After a not very successful attempt to make Sophie Dahl's Victoria Sponge I was determined to get it right so I tried to take all my prior knowledge about sponge cakes (predominately learnt from my Grandma Jo) to make it work once and for-all.
I have also discovered that I was using the wrong attachment on my food processor, I was using the plastic blade which I now don't believe gets enough air into the mixture in an even way. I luckily re-found another attachment though which is like an electric whisk and is just perfect for making cakes. Please find photo just below:
So here we go.....
Preheat oven to about 180'C
The secret to this wonderful recipe is "measure to the eggs"
Regardless of how many eggs you decide to use, weigh them, with shells on, at the beginning, write down the measurement and weigh all of the remaining above ingredients to that measurement.
Mix marge/butter and sugar first:
Then add the eggs and flour and vanilla extract or whatever other flavouring you choose...
Mix thoroughly until you have a lovely smooth mixture
(Please note that all of these photos were deliberately taken with the lid off so that you could see the state of the mixture but they were mixed with the lid on!)
This will make a very nice cake, just as it is, but now you have the choice to add whatever flavouring you like. Here are some of my favorites:
- For chocolate, add 4 heaped spoons of coco powder
- For classic victoria sponge add a teaspoon of vanilla extract
- For ginger and raisin add a teaspoon of freshly grated ginger root and a good handful of raisins (this is the option which I went for today as you will see from my photographs)
Mix your chosen flavour into the mixture well.
I recommend that you use a food processor/ food mixer/ or electric whilst to get the smoothest quickest outcome, though elbow grease will do just as good a job, just might wear you out a little. It is definately fun to do it by hand if your cooking with children though.
To prepare your cake tin, remove the loose bottom, cover in baking paper, fix back to the tin and remove the remaining paper hanging down. You should end up with something that looks like this:
Once you're happy with your mixture spoon it into the pre-prepared cake tin like so:
Place into your hot oven for 15-20 minutes. Test your cake/s when you think they're done by putting a clean knife into the middle. If the knife comes out clean then it's done, if it comes out dirty then it need a little longer. Please remember cooking times vary from oven to oven. Mine took close to an hour yesterday - the most important thing is that the cake is thoroughly cooked through and you know that's the case if you have a clean knife come out when you test it.
Allow the cake to cool for half an hour or so before removing from the tin carefully.
Right now for icing....
There really isn't an exact science to this bit. You just add icing sugar bit by bit to, in this case orange juice for both top and inside and a little butter, by this I mean a heaped teaspoon only for the inside, until you get a lovely smooth mixture.
Then this is how I put the cake together
I first cut the cake in half and then spread the butter-cream icing first in a thin but even coating.
Then I added a good quality cherry jam....
Then I carefully placed the top half of the cake back on...
Then I coated the top in the hardening kind of icing, made from just a combination of freshly squeezed orange juice and icing sugar...
The first slice was excellent the night of making it. But nothing beats the following day when the icing is lovely and hard on top and soft in the middle and makes a lovely cracking sound as you cut into it. yum forever yum!
In case you're wondering this cake has been displayed on my lovely new Laura Ashley Cake stand which I love love love and would recommend getting to anyone as you can display your baking delights whilst keeping them nice and fresh at the same time.....
...
as it comes with this lovely lid. The cake stand can be purchased from Laura Ashley online or in store at this link.
