Starting with the basics - Victoria Sandwich

If you can make a good Victoria sandwich you can always have a recipe to fall back on as it is a real crowd pleaser. A Victoria sandwich can also be adapted with different flavour combinations, but following the same simple method.

The method I use is the all in one method shown to me by my Mother-in-law. I find it quick and easy to use and I seem to get great results.

The first thing I do is decide on the size of cake I want, if I am using  20cm sandwich tins I use four eggs.

from this point it is very easy!

1. Heat oven to 180/ fan 160, gas mark 4
2. Weigh the eggs in their shells and remember the weight ( for cake below mine were 216g)
3. Weigh out the same amount of butter (at room temp), same amount of self raising flour and the same amount of Caster sugar. Add 1 tsp of baking powder. You can then decide if you'd like to add a little flavour, I would usually add either 1 tsp Vanilla extract or the grated zest of a lemon.
4. Place all ingredients in a bowl and beat until smooth
5. I grease my 2 sandwich tins with butter and then shake flour over the surface to make them extra non stick.  If I can give you a tip about your tins, never use them for anything other than baking, I have had many tins ruined by making Sausagemeat stuffing in them!
6. Split the mix between the 2 tins and smooth out tops with a palette knife.
7. Bake for about 20 mins until golden. You can test if they are ready by either seeing if cake springs back when pressed lightly or insert a skewer or cocktail stick and if it comes out clean, the cake is done. Turn out on to a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
8. For the filling gently warm 3-4 tbsps of Strawberry jam,adding 6 strawberries which have been sliced. spread this onto bottom layer of cake and leave to cool.  You can then use a buttercream icing, but I prefer fresh cream, so I whip 200 mls of double cream until it holds its shape well, then I pipe it on to give a nice finish. Place top layer of cake gently on top and then finish with a dusting of icing sugar, and Enjoy!

Strawberry Cake with piped White Chocolate Buttercream icing

Forgot to photograph this cake at home, but here is a picture of my lovely friend Christine with the cake I made for her birthday. The Cake itself was a victoria sponge made with the all in one method, but with the addition of 250g of finely chopped strawberries mixed through before baking the filling between the two layers was strawberry jam and sliced strawberries. For the icing I made a white chocolate buttercream, this was a good consistency for piping, but I think I paid the price for not sifting the sugar as the nozzle was blocked a couple of times. This was really my first attempt at piping after getting new piping bags and nozzles for Christmas, and I was reasonably pleased with it. I covered the whole cake with a layer of icing, then piped flowers on the top and covered sides with grated white chocolate. I sliced four slices into a whole strawberry, then fanned it out a little to use for decoration. The final touch was to use my icing sugar sifter with a little added edible gold glitter to make it just a little more special. Happy Birthday Christine!

Hi, I've started my blog to inspire myself to try out even more recipes this coming year : ). I will use my blog to record what I have made, successes and disasters! Also I will review as many recipes as I can and try to provide hints and tips along the way.