January 17: Victoria Sponge Sandwich

My television binge-watching is devoted to three types of programs:

• British Dramas (ie. Downton Abbey, Call the Midwife, London Hospital)
• Crime Procedurals/Mysteries (Foyle's War, Vera, Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries, Sherlock, Elementary, Law & Order)
• shows about art and antiques (Antiques Roadshow, American Pickers)

The very best are the shows that combine two or more of the above categories.  Don't get me started on British Antiques Roadshow, it is as addictive as any drug!  In watching different British programs (programmes, should I say?) I have noticed that a majority of tea times include a classic cake called a Victoria Sponge.  I especially remember an episode of Midsomer Murders that featured a Victoria Sponge contest at a town fair and showed the ladies of the hamlet anxiously awaiting the judges' assessments of their cakes.  In a few shows set in current day, the "tea-requisite" Victoria Sponge comes from a supermarket in a box.

Since I had never tried a Victoria Sponge, and in honor of the current season of Downton Abbey, I made one today.  The cakes consist of two layers of sponge cake with filling sandwiched between the layers and the whole thing topped with powdered sugar.  Named for Queen Victoria, the cakes traditionally feature a filling of raspberry preserves and sweetened whipped cream, though I have seen many recipes featuring strawberry preserves, fresh strawberries or buttercream filling.

Since Downton is my muse and Upstairs Downstairs inspired that show, I chose Mrs. Bridges' Upstairs Downstairs Cookery Book as my source for the recipe.  My copy of the cookbook is a hand-me-down from my mother who probably bought it during the original broadcast of Upstairs Downstairs in the 1970's.  The book is a paperback and is missing its cover and choice bits of the spine.  

The recipe goes together differently from other cakes I have made; the eggs are beaten then added and the milk is not added alternating with the dry ingredients.  For that matter, no specific amount of milk is even prescribed.  I have included the entire recipe, below.

The classic recipe for a Victoria Sponge is that the weight of the separate ingredients equals the combined weight of the eggs.  Thus, the weight of three medium-size eggs, or 'standard' eggs would be about 6oz, and so you would require 6oz each of flour, sugar and butter.  Cream the butter and the sugar, beat the eggs and add them slowly by degrees.  Sift the flour (use self-raising; or plain flour with 2 teaspoons baking powder) with the salt, and beat into the mixture.  Add enough milk to make a soft dropping consistency, and pour into prepared 7-inch cake tins.  Bake at 350 degrees for 30-40 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.  When cold, sandwich together with raspberry jam, and whipped sweet cream, dust the top with sifted icing sugar.

That's it.  That is the recipe.  As I prepared it, I made a few adjustments, but only as absolutely necessary. Three extra-large eggs weighed 180g, so I used 180g of flour, sugar and butter.  You will also notice that I used the metric measurements, since the UK now uses metric.
I used King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour, not because of Camelot, but because I love the brand.  The recipe refers to "the salt."  The salt of unknown quantity.  I decided upon 1/2 teaspoon, since that is what most cakes require.  "Enough milk" in this case was a little less than 3/4 of a cup.  I also used 8-inch cake tins, because I don't yet own any 7-inch ones.  Due to the wider, thinner layers I only baked them 23 minutes at 350 degrees.  Now, some creative license was taken with the jam filling...  As a rule, my family doesn't care for raspberries or their jam.  So I broke from Mrs. Bridges' recipe and used strawberry jam with whipped cream.

The cake turned out beautifully.  The layers were smooth, buttery, tender, and not-too-sweet which were perfect complements for the tangy jam and light whipped cream.

The consensus around our house is that I was a little heavy-handed with the jam.   I will certainly try this cake again due to its ease of preparation and the tasty but not too sweet result.

I might try it with another type of jam; my family is clamoring for blackberry!


Next Saturday:  Allgood Pineapple Upside-Down Cake