Victoria Sponge Cake
Two layers of buttery sponge sandwiched with jam and cream, the most elegant and easiest classic of the British afternoon tea.
- Prep
- 25 min
- Cook
- 25 min
- Total
- 50 min
- Serves
- 8
- Level
- Easy
Ingredients
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Method
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The story of this dish
The Victoria sponge is named after Queen Victoria, who is said to have enjoyed a slice with her afternoon tea at Osborne House on the Isle of Wight during the years of mourning after Prince Albert's death in 1861.
Two developments made the cake possible. Afternoon tea became fashionable in the 1840s, a custom traditionally credited to Anna, Duchess of Bedford, who wanted something to bridge the long gap between lunch and dinner. In the same decade the English chemist Alfred Bird developed baking powder, allowing cakes to rise higher and lighter than ever before.
In its most traditional form the filling is raspberry jam alone; adding whipped cream or buttercream is a later, now very popular, variation.
British Cuisine
Shepherd's Pie
A much-loved British bake of lamb mince in a rich vegetable gravy, topped with buttery mashed potato and baked until golden.
Scones with Clotted Cream and Jam
Classic British scones, lightly crisp outside and soft within, split and piled with clotted cream and strawberry jam.