Recipe: Eton Mess Victoria Sponge Cake (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to a good sponge cake? ›

Make sure that all of the ingredients are at room temperature. If the ingredients are at different temperatures then they may not combine properly and the cake will be dense. If the eggs are stored in the fridge then remove them several hours before using, so they are properly at room temperature.

Queen Elizabeth II's pastry chef shared her favourite recipe for Victoria Sponge Cake - and we can't wait to try it out for ourselves. The Victoria Sponge 🍰 was named after Queen Victoria, who regularly ate a slice of sponge cake with her tea, each afternoon!

Make sure your butter is extremely soft (but not melted). The butter will bond more easily with the sugar allowing for extra air bubbles when you beat it. Fresh, room temperature eggs hold more air than old or fridge cold ones, so this will give you a head start on creating a lighter sponge.

Victoria sponge cakes are two-layer cakes, served with strawberry jam and whipped cream in between the layers and dusted with granulated sugar. On the other hand, a classic sponge cake is much more versatile.

If the butter or spread is too soft, it becomes oily and the resulting cake heavy and dense. If the butter is too cold, it takes too long to incorporate into the sugar and eggs and can cause over-mixing, which in turn means a heavy cake.

The key to an airy sponge, is... well air! In each stage of the sponge making process you need to add as much airiness as you can. Once your flour is measured, hold the sieve a few inches above your mixing bowl, pour the flour into the sieve and gently sift away, this will ensure a light sponge once baked.

The Victoria Sponge was named after Queen Victoria, who regularly ate a slice of sponge cake with her tea, each afternoon! To mark Royal Garden Parties, Buckingham Palace Pastry Chef's are delighted to share this traditional recipe. If you use social media, remember to share your #royalbakes !

The four-tier wedding cake of Princess Elizabeth and Philip Mountbatten stood 2.7 metres high, weighed 220 kilograms and was decorated with ornate scenes from the future Queen's life. After Prince Philip cut the alcohol-laced fruitcake with his sword, an entire layer was sent to Australia.

Sponge - The word sponge is sometimes used interchangeably with cake, but specifically refers to a cake made with butter, sugar, eggs, flour, and a rising agent to make the texture light and airy. Strong Flour - Strong flour is the same thing as bread flour or hard flour.

What is sponge cake called in America? ›

Sponge cake comes in many forms, with angel food cake being the most well-known in America. Basically, a sponge is a cake made very light by whipping the egg and carefully folding in the flour mixture.

A joconde is a close relative of a Genoise sponge, the major difference being the inclusion of ground nuts (usually almonds). It is probably best known for its use in an Opera gateau. A dacquoise is ostensibly a meringue with nuts added (usually hazelnuts and almonds) and occasionally a little cornflour.

The high fat content of butter keeps the sponge moist and tender whilst also providing a delicious buttery flavour that you won't get with margarine or oils.

Use cake flour.

Making a moist cake starts with the cake mix. If a recipe calls for all-purpose flour, opt for cake flour instead to create a more moist, tender crumb. Additions like sour cream, buttermilk, or applesauce can also infuse moisture and prevent a dry cake.

Baking powder is mixed with the flour. When water is added to this flour to make dough, baking powder undergoes a chemical reaction during which carbon dioxide gas is produced. This carbon dioxide gas gets trapped into the dough and bubbles out which causes the cake to rise making it soft and spongy.