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19 A G U I D E to E N G L I S H T E A V I C T O R I A S P O N G E C A K E Apparently, as a child, Queen Victoria wasn't allowed to eat sweet things very often, but during her reign the practice of taking afternoon tea was popularised and a little sweet something to sustain the Queen and her guests in the late afternoon became de rigueur. us the Victoria Sponge Cake was named, and it makes a delicious addition to afternoon tea. DIRECTIONS Preheat the oven to 180°C. Grease and line the base of 2 × 20 cm sandwich tins. Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl. Add the butter, sugar, flour and baking powder and mix everything together until well combined. (The easiest way to do this is with a hand-held electric mixer or a stand mixer, but you can use a wooden spoon.) As soon as everything is blended together, stop mixing. The batter should easily fall off a spoon. Divide the mixture evenly between the tins and gently smooth the surface of the batter. Place the tins on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 25 minutes. Don't open the oven door during the cooking time or the cakes will sink. The cakes are done when they are golden-brown and coming away from the edge of the tins and a knife inserted into the middle of the cakes comes out clean. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in their tins for 5 minutes before turning the cakes out onto a wire rack. Remove the lining paper. Whisk the cream in a bowl until it forms soft peaks. When the cakes are completely cool, spread one cake with lots of thick, delicious jam, then pipe (or spread) the whipped cream over the top. Sandwich the cakes together and finish by dusting the top of the cake with a little confectioners' sugar. INGREDIENTS 4 eggs, at room temperature 225 g (2 sticks) softened unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing 1 cup caster sugar 1¾ cups self-rising flour 2 tsp baking powder 4¼ cups double cream About ⅔ cup strawberry jam Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

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