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Victoria Sponge Cake

This recipe guides you through baking a classic Victoria Sponge Cake, featuring two light and airy sponge layers. It's traditionally filled with rich whipped cream and sweet raspberry jam, then dusted with powdered sugar for an elegant finish. This timeless British dessert is perfect for any occasion.
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Total Time 55 minutes
Course lunch/dinner
Cuisine American
Servings 8 people
Calories 4267.1 kcal

Equipment

  • 2 8-inch Round Cake Pans
  • 1 Electric Mixer (stand or handheld)
  • 1 Large Mixing Bowl
  • 1 Wire Cooling Rack
  • 1 Rubber Spatula

Ingredients
  

Main

  • Butter for greasing the cake pan
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour see recipe note
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 5 large eggs at room temperature
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter , melted and cooled
  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 3/4 cup sour cream or crème fraiche
  • 4 teaspoons powdered sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup raspberry jam
  • Extra powdered sugar for sprinkling

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and grease two 8-inch round cake pans with butter, then lightly flour them, tapping out any excess.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.
  • In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the room temperature eggs and granulated sugar on high speed for 5-7 minutes until the mixture is very pale, thick, and tripled in volume.
  • Gently fold in the vanilla extract, then carefully fold in the sifted dry ingredients into the egg mixture in two additions until just combined.
  • Slowly drizzle in the melted and cooled unsalted butter, folding it in until no streaks remain, being careful not to deflate the airy batter.
  • Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared cake pans, smoothing the tops with a spatula.
  • Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and the cakes are golden brown.
  • Let the cakes cool in their pans on a wire rack for 10 minutes before inverting them onto the rack to cool completely.
  • While the cakes cool, prepare the cream filling: In a chilled bowl, beat the heavy cream, sour cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract with an electric mixer until stiff peaks form.
  • Once cooled, spread raspberry jam evenly over the top of one cake layer, then top with the whipped cream, spreading it to the edges. Carefully place the second cake layer on top, and dust generously with extra powdered sugar before serving.

Notes

1. Ensure all cold ingredients (eggs, cream) are at room temperature for optimal emulsion and a smoother batter, which yields a lighter crumb. For the heavy cream and sour cream, ensure they are well chilled before whipping to achieve maximum volume and stability.2. Sift your flour, baking powder, and salt together to ensure there are no lumps and to aerate the dry ingredients, contributing to the cake's delicate texture.3. Avoid overmixing the batter once the dry ingredients are added; mix only until just combined to prevent gluten development, which can result in a tough cake.4. Cool the cake layers completely on a wire rack before assembly to prevent the cream from melting and to ensure clean slices.