The Victoria sponge cake, also known as a Victoria sandwich, is a beloved staple in the UK. It’s typically characterized by its light and fluffy sponge, with a layer of jam and either buttercream or fresh cream nestled in the middle, providing a delightful tang.
There’s an abundance of recipes available online, each boasting different ingredients and techniques. I decided to put two of the most popular ones to the test - Mary Berry’s and Nigella Lawson’s, as reported by the Express.
Having baked Mary Berry’s version numerous times over the years, I was curious to see how it would stack up against Nigella Lawson’s. Both recipes are quite similar, but Nigella’s includes cornflour as an additional ingredient, believed to enhance the texture.
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Here’s Mary Berry’s Victoria sponge cake recipe:
Four free-range eggs,
225g caster sugar,
225g self-raising flour,
Two teaspoons of baking powder,
225g baking butter,
Raspberry jam,
Whipped double cream.
And here’s Nigella Lawson’s Victoria sponge cake recipe:
225g baking butter,
225g caster sugar,
One teaspoon of vanilla extract,
200g plain flour,
25g cornflour,
Two and a half teaspoons of baking powder,
A pinch of salt,
Four large eggs,
Two to three tablespoons of milk,
75g raspberry jam,
150g fresh raspberries,
150ml double cream.
Method:
I prepared both cakes in the same manner, starting by creaming the butter and sugar together, then adding the eggs. After that, I incorporated all of the dry ingredients and mixed everything together.
I utilized eight-inch (20cm) sandwich tins, both lined with baking parchment and greased with butter, to ensure the ingredients were evenly distributed.
The cakes were baked in a preheated oven at 160C for approximately 20 to 25 minutes, after which I allowed them to cool completely before assembling them.
I spread jam on one cake, followed by whipped double cream, then topped it with the other cake and dusted it with icing sugar.
Mary Berry’s recipe yielded an incredibly soft sponge that was light, fluffy and melted in the mouth. The jam and cream perfectly complemented the sponge, making it extremely delicious.
On the other hand, Nigella’s recipe resulted in a significantly denser sponge. Despite thoroughly mixing all the ingredients as I usually do, there were still pockets of baking powder left in the sponge, which gave it an unpleasant taste.
A basic sponge should require only a few ingredients, and I found Nigella’s recipe to be overly complicated with unnecessary ingredients.
I adhered strictly to the instructions but simply preferred the result of Mary Berry’s sponge, so I will continue to use her recipe for this bake.