Victoria Sponge

British two-layer sponge with strawberry jam and whipped cream.

Preparation: 20 min · Cooking: 25 min · Total: 1 hr 40 min · 8 servings

Ingredients

• 200 g self-raising wheat flour
• 200 g unsalted butter — Softened for the batter.
• 4 pc eggs — Room temperature.
• 150 g strawberry jam
• 200 ml cold whipping cream — Keep chilled until whipping.
• 200 g caster sugar

Instructions

1. Make the sponge batter

   Preheat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan) and line two 20 cm round tins with baking parchment. Beat 200 g softened unsalted butter with 200 g caster sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in 4 eggs one at a time, then fold in 200 g self-raising wheat flour just until combined. Divide the batter evenly between the tins.

   The butter and sugar are pale and fluffy; the finished batter has no dry flour.

   Prepare sponge batter: 600 seconds

2. Bake the sponge layers

   Bake both tins at 180°C (160°C fan) for 22–25 minutes until golden, risen, and springy in the center; a skewer should come out clean. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and cool completely, about 40 minutes.

   The sponges are golden, spring back when pressed lightly, and a skewer comes out clean.

   Bake Victoria sponge: 1500 seconds

3. Cool, fill, and serve

   Whip 200 ml cold whipping cream to soft peaks. Spread 150 g strawberry jam on one completely cooled layer, spread the cream over the jam, and top with the second layer. Cut into 8 slices and serve; refrigerate any remaining cream-filled cake promptly.

   The cream holds soft peaks and the cake layers stay level when stacked.

Tips

• Cool both sponges completely before adding the jam and whipped cream.
• Contains wheat/gluten, egg, and milk; check packaged ingredients for additional allergens.

Common mistakes

• Overmixing after adding flour makes the sponge heavy.
• Filling warm layers melts the whipped cream.

Substitutions

• Replace 150 g strawberry jam with 150 g raspberry jam if preferred; keep the cake method unchanged.

Storage

Cover and refrigerate the cream-filled cake within 2 hours at 4°C or colder for up to 2 days.

Reheating

Do not reheat the cream-filled cake; serve chilled or briefly let individual slices lose their chill before serving.

About this recipe

Victoria sponge is a British sandwich cake associated with afternoon tea and named for Queen Victoria.

Editorial approval does not establish independent kitchen testing. Check allergens and follow safe food handling.