Val’s Victoria sponge with raspberries and fresh cream

Our resident baking aficionado, Val Stones, shares her special version of a British classic: Victoria Sponge. Using fresh raspberries and homemade Chantilly cream, the Great British Bake Off 2016 star’s recipe puts the ‘light’ in ‘delightful’.   

Portions and timings:

• Serves 8-12
• Preparation: 10 minutes
• Cooking: 35-38 minutes
• Assembly: 12 minutes

Ingredients:

For the sponge:

• 300g eggs (weighed out of shells, usually 5-6 eggs)
• 300g caster sugar
• 300g soft margarine
• 300g self-raising flour
• 12g baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon whole milk

 For the Chantilly cream:

• 500ml double cream
• 1 tablespoon dried milk powder
• 1-2 heaped tablespoons icing sugar
• 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract or vanilla paste

For the filling:

• 100g fresh raspberries (keep 12 aside for decorating)
• 4 tablespoons good raspberry jam
• A few small mint leaves
• A sprinkle of freeze-dried raspberry powder (optional)

To serve:

A little icing sugar to sift over the raspberries

Method:

1. Set the oven to 160°C fan, 180-190°C, 350-375°F, gas 4-5
2. Grease and line two 23cm cake tins
3. Put the eggs into a bowl, then add the same weight of sugar and margarine
4. Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl, then add the milk and vanilla extract
5. Begin to beat the mixture gently. If you are using a stand mixer or hand mixer, gently pulse 4-5 times. This will prevent the flour from rising in clouds and coating both you and your surroundings! Beat faster for 1 minute, then leave the mixture to stand (this allows the caster sugar to dissolve, giving the cake a softer texture when baked)
6. Continue to beat the mixture for 2 more minutes; it’s important not to overbeat as this will knock out the precious air that makes a good light sponge. Pour into the two cake tins
7. Place the baking tins on the middle shelf and bake for 35-38 minutes. The cakes are baked when they are evenly and lightly golden, and if you listen to them, they only whisper a crackle
8. Remove the tins from the oven and place them on a cooling rack. With a sharp knife and in one continuous movement, loosen the cakes from their tins and leave for 2 minutes to cool
9. Place parchment or silicone round on top of the cake, then tip onto a cooling rack (this prevents the cake from getting marked by the cooling rack). Flip the cake back onto another cooling rack, then allow to cool completely

To make the Chantilly cream:

1. Chill your mixing bowl and beaters before making the cream. Use a stand or a hand electric mixer if you have one
2. Place the double cream in the bowl with the dried milk. Let it stand for a minute to allow the powder to dissolve in the cream
3. Beat the cream on medium power for one minute
4. Add the icing sugar and any flavour extract, then beat on medium until the cream begins to form floppy peaks

To assemble:

1. Make sure you have the Chantilly cream ready.
2. Place a little Chantilly cream on the base of your cake plate or board, as this will anchor your cake
3. Gently lay your cake down onto the cake plate or board
4. Spread half of the cream onto the cake using a spatula, leaving it slightly dipped towards the centre (this is to hold the jam filling)
5. In a bowl, mash the raspberries (retaining 12 to decorate) and add 4 tablespoons of raspberry jam. Stir well, then place spoonfuls of the jam mixture on the cream
6. Place the second cake on top of the first and press down lightly. Using your spatula again, spread a thin layer of cream evenly on top of the cake
7. Place the remaining cream in a piping bag fitted with a 6-point star nozzle. Pipe 12 swirls evenly around the cake, adding a raspberry in between each swirl. Place a mint leaf next to each raspberry

To serve, sift a little icing sugar over the raspberries. You may wish to further sprinkle raspberry powder for a fabulous finishing touch!

Sometimes I decorate with extravagant icing; on other days, I opt for plain icing sugar (like the below) which is timelessly classic.

Feeling inspired (and peckish) by Val’s Victoria Sponge? Enjoy browsing her other brilliant bakes here.