Victoria Sponge Cake With Homemade Strawberry Jam

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Victoria Sponge Cake With Homemade Strawberry Jam

Link to my newest and old recipes, click:

https://kitchenbaroness.wordpress.com/

As part of my English Afternoon Tea spread, I always bake a 6" size Classic Victoria Sponge Cake.

This is a good cake especially with home made strawberry jam. It is at its best served on its own with just a pot of tea.

The cake was pretty much gone in a flash.
No, the dog did not have cake. The dog does not eat cake.
I am sure the dog wished it could eat cake.

VICTORIA SPONGE CAKE                                                   

Prep:	20 minutes
Cook:	30 to 35 minutes in oven
Inactive:	-
Level:	Intermediate
Makes:	8 slices
Oven Temperature:	340 F (170C)
Can recipe be doubled?	No
Make ahead?	Yes, wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 2 days.

Ingredients

3 and 1/2 oz (100g) unsalted butter

Softened

3 and 1/2 oz (100g) caster sugar

3 and 1/2 oz (100g) weight of eggs without shells
Lightly beaten, (about 2 medium size eggs)

3/4 cup (3 and 1/2 oz) (100g) self raising flour OR to make self-raising flour:

If using measuring cup:

Fill the bottom of measuring cup with 1 and 1/8 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 and 1/8 teaspoon salt, top up with enough all-purpose/plain flour to reach 3/4 cup.

If using kitchen scale:

Add 1 and 1/8 teaspoons baking powder, 1/4 and 1/8 teaspoon salt, then top up with flour to reach 3 and 1/2 oz (100g).

1/4 teaspoon salt

Omit if you are using salted butter

The Buttercream Filling

1 oz (30g) unsalted salted butter

Softened

2 and 1/2 oz (75g) icing sugar

You must sift the icing sugar or your buttercream might turn out lumpy.

The Strawberry Filling

Strawberry jam for spreading or use homemade strawberry jam (look under 'Tips' section at the bottom of this post for recipe)

Directions

Before starting, all your ingredients, flour, butter, sugar, eggs and salt (if using) must be at room temperature. 

Turn on the oven to 340F (170C), oven racked positioned lower middle. Prepare two 6" (15cm) round cake tins by lining the bottoms with a circle each of parchment paper and then grease the insides of cake tins with butter. Set aside.

With machine at medium speed, cream butter and sugar until light and creamy. Stop machine, scrape bottom and sides of mixer bowl to ensure even mixing. Mix another 1 minute. At this point, your batter should leave a ribbon trail when you lift your beaters/whisk up. All this should take you about 2 to 3 minutes.

With machine at low-medium speed, add half of eggs and beat 1 minute.  Lift beaters/whisk and use a spatula to scrape bottom of bowl to quickly and evenly incorporate batter.   Turn on machine back to low-medium speed, add remaining eggs and beat 1 minute. Stop machine, scrape and incorporate again.

Remove mixer bowl. If you are using unsalted butter, you need to add salt to the flour now. With a long metal spoon or spatula gently sift and fold in flour in 3 intervals. This usually takes me 1 minute. Flour has to be almost and not completely incorporated into batter before you add in the next batch of flour.

Incorporating flour the first time. Flour clearly visible on batter.

Incorporating flour the second time. A little less flour visible on batter.

Incorporating flour the third time. Almost no flour is visible on batter but there will be flour on the sides of the bowl.

Incorporate the flour on the sides of the bowl with a spatula. Just a few quick scrapes will do.

Distribute batter into the 2 cake tins. Level the batter out. They will look pathetically squat. It is fine. These are not chiffon cakes. Bake at 340F (170C) for 30 to 35 minutes.

To test if cake is done, insert a skewer. If it comes out clean, it is done.  Alternatively, very lightly press the centre of the cake, if it springs back without feeling like you just touched something semi liquid, it is done. The circumference of the cake would have separated ever so slightly from the sides of the cake tin.

Remove to a cooling rack and let it cool completely before removing from cake tins. Do not peel off parchment papers.

Making Buttercream

While waiting, place soften butter and sifted icing sugar into mixer bowl. Attached whisk attachment and whisk until you get a spreadable icing consistency. Transfer to a bowl and cover.

Assembling

Have the following items ready:

• Plate or cake stand where your cake will be served
• 2 palette or butter knives for spreading
• Strawberry jam, room temperature
• Buttercream icing
• 7" square of parchment paper

Choose the cake that will be used for the top piece. Set that aside. 

Remove the parchment paper off the other cake, invert the cake (top of cake will face the cake plate) and set it on the cake plate.

Use the knife to spread inward out, an even layer of buttercream icing on this cake. You do not have to use up all the buttercream. I had about 1 to 2 Tablespoons left. 

Loosen up the strawberry jam with the knife. Gently dollop jam on top of icing and spread it inward out in an even layer. Set aside

Invert the other cake on to the 7" square of parchment paper.  Peel off parchment paper stuck to bottom of the cake. Spread a thin layer of jam on the side where you peeled off the parchment paper. With the help of the 7" square of parchment paper, lift this cake and sandwich it over the other cake.

You have yourself a Classic Victoria Sponge Cake.

Tips

This cake tastes best with home made strawberry jam which is easy to make. This is the way I make mine.

• Recipe for about 1 cup of jam:

17 and 1/2 oz (500g) strawberries; 1/2 to 1 cup of sugar or jam sugar (it has added 'pectin' in it that helps set the jam and produces a slightly thicker consistency similar to store bought jam). 

Hull strawberries. Place strawberries and then sugar in a nonstick pot over medium high heat. After about 2 to 5 minutes, it will probably be a good time to stir. Boil away another 5 minutes. By this time the strawberries will look swollen. Take out your potato masher or use the back of a spoon to break up strawberries.

Let it boil another 10 to 15 minutes. Some foam would have formed. I just stir it back in when the jam is done.  It will look slightly thick but not quite jammy. I like my jam a loose consistency so when it looks like thick honey, I turn off the burner and take it off the heat. Cool completely and store in sterilised glass jars. It keeps at least 3 weeks but only manages to last 2 weeks and only a day if I serve it with my Sweet Milk Scones.

Jam makers will tell you that for jam to reach the 'set' stage, the thermometer needs to register 220F (105C). There are other 'set tests' you can carry out. Google it. Lots of detailed explanations which I will not get into. With the very little sugar to fruit ratio that I use, it might not reach the recommended temperatures. You can take out your thermometers and use it if you like but I know how I like my jam. Do not try and cut down the sugar to anything less than 1/2 cup as it does play a part in getting the jam to the right consistency.

Sweet and slightly tart. It tastes like fresh strawberry jam which it is. So much better than bottled jam. How much do I like this jam? I have almost given up on strawberry filled jelly doughnuts because there is never enough jelly in it for me. Now, I buy plain doughnuts and scoop a quarter cup of my strawberry jam next to a doughnut. It keeps me happy. Oh, I also scoop it over vanilla ice cream. So satisfying.

Update: I have since put up a separate post for this recipe, Homemade Strawberry Jam. It goes into a bit more detail, has more photographs to guide you and I have included other recipes where you can use the Homemade Strawberry Jam. Click here, Strawberry Jam Simplified.
WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT?                              

I am done with my series on English Afternoon Tea! 

Have friends and family over and serve them the entire spread of English Afternoon Tea pictured here! Better still, have somewhat make it for you!

English Afternoon Tea. 

Top plate: Classic Victoria Sponge Cake, Checkerboard Cookies,
Sweet Milk Scones.
Bottom plate first layer: Egg and Cress, Roast Beef with Beetroot, Crisp Cucumbers.

Bottom plate second layer: Roast Beef with Beetroot, Salmon

with Dill Butter, Ham with Honey Butter.

Recently posted:

Sweet Milk Scones

Checkerboard Cookies

Roast Beef with Beetroot Tea Sandwiches

Smoked Salmon with Dill Butter Tea Sandwiches

Egg and Cress Tea Sandwiches
Ham and Honey Butter Tea Sandwiches
Crisp Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

Current post:

Classic Victoria Sponge Cake


In my next post, I am moving on to a savoury snack that I serve pre dinner when I have guests over. I tend to make big batches of the batter and freeze them in smaller freezer bags. I remove a bag, thaw it, snip of a corner of the plastic freezer bag and pipe it over hot oil. 

These little gluten free bites keeps everyone happy while I get dinner prepared. Sometimes I make a coconut or mint chutney to go with it or horror of horrors, I open a bottle of Prego Marinara and use that as a dip.

Look out for my next post!

Crisp Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

Hi! I'm now working from Wordpress. I've spent a great deal of time editing and reorganising this post on Wordpress and it is so much friendlier to read & follow my recipe from there. Click on this link to take you directly to the recipe:

Crisp Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

Link to my newest and old recipes, click:

https://kitchenbaroness.wordpress.com/

These cucumbers stay crisp well into the next day. Your base could be butter or cream cheese that's up to you. Preventing the cucumbers from turning soggy is the key.

There are just 3 ingredients in these sandwiches: cucumbers, salt and butter/cream cheese. Add pepper if you like but it really does not need anything else. 

Keeping this sandwich simple is an especially good idea if you intend to serve it alongside other savoury tea sandwiches.

CRISP CUCUMBER TEA SANDWICHES             

Prep:	20 minutes
Cook:	-
Inactive:	-
Level:	Easy
Makes:	8 finger sandwiches
Oven Temperature:	-
Can recipe be doubled?	Yes
Make ahead?	Yes, a day ahead, well covered in the refrigerator

Ingredients

9 oz (250 g) cucumbers 

I use cucumbers labelled as 'Japanese or Kyuri Cucumbers'. They are about 1" (2.5 cm) in diameter and about 10" (20.5 cm) in length.  Skins and seeds which are underdeveloped can be eaten and are ideal for sandwiches. 

If you don't have access to these, you would mostly likely have to peel your cucumbers and if the seeds are large and unpalatable, get rid of the seeds as well.  You will need to take into account these lost 'trimmings' and still have 9oz (250g) of cucumbers to work with. 

1/3 teaspoon salt

8 slices white sandwich bread

Butter, unsalted or slightly salted, soften for spreading OR Cream Cheese, soften for spreading

Directions

Slice the cucumbers as thinly as you can manage at a slight diagonal. I find a mandolin the best tool here. Use it if you have one. Transfer the sliced cucumbers into a colander that has been placed over a bowl. Sprinkle salt over the cucumbers and toss briefly. Set aside for 5 minutes. No longer or it will get too salty and soggy.

While waiting, lightly butter all 8 slices of bread. If you are using cream cheese, skip the butter and spread on cream cheese instead. Cream cheese must be completely soften before you try to spread it. If not, it will be difficult to spread and you will likely tear the bread up trying to do so. Set aside. Cover with kitchen towel so they do not dry out.

Taste a cucumber slice.  It should be just slightly salty. Some liquid from the cucumbers would have collected in the bowl. Gently squeeze the cucumbers. Squeeze out just 1 Tablespoons of liquid. Do not be tempted to squeeze out more. Discard liquid. Use kitchen paper towels to gently blot up excess liquid off cucumbers. You should have 1 and 1/2 cups of sliced cucumbers. The slight salting and squeezing out of excess liquid helps keep your sandwiches from becoming soggy.  If you over salt and over squeeze them, you will get rather dry and leathery tasting cucumbers. Don't over squeeze.

If you are not using Japanese Kyuri cucumbers and have removed the cucumber skins, be gentler when you squeeze out access liquid from them. 

Set 4 bread slices on your work surface. Overlap the cucumber slices, working up to 2 or 3 layers of overlapping cucumbers per bread slice. It depends on how thin you were able to slice your cucumbers to begin with. It might just be in my head, but the uniformity of the arrangement seems to give the sandwiches a more pronounced crunch with every bite. Cover the sandwiches with the 4 remaining bread slices.

Trim the crusts off. Slice each sandwich into 2. You will have 8 finger sandwiches.

They are refreshing, clean tasting and crunchy at the same time and as I mentioned, they don't go soggy. Big plus point!

Tips

• How do you keep your sandwiches from drying out?

Cover them with a damp tea towel, store in an air tight container and refrigerate.

• How do you transport your sandwiches?

Click on the link for these sandwiches.
Ham and Honey Butter Tea Sandwiches

Choose an air tight container. I like to reuse a pretty biscuit tin. Line the tin with your best tea towel and let the ends drape over the box. Fill with sandwiches. Line the top with a damp tea towel. Fold over the ends of your best tea towel. Cover biscuit tin with its lid. 

If for any reason you need the sandwiches to stay cooler for a longer period in the biscuit tin, here is what I do.

Lay a tea towel on a kitchen counter. Place a shallow tray or the inverted lid of a plastic box that can fit the bottom of the biscuit tin on the tea towel. Set your pre-chilled chiller/cooler pack on the tray/plastic lid. 

Neatly fold over the loose ends of the tea towel over the tray/plastic lid and chiller/cooler pack. Invert this package and transfer to the bottom of the biscuit tin. The flat side of the tray/plastic lid will serve as the base to lay your best tea towel before your lay your sandwiches. Fill with sandwiches. Fold over the ends of your best tea towel. Cover with a neatly folded damp tea towel. Cover tin with its lid.  Remember to remove the damp tea towel before serving.

WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT?                                            

Only one more recipe and my series on an English Afternoon Tea spread will be complete! Here's a recap of the recipes that I have worked on and posted:

English Afternoon Tea. 

Top plate: Classic Victoria Sponge Cake, Checkerboard Cookies,
Sweet Milk Scones.
Bottom plate first layer: Egg and Cress, Roast Beef with Beetroot, Crisp Cucumbers.

Bottom plate second layer: Roast Beef with Beetroot, Salmon

with Dill Butter, Ham with Honey Butter.

Recently posted:

Sweet Milk Scones

Checkerboard Cookies

Roast Beef with Beetroot Tea Sandwiches

Smoked Salmon with Dill Butter Tea Sandwiches

Egg and Cress Tea Sandwiches
Ham and Honey Butter Tea Sandwiches

Current post:

Crisp Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

The last upcoming post in this series:

Classic Victoria Sponge Cake


Just 1 more recipe!

Ham With Honey Butter Tea Sandwiches

Hi! I'm now working from Wordpress. I've spent a great deal of time editing and reorganising this post on Wordpress and it is so much friendlier to read & follow my recipe from there. Click on this link to take you directly to the recipe:

Ham With Honey Butter Tea Sandwiches

Link to my newest and old recipes, click:

https://kitchenbaroness.wordpress.com/

A little ground cloves in the honey butter does make this sandwich different from other ham sandwiches.  The hint of cloves and underlying honey will remind you of eating honey glazed, cloves studded Christmas ham.

Deceptively simple looking sandwich which will surprise you and
your guests with its layers of 'chrismassy' taste.

Ham And Honey Butter Tea Sandwiches           

Besides serving these for Afternoon Tea, these make a nice addition to a picnic or potluck. Reuse a pretty biscuit tin and line it with your best linen towel. Not only does it make a great presentation, the linen keeps the sandwiches from drying out. Your friends will be impressed.

Prep:	15 minutes
Cook:	-
Inactive:	-
Level:	Easy
Makes:	8 finger sandwiches
Oven Temperature:	-
Can recipe be doubled?	Yes
Make ahead?	Yes, a day ahead, well covered in the refrigerator.

Ingredients

Ingredients required to whip up honey butter.
Shaved ham and bread will complete the tea sandwiches.

Honey Butter Ingredients

4 Tablespoons soften butter

2 teaspoons honey

1/8 teaspoon mustard powder OR 1/4 teaspoon mustard of your choice
I prefer mustard powder as I don't want to risk having a runny spread. 

pinch of ground cloves (refer to picture above)
Do you really need to buy this? Yes. It does set this sandwich apart from other Ham With Honey Butter Tea Sandwiches. Look under 'Tips' at the end of this post for ideas to use up leftover ground cloves. Be conservative with ground cloves, it is strong. A little goes a long way.

pinch of pepper

Everything else

7 oz (200 g) shaved honey baked ham or Virginia ham
I use shaved ham as it gives a gentler bite to the sandwiches compared to a thicker cut ham.

8 slices of white sandwich bread

Directions

Mix all Honey Butter Ingredients well and use up all the spread to butter 8 slices of bread.

Trim ham slices to fit 4 slices of bread. Use up all the ham. Cover with remaining 4 slices of bread.

No need to refrigerate sandwiches to firm up before slicing. There is a relatively thin spread of butter so slicing is easy.

You will have 8 sandwiches.

Enjoy them before someone else does!

Tips

 What to do with leftover ground cloves?

• Churros

Sprinkle over that yummy sweet Spanish snack, Churros. Read my post 'Crispy Doughnut - like Spanish Churros with a Dusting of Icing Sugar' for the easy recipe. You should be able to have them ready in 15 minutes.

• Chai Tea also called Masala Tea

Recipe for 1 cup: 1 and 1/2 cup of water, 1 Tablespoon Black Tea Leaves. I like Taj Mahal which you should be able to find at your indian grocer. 1/4 cup of milk, 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons of condensed milk, 5 cardamon pods, a small pinch of ground cloves (refer to picture). Boil water. Crack your cardamon pods. I use the bottom of one of my heavy base pots. Does a great job. When water boils, work fast. Add tea leaves, milk and condensed milk. Once it comes back to a boil, add cracked cardamon pods and ground cloves. Turn off heat and remove from stove. Let it steep 5 to 10 minutes. Strain and serve. I like it with churros.

• Pineappleade

Many years ago I read of a novel way of using the peel of pineapples to produce a refreshing drink. I believe the recipe is Jamaican in origin. It is especially good served on hot days and after a heavy meal.

Recipe for the peel and core of 1 pineapple: a pinch of cloves, 1/2" (1.25cm) of cinnamon (I add cinnamon because I like a subtle taste of it, you can choose to omit), 1/2 cup of sugar, 1" (2.5cm) sliced ginger, peel and core of 1 pineapple. 4 cups (1 liter) water.

You must clean the peel thoroughly with a brush under running water. Top and tail pineapple. Remove most of the outer peel and trash that. Reserve whatever remaining pineapple peel, eyes and core that you would cut off and normally trash before you get to the edible part of the fruit. Refer to picture below. Add all the listed ingredients into the pot. Bring to the boil, cover and turn off the heat. Set aside for 24 hours. I leave mine in the refrigerator. Strain and serve. You can reheat it for a hot soothing pineapple beverage.

That's all you need to make pineappleade plus water of course.

WHAT'S COMING UP NEXT?                                                

I am almost there! I just have to post one last tea sandwich recipe and that of the Classic Victoria Sponge Cake and I will have completed posting all the recipes for the items for my English Afternoon Tea Spread! That is every single morsel you see on the 2-tier cake stand.

English Afternoon Tea. I wish someone would make the spread for me!

Top plate: Classic Victoria Sponge Cake, Checkerboard Cookies,
Sweet Milk Scones.
Bottom plate first layer: Egg and Cress, Roast Beef with Beetroot, Crisp Cucumbers.

Bottom plate second layer: Roast Beef with Beetroot, Salmon

with Dill Butter, Ham with Honey Butter.

Here's a list of the English Afternoon Tea recipes I have posted:

Recently posted:

Sweet Milk Scones

Checkerboard Cookies

Roast Beef with Beetroot Tea Sandwiches

Smoked Salmon with Dill Butter Tea Sandwiches

Egg and Cress Tea Sandwiches

Current post:

Ham and Honey Butter Tea Sandwiches

Soon to be posted:

Crisp Cucumber Tea Sandwiches

Classic Victoria Sponge Cake

2 recipes to go!