Victoria Sponge Cake Recipe

1. Sieve the flour.
2. Take out the butter from the refrigerator 1 hour in advance.
3. Cream the butter and sugar very well.
4. When the mixture is light and creamy, add the eggs, one at a time, beating each time thoroughly. If the mixture curdles while adding the eggs, add a little flour before adding the next egg.
5. Finally, fold in the flour and add milk until the mixture forms a dropping consistency.
6. Add the vanilla essence.
7. Grease and dust two 175 mm. (7") diameter sandwich tins.
8. Pour half the mixture into each of the two prepared tins.
9. Bake in a hot oven at 400°F. for 20 minutes.
Note: This cake is popularly served as "Victoria Sandwich" using butter icing or jam as filling.
Variations: Chocolate Sandwich. Instead of 170 grams (6oz.) self-raisihg flour, use 140 grams (5 oz.) of the flour and 30 grams (1 oz.) of cocoa. Fill with chocolate butter icing, page 145, and top with chocolate glace icing, page 144.
Lemon Sandwich. Add finely grated rind of 1 lemon when beating the margarine and sugar. Fill with lemon curd, page 169, and top with lemon glace or butter icing, pages 144 and 145.
Orange Sandwich. Add finely grated rind of 1 or 2 oranges when creaming the margarine and sugar. Fill with orange butter icing, page 145, and top with orange glace or butter icing, pages 144 and 145.
Coffee Sandwich. In place of vanilla essence, use 11 teaspoons of coffee essence. Fill with coffee butter icing, page 145, and top with coffee butter or glace icing, pages 144 and 145.