Be sure to make this year’s International Cake Day a success, no matter what type of cake whets your appetite!
We’ve been rummaging through our box of treasured recipes and we’ve come up with a decadent but airy Victoria Sponge with Jam filling.
Spread the home-made goodwill at the office or at home, and put a smile on the faces of family, friends or co-workers.
Now that would be the icing on the cake!
Victoria Sponge with apricot & peach Jam Filling
Serves: 4 - 6
Preparation time: 2 ½ hours, includes cooling time
Ingredients:
250 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
240 g (2 cups) self-raising flour
200 g (1 cup) castor sugar
4 extra large eggs
1 lemon
½ can (410 g) peach Slices, drained and chopped
125 ml (½ cup) apricot & peach jam
125 ml (½ cup) fresh cream
30 ml (2 tbsp) castor sugar
Method:
Preheat oven to 180 °C.
Grease and line 2 x 20 cm sandwich cake tins.
Beat butter and sugar together with an electric beater or wooden spoon, until very light and fluffy.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Sift in flour, finely grate over the lemon zest, fold it into the mixture (halve the lemon and save it for later).
Mix together until well combined.
Divide the mixture evenly between the tins.
Use a spatula to gently smooth the surface of the cakes and bake in oven for 30 - 40 minutes.
Insert a skewer in the middle of the cake; if it comes out clean the cake is ready.
Remove from oven and set aside to cool in tins for five minutes.
Remove from tins and place on cooling racks.
Allow cakes to cool completely before filling.
For the Filling:
Gently warm the Apricot & Peach Jam in a pan over a low heat.
Remove from the heat and stir in sliced peaches.
Whip cream until it forms soft peaks, gently fold in castor sugar, squeeze in the juice from zested lemon.
To assemble the cake:
Place one cake upside down onto a serving plate.
Spread with jam mixture, allowing to cool before topping with sweetened cream.
Place the second cake on top and dust it with icing sugar.
