Victoria Sponge

Ingredients

• 225g unsalted butter, very soft
• 225g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 225g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp whole milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• 150g good raspberry jam
• 250ml double cream
• 1 tbsp icing sugar, plus extra for dusting

Before you cook

• Take the butter and eggs out of the fridge at least an hour ahead so everything is at room temperature.
• Heat the oven to 160C fan.
• Butter two 20cm sandwich tins and line the bases with discs of baking paper.
• Sift the flour, baking powder and salt together into a bowl.

Steps

1. Beat the soft butter and caster sugar together with an electric whisk for five minutes until the mixture is very pale and noticeably lighter in volume.
2. Crack the eggs into a jug and beat them lightly with a fork.
3. Add the beaten egg to the butter mixture a tablespoon at a time, whisking fully between each addition.
4. Add a spoonful of the flour if the mixture looks like it is about to curdle, then carry on with the egg.
5. Beat in the vanilla.
6. Sift the flour mixture over the bowl in two goes and fold it in with a large metal spoon using a figure-of-eight motion.
7. Fold in the milk until the batter drops reluctantly from the spoon when tapped.
8. Divide the batter between the two tins and weigh them if you want them identical.
9. Level the tops gently with a palette knife.
10. Bake both tins on the middle shelf for twenty-five to twenty-eight minutes.
11. Test the sponges by pressing the centre lightly; the surface should spring straight back and the edges should have shrunk slightly from the tin.
12. Cool the cakes in their tins for five minutes.
13. Turn the sponges out onto a wire rack, peel off the paper and leave them to cool completely, which takes about an hour.
14. Whip the double cream with the tablespoon of icing sugar to soft peaks that just hold their shape.
15. Set one sponge upside down on a plate and spread the jam right to the edge.
16. Spoon the whipped cream over the jam and spread it evenly.
17. Set the second sponge on top with its flat side down.
18. Dust the top with icing sugar through a fine sieve just before serving.