Named after Queen Victoria, who famously enjoyed a slice with her afternoon tea, this classic British cake dates back to the 19th century. Its light, fluffy sponge layers, filled with raspberry jam and whipped cream, embody simple elegance, making it a timeless centerpiece for tea parties or special occasions.
YIELD
8 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
25 minREADY
60 min
Chef Tips
- Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure butter and eggs are at room temperature for a smoother batter and better emulsification.
- Avoid Overmixing: Fold the flour gently to maintain the cake’s light texture. Overmixing can result in a dense cake.
- Prevent Curdling: If the batter curdles when adding eggs, a small amount of flour helps stabilize it.
- Whipped Cream Stability: Chill the bowl and whisk for firmer whipped cream. Don’t overwhip, as it can turn grainy.
- Jam Consistency: Use high-quality raspberry jam for the best flavor. If too thick, warm slightly to spread evenly.
Optional Variations
- Strawberry Twist: Substitute raspberry jam with strawberry jam and garnish with fresh strawberries.
- Lemon Zest: Add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to the batter for a citrusy note, and use lemon curd instead of jam.
- Buttercream Filling: Replace whipped cream with vanilla buttercream for a richer, more stable filling.
Equipment
- Two 8-inch (20cm) round cake pans
- Parchment paper
- Electric mixer or whisk
- Cooling rack
- Sifter
Ingredients
Directions
Cream the butter until light. Slowly add the sugar. Beat until light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time and beat well. Fold in the sifted flour and baking powder.
Pour mixture into prepared 8 inch round pans. Bake 25 to 30 minutes at 375℉ (190℃) until the cake pulls gently from sides or cake tester remains clean.
(When pressing lightly on top of cake, no impression is left.) Cool in pans for 10 minutes. Cool completely on wire rack.
Whip cream and sugar to soft peaks. Place doily on cake plate. Put one cake layer on doily.
Spread with raspberry jam and top with whipped cream. Place second layer bottom side up onto the filling.
Sprinkle with powdered sugar. Garnish with raspberries and mint leaves.
Comments
This is NOT 4453 calories per serving!
... wot
Just updated the recipe, should be 278 calories per serving.
This looks absolutely fabulous and worthy of 5 stars. Just finished watching "The Best Thing I Ever Ate-Thankful" on the Food Network, and this was Brit Robert Irvine's pick. It looked so great that I had to look for the recipe on FN's website, but the exact recipe was not there. So here I am and you've got just the one I wanted. I plan to make this (with zhangbo's changes) for Christmas in place of my usual trifle. Thanks for sharing.
Well, I finally made this cake (for my birthday tomorrow) after wanting to attempt it for a very long time. I have not tasted it yet, but it looks very promising. I took the liberty of placing some fresh raspberries on top of the jam along with the cream in the middle. Will post more photos after the cake is cut.
The cake photo does look very tempting, and I bet you will love the taste of this cake. Look forward to seeing the slices, and HAPPY BIRTHDAY! Have a good one :)