INGREDIENTS:
- 2½ sticks unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1¼ cups sugar (300g)
- 6 eggs, beaten
- 2 cups self-rising flour (or all purpose flour with 2 tsp baking powder), sifted
- pinch of salt
- raspberry jam for filling
- heavy whipping cream for filling
- confectioner’s sugar for the top of the cake
DIRECTIONS:
Preheat oven to: 350° F (180°C). Line the bottoms of 2 – 8” round baking tins with parchment paper. Grease the pans using butter or a spray and dust with flour. Set aside.
In a stand mixer or using a handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar until very light and fluffy. It will begin to pale in colour.
Add about one third of the beaten eggs, and mix well at medium speed.
Then add about a third of the sifted flour. Repeat this step. Add the rest of the eggs and mix well, then turn the mixer to low and add the final flour and just mix until well combined.
Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins and place in the centre of oven for about 35 minutes. Since ovens vary greatly, do not open the oven until you start to smell the cake and it looks well risen (through the glass).
Check that the cake is done with a cake tester or thin skewer. If it is too raw, the cakes will fall. When the cakes are done, remove them from the oven and let cool before removing from the tins.
To remove: place a cooling rack over the top of the cake and flip it over quickly. Remove the tin and the parchment paper and allow to cool completely before filling.
Fill and Decorate the Victoria Sandwich: Beat the cream without any added sugar or flavourings until it’s thick enough to fill the cake, and support a layer, but not so thick that it starts to become butter.
Using a cake leveler, or large serrated knife, place the cake layers, flat side down on the counter and slice off the top to make them even. Place one layer, cut side up on a serving plate and spread a generous amount of the jam over the top.
Next, spread the cream over the jam. Again, be generous, bringing it almost to the edge – the weight of the top layer will push it down a bit. Top with the second layer cut side down.
Dust with confectioner’s sugar, and place in the refrigerator for an hour or two. This helps a lot in making nice slices when you cut into the Victoria Sandwich.
