Spatula - To scrape down the sides of the bowl and to folding the flour.
Cake Pans - Two 8 inch wide cake pans.
Baking paper also called Parchment paper- To line the pans.
Cake tester - Toothpick or skewer will do just fine.
Cooling rack
Ingredients for Victoria Sponge Cake
Detailed ingredient list and directions in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
I use simple and inexpensive ingredients. I like to use stock butter for this recipe. You can also use Tesco brand or any good brand of butter.
Butter - I use salted but unsalted works fine.
Sugar - Granulated or Caster sugar
Eggs
Vanilla extract
Flour
Baking powder
Jam - Strawberry or Raspberry jam
Cream - Whipped cream or buttercream.
If you want it made with buttercream filling you will need:
Butter
Icing Sugar
How to make Victoria Sponge Cake (Best Sponge Cake Recipe)
I have used the creaming method for this recipe. It's my preferred method of making a sponge cake. It's simple and straightforward.
First, measure out the ingredients and bring eggs to room temperature.
Preheat oven to 175C/ gas mark 4. Lightly grease the cake pans with butter and line with baking paper/parchment paper. Set pans aside.
In a mixing bowl, add butter and sugar then use a stand, hand mixer or wooden spoon to mix till batter is light and fluffy.
Break eggs in a separate bowl one at a time, add vanilla extract and whisk (incase you have a bad egg, it wouldn’t have ruined the cake mix).
Pour the whisked eggs in the butter and sugar mixture and beat with the mixer for few minutes till incorporated.
Add flour in and mix well with the hand mixer or spatula.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the pans and smooth the surface.
Bake in a preheated oven at a temperature of 175C for 25 minutes or till a cake tester comes out clean.
Bring cakes out of the oven, leave in the pans for 5 minutes before turning onto a cooling rack to cool.
Place one of the cakes on a plate and spread with buttercream or whipped cream, top with jam then place the second cake on it. Dust with icing sugar.
To make the buttercream filling
Add butter in a mixing bowl and mix with an electric mixer for about 5 minutes before adding the sifted icing sugar and vanilla extract. Mix till light and fluffy then use for the cake.
Check my detailed buttercream icing recipe which includes tips and frequently asked questions.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the difference between a sponge cake and victoria sponge
Victoria sponge cake is a British cake. It's a vanilla sponge cake that is sandwiched with jam and buttercream (or whipped cream) filling. It is one of the different types of sponge cake. Others are not typically sandwiched with jam and cream filling.
Is Victoria Sponge a pound cake?
Victoria sponge evolved from pound cake but they are not the same. Pound cake is not filled with cream and jam. Pound cake is made with pound measurements for each of the ingredients.
What makes sponge cake light and fluffy
The ratio of ingredients used, beating butter and sugar till light, and baking at the right oven temperature are some of the things that determine how fluffy cake comes out.
What is the difference between a regular cake and sponge cake
Sponge cake is soft, light, and fluffy while regular cakes can be moist and dense. It is usually made by incorporating air in the batter, makes use of self-raising flour or baking powder as raising agent.
Tips for Making Victoria Sponge Cake
- Sift flour before use for a light fluffy cake.
- Bring eggs to room temperature before use.
- Weigh ingredients with measuring scale for accurate results.
- If you don't have self raising flour you can make it by adding a teaspoon of baking powder to every 125g of plain (all-purpose) flour.
- If you don’t have a hand mixer use a wooden spoon (to turn the butter and sugar till light and fluffy).
- Do not overmix batter once the flour has gone in. Over mixing batter makes cake dense.
- Put the cake pan on the middle shelf of the oven for the best heat distribution.
- Do not open the oven in the first 30 minutes while the cake is baking. Doing so might cause the cake to sink in the middle.
- Cool cake on a cooling rack as this helps with air circulation that prevents steam from gathering on the bottom of the cake.
Make it Vanilla sponge cake by excluding filling with jam and cream.
How to Store Sponge Cake
To store, allow the cake to cool completely and wrap in foil or clingfilm. Place in freezer bags and store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
It will last in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Cake recipes on the blog
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Easy Victoria Sponge Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Oven
- Electric mixer- Hand or stand mixer.
- Mixing bowl
- Spatula
- Cake pans - 2x 8"
Ingredients
- 220 Butter
- 210 g Sugar Granulated or Caster Sugar
- 4 small Eggs
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 220 g Self raising flour
- ¼ teaspoon Baking powder
- 5 tablespoon Jam strawberry or raspberry
- 200 ml Whipped cream or buttercream homemade buttercream ingredients below
Buttercream filling
- 75 g Butter
- 150 g Icing Sugar
- ¼ teaspoon Vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 175C/ gas mark 4. Lightly grease the cake pans with butter and line with baking paper/parchment paper. Set pans aside.
- Add baking powder to the flour. Mix and set aside.In a mixing bowl, add butter and sugar then use stand, hand mixer or wooden spoon to mix till batter is light and fluffy.
- Break eggs in a seperate bowl one at a time, add vanilla extract and whisk (incase you have a bad egg, it wouldn’t have ruined the cake mix).Pour the whisked eggs in the butter and sugar mixture and beat with the mixer for few minutes till incorporated.
- Add the flour in and mix well with the hand mixer or spatula. Divide the cake batter evenly between the cake pans and smooth the surface.
- Bake cakes in pre heated oven at temperature of 175C for 25 minutes or till cake tester comes out clean. Bring cakes out of the oven, leave in the cake pans for 5 minutes before turning onto cooling rack to cool.
- Place one of the cakes on a plate and spread with buttercream or whipped cream, top with jam then place the second cake on it. Dust with icing sugar.
- To make the buttercream fillingAdd butter in a mixing bowl and mix with electric mixer for about 5 minutes before adding sifted icing sugar. Mix till light and fluffy then use for the cake.
Notes
- Sift flour before use for a light fluffy cake.
- Bring eggs to room temperature before use.
- If you don't have self-raising flour you can make it by adding a teaspoon of baking powder to every 125g of plain (all-purpose) flour.
- If you don’t have a hand mixer use a wooden spoon (to turn the butter and sugar till light and fluffy).
- Do not overmix batter once the flour has gone in. Over mixing batter makes cake dense.
- Put the cake pan on the middle shelf of the oven for the best heat distribution.
- Do not open the oven in the first 30 minutes while the cake is baking. Doing so might cause the cake to sink in the middle
- You can exclude filling with jam and cream for a simple vanilla sponge cake.
Nutrition
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You don't say what to do with baking powder. Should it be in the ingredient list or should you add with flour?
Hi Loreta, baking powder goes in the flour. I have now updated the directions. Thank you for pointing it out.
A fantastic recipe, I've tried this many times since coming across it. It always comes out perfect and tastes delicious!
Thanks so much for the feedback.