ʻRichʼ sponge cakes
A version of this recipe can be founding Mrs Beatonʼs Book of Household Management of
1861 listed as a recipe called ʻVictorian Sandwichesʼ. Unlike the familiar round cake we see
today it was made in a large square tin. Once cooked it was horizontally cut in half and filled
with raspberry jam. The cake was then cut into thin slices (like a traditional sandwich).
Ideally the sponge will be light and fluffy. It is not usually filled with cream as you already
have the richness of the butter –– it will stand alone, filled with good jam and dusted with icing
sugar, or simple butter cream.
A rich sponge is made with equal quantities of eggs, sugar, flour, butter and any appropriate
flavouring. 150 years ago eggs were not pre-graded by size as they are today and was
necessary to weigh them first and then weigh out your sugar flour and butter to an identical
amount. I have given approximate weights for standard and large eggs but it is good practise
to check the weight of your eggs; I have bought medium eggs only to find they were giant
large eggs – they had evidently been packed in the wrong box.
Take your eggs and butter out of the fridge well in advance of baking to ensure they are at the
same temperature. The butter wants to be very soft but not melted. I find it much easier to
make this cake in summer as somehow the ingredients are more malleable in warm weather.
You could use an electric whisk for the mixing of the butter, sugar and eggs although the
traditional method with a wooden spoon does not take much longer. I would suggest reverting
to a wooden or large metal spoon to combine the flour. The key word is combine rather than
mix. If you mix too fast you will activate the gluten in the flour which results in a slightly
rubbery texture.
This recipe can be adapted for a number of different flavours (detailed further on) that are
complemented with a variety of icings to create numerous outcomes. I have not included
chocolate as I feel there are better sponge recipes than this for a chocolate sponge.
Equipment to make a basic Victoria Sandwich Sponge Cake
2 x 17cm sandwich tins
Large wooden spoon
Mixing bowl
Spatula, knives, greaseproof paper
Ingredients:
2 large eggs beaten
1
The weight of the two eggs (in their shells) of:
Softened unsalted butter
Caster sugar
Self-raising flour with a pinch of salt
2
Tea spoon of vanilla paste/essence
(optional)
A little hot water or milk (1 – 2 teaspoons)** (** depending on the recipe – see further on)
Method:
1. Pre-heat the oven to approx 170 degrees centigrade.
2. Weigh your eggs and then weigh out the same amount of butter, sugar and selfraising flour.
3. Place the soft butter and caster sugar into the mixing bowl. Mix together with the
wooden spoon until they are creamed together. Continue to beat until the mixture
becomes more pale in colour, almost white and looks creamily fluffy and light.
4. Add about a quarter of the beaten egg and beat into the mixture – at first it may look a
bit curdled, just keep beating and it will soon become creamily fluffy and light again.
5. Keep adding the egg in small amounts, until it is all mixed in. Ideally it should look like
a creamy texture but sometimes the eggs do curdle slightly and looks like a bit like
scrambled eggs.
6. Sift the flour over the creamy mixture.
7. Slowly combine the flour, gently cutting and folding into the cream until you cannot
see any more loose flour particles.
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2
2 large eggs weigh approx 125g – 130g. / 2 medium eggs weigh approx 110g.
Self raising flour is 100g of plain flour to one teaspoon of baking powder.
8. Scoop up some of the mixture on to the spoon and tap it against the bowl. If it does
not drop easily into the bowl, add one or two teaspoons of hot water/milk** until the
mixture is more floppy.
9. Cut out some greaseproof paper circles so they are the same size as the base of the
tins.
10. Grease the bottom and sides of the sandwich tins with butter and place the paper
discs in each tin.
11. Place equal amounts of the mixture into the tins and spread to the edges so it looks
quite even.
12. Place both tins on the middle shelf of the oven and cook for about 2- 25 minutes. The
top should be a golden brown.
13. Remove from the oven and place the tins on a rack to cool for about 5 minutes. Then
turn them out to cool completely, peeling off the greaseproof paper.
14. Place one sponge onto the serving plate with the top side down – you will be
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sandwiching the two bottoms together . Spread with raspberry jam.
15. Place the other sponge, top side up, on top. Sprinkle with icing sugar to finish.
This cake tastes best on the day of baking. If I wish to bake ahead, I freeze the sponge
immediately it has cooled. Then spread the jam/filling once thawed out.
BUTTER CREAM ICING
You will need double the amount of icing sugar to butter. For this size of cake I would suggest
approx 60g softened butter and 120g icing sugar to fill the middle and cover the top. If you
want to cover the sides as well then you will need more, perhaps double.. Start by beating
the butter in the bowl and gradually adding the icing sugar, bit by bit until all is combined.
Then add any appropriate flavour. Some people will add milk to make it more mousse-like
and light. I prefer mine slightly stiffer so it sets a bit harder. If you cover the whole cake ie top
and sides with butter-cream this will seal in the sponge so it lasts longer as it has become ʻairtightʼ.
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If you use just one deep baking tin rather than 2 shallow tins, it is likely you will have allowed slightly longer to cook.
Once the sponge has cooled then cut the cake in half. You will just place the jam between the two cut halves..
Likewise if cooking a tray of small cakes they will need slightly less time – 10 – 15 minutes.
FLAVOURINGS AND FILLINGS
The simple plain sponge with raspberry jam is delicious. You could use a home made lemon
/lime/orange curd for the filling as an alternative.
Butter cream icing and filling is also popular – the cake does not need to be chilled as it would
be if using cream. The butter cream hardens / sets slightly as well after a few hours.
Coffee and Walnut. Mix about 3 – 4 tablespoons of instant espresso in a tablespoon of hot
water. Use about 1 tablespoon in the cake and the remainder to flavour the butter cream. Mix
up either some very strong instant coffee Make sure there are no lumps. Pour in about 1
tablespoon of coffee at the stage where you add the hot water into the cake. You could either
decorate the top of the cake with walnuts or crush the walnuts into the butter-cream.
Alternatively coat the sides of the cake with coffee butter-cream and then roll the cake in the
crushed walnuts. Then ice on top.
Orange sponge with a chocolate glaze Zest an orange and chop the zest up finely.
Squeeze the juice of half the lemon. Add this to the cake batter instead of the hot water/milk.
Warm some good marmalade and push through a sieve so you leave out the large bits of
rind. Spread this over the cake top. In a pan or bowl in the oven/microwave, carefully melt
about 50g dark chocolate with about 50ml of double/single cream. Let it cool slightly and
ensure cream and chocolate are combined. Pour over the top of the marmalade glaze.
Decorate with orange zest.
Simple lime drizzle cake
Add the zest and juice of one lime to the sponge mixture instead of the water/milk. Add the
juice and zest of a further lime to about 2 tablespoons of icing sugar and taste – you donʼt
want it to be overly sweet. Immediately the cake comes out of the oven, stick holes all over it
with a skewer and pour over your lime syrup. Sprinkle the top with caster sugar and leave it to
cool in the tin. Once cold, remove from tin and serve.
Copyright: Caroline Hope 2013