This cake is definitely fit for a queen and even named after one!
Named after Queen Victoria due to the fact that she was said to indulge herself in a slice of this delicious layered cake alongside her traditional English afternoon tea.
Traditionally, Victorian Sponge Cakes are made using the weight of the eggs in their shells as a ratio for the same amount of flour, sugar, and butter. This would make this cake similar to a pound cake but, the difference is the baking powder in the self-raising flour – this allows for the cake to be super light but still rich and slightly dense – perfect for sandwiching with pillows of whipped cream and tart jam! Any cake fit for a queen would be worthy of my Gourmet Vanilla Beans which you can now buy individually OVER HERE. They provide a heady fragrance to the cake and would be delicious folded through the whipped cream, too!
Find the recipe below or download the printable recipe card at the end of this post.
EARL GREY VICTORIAN SPONGE WITH CHERRY JAM
Serves 4
FOR THE SPONGE
- 2 bags Earl Grey Tea
- 175g salted butter, softened
- 175g Natura Sugars Golden caster sugar
- 1 x The Kate Tin Gourmet Vanilla Bean, seeds scraped or 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 175g self-raising flour
- 1 tbsp warm milk
FOR THE FILLING
- 50ml whipping cream, well chilled
- 185g good-quality cherry jam
- 3 tbsp Natura Sugars Demerara icing sugar, for dusting
- 250g fresh cherries, to garnish
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 180°C or gas mark 4.
- Grease and line 2 x 17cm springform cake tins with baking paper.
- Place the Earl Grey tea leaves in a blender or spice grinder and grind until fine. Set aside.
- Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the vanilla seeds or vanilla extract.
- Gradually add the eggs, a little at a time, to the butter with the mixer running.
- Sift the flour and gently fold into the mixture with the warm milk and Earl Grey tea.
- Divide the batter between the two prepared tins and bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown and springy in the middle.
- Allow the sponges to cool slightly in the tin then carefully turn them out on a rack and allow to cool completely.
- Whip the cream until stiff peaks form.
- To assemble the cake, set one sponge crust-side down on a serving plate.
- Using a tablespoon, Dollop the jam and whipped cream over the sponge, alternating between each.
- Top with the second sponge layer.
- Dust with icing sugar and decorate with cherries.
Earl Grey Victorian Sponge with Cherry Jam
2021-06-15 10:45:09
Serves 4
Print
Prep Time
25 min
Cook Time
25 min
For the sponge
- 2 bags Earl Grey Tea
- 175g salted butter, softened
- 175g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 175g self-raising flour
- 1 tbsp warm milk
For the filling
- 50ml whipping cream, well chilled
- 185g good-quality cherry jam
- 3 tbsp icing sugar, for dusting
- 250g fresh cherries, to garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C or gas mark 4.
- Grease and line 2 x 17cm springform cake tins with baking paper.
- Place the Earl Grey tea leaves in a blender or spice grinder and grind until fine. Set aside.
- Place the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment and beat until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the vanilla.
- Gradually add the eggs, a little at a time, to the butter with the mixer running.
- Sift the flour and gently fold into the mixture with the warm milk and Earl Grey tea.
- Divide the batter between the two prepared tins and bake for 20-25 minutes or until light golden brown and springy in the middle.
- Allow the sponges to cool slightly in the tin then carefully turn them out on a rack and allow to cool completely.
- Whip the cream until stiff peaks form.
- To assemble the cake, set one sponge crust-side down on a serving plate.
- Using a tablespoon, Dollop the jam and whipped cream over the sponge, alternating between each.
- Top with the second sponge layer.
- Dust with icing sugar and decorate with cherries.
The Kate Tin https://thekatetin.com/