Victoria sponge party cake

This is a classic recipe for a Victoria sponge, which is light and fluffy and ideal for any occasion.

Victoria sponge party cake

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Cook Time 25 minutes
Course Cake

Ingredients
  

  • 175 g margarine
  • 175 g caster sugar
  • 175 g self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 eggs, lightly beaten
  • 1 tsp vanilla essence
  • jam

For the buttercream

  • 125 g unsalted butter, softened
  • 375 g icing sugar

For the topping

  • 225 g icing sugar, sifted
  • sprinkles to decorate – you could also use dolly mixtures, smarties or any decoration of your choice

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 180ºc/gas 4.  Grease two 7inch tins and set aside.  Springform tins are better to use.
  • With an electric whisk, beat together the margarine and sugar until pale and fluffy.
  • In a separate bowl, add the vanilla essence to the egg and in another bowl add the baking powder to the flour.
  • Add third of the egg to the margarine mixture and beat together with a wooden spoon, then add a third of the flour and combine, then repeat until all the cake ingredients are mixed together.
  • Divide the mixture between the 2 tins and bake for 25mins until the cakes have risen and spring back when pressed in the centre.
  • When the cakes are cooked, loosen the edges of the cakes with a knife and leave in the tins for 5mins.  Turn them out onto a wire rack to cool.
  • For the buttercream, put the butter in a mixing bowl, sift in the icing sugar, a little at a time, beating after each addition and repeat until light, fluffy and creamy.  Top tip: Leave the butter out to adjust to room temperature, you will find this easier to work with.  If the butter is too hard, you will end up with breadcrumbs and will be harder to work with.
  • Carefully spread a generous layer of buttercream on one of the cakes.  On the other cake, spread a generous amount of jam, then sandwich the two halves together.
  • For the icing, mix the icing sugar with 2-4 tbsp of water and mix to the consistency of cream, pour over the cake and decorate. 
  • Leave aside until the icing has set, then cut and share with your guests.