Retro Victoria Sandwich, filled with cream and jam, dusted with icing sugar.
I bet there isn't a person who does not love a Victoria Sandwich cake. My mum makes the best there is even at almost 91 years she still bakes them when friends and family come to tea. She fills them with thick cream and jam and they stand tall on the plate. If I ever made ne as good as hers I would feel mighty accomplished.I love them though, whether light and fluffy or dense and rich filled with anything other than butter cream, not my fave.
So my modern twist on this retro classic is this
6 oz butter/margarine
6 oz caster sugar
4 eggs
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla extract
Pack cream cheese
Icing sugar to taste
Whipped cream
Dessicated Coconut
Pre heat oven 180c (160c fan)
Grease two sandwich tins and flour them.
Beat the sugar and butter together with an electric whisk. whisk till very pale (white) and fluffy, this can take 3 - 5 mins.
Break the eggs one at a time and mix in until fully incorporated, don't rush this, add vanilla with the last egg.
Sieve the flour into the bowl in four stages and fold it into the mixture with a large metal spoon, if you don't have one (if not why not?) use a spatula. The texture should be a soft drop off the spoon. If the mixture is too stiff add a little water to soften it.
Divide between the sandwich tins and spread it evenly.
Bake in the centre of the oven for 20 - 30 mins, checking around 20 - 25 mins They need to be well risen and cooked through. I use a cocktail stick put it through the middle, it must come out clean.
Cool completely on a wire rack before decorating.
Now Beat the whipping or double cream till peaks or quite stiff. Difficult here in Bulgaria, add the icing sugar to the cream cheese and beat till soft add the cream to this and fold it in. Spread the bottom layer with jam, and layer the cream mixture on top, keeping enough back for a thin layer on the top, sprinkle this with Coconut if you like.
My personal fave is thick cream with Strawberries mixed in
