Victoria Sponge

You will need 2 x 20cm / 8-inch sandwich tins

1. Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/350°F. Grease the sides of the tins with a small amount of butter and line the bases with baking parchment.
2. You can make the sponge with a processor – in which case just blitz all the ingredients together (except for the 2 teaspoons of sugar and the milk) including the extra half-teaspoon of baking powder, until you have a smooth batter, and then, with the motor running, pour in 2 tablespoons of the milk slowly down the funnel until the mixture has a soft, dropping consistency, adding the third tablespoon only if necessary — or you can make it with an electric mixer and, indeed, the old-fashioned way, by hand; and if either of those is this case, start by creaming the butter and sugar, that’s to say, beating them vigorously together until very light and fluffy. Add the teaspoon of vanilla extract and beat that in, too.
3. In another, smaller, bowl mix together the flour, cornflour, baking powder and salt.
4. Beat one egg into the creamed butter and sugar, followed by one tablespoon of the flour mixture and, once both are absorbed, continue in this manner until all 4 eggs are used up. Give a good scrape down, and then, gently, gradually but thoroughly beat in the rest of the flour mixture.
5. Once everything’s smoothly combined, start beating in the milk, one cautious tablespoon at a time (you shouldn’t need more than 3) until your batter drops easily off the beaters, paddle or wooden spoon when lifted up out of the bowl.
6. Divide the cake batter evenly between the two prepared tins, and smooth the tops a little. Place side by side in the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the deep burnished gold tops of the cakes are delicately springy to the touch and a cake tester comes out clean.
7. Take them out of the oven and leave on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before turning them out and removing the parchment. Choose which cake you want on top — generally when I bake, I choose the thicker cake for the bottom layer, but with a Victoria Sponge, I go for the one which I think will look most appealing — and place that layer with the top uppermost to stop the rack leaving an impression. The bottom layer should be cooled top-side down, so as to help diminish any doming. Allow the cakes to cool completely. If needed, you can keep the cooled cakes on the wire rack, draped with a clean tea towel, for a couple of hours before sandwiching.
8. When you are ready to serve the cake, put the bottom layer on its serving plate, top side down, so that you are sandwiching the two flat sides together. Beat the jam in a cup or small bowl, just to make it easier to spread, and then duly spread it over the waiting cake.
9. Put the raspberries onto a plate and lightly fork to crush them a little and add them evenly to the layer of jam.
10. Whip the cream until it’s thick but still with a little softness to it, and spread it gently over the jam and fruit. Place your second cake on top, and then sprinkle over the 2 teaspoons of sugar to give the cake a light, sparkly dusting. Eat immediately and with joy in your heart.

You will need 2 x 20cm / 8-inch sandwich tins

1. Heat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/350°F. Grease the sides of the tins with a small amount of butter and line the bases with baking parchment.
2. You can make the sponge with a processor – in which case just blitz all the ingredients together (except for the 2 teaspoons of sugar and the milk) including the extra half-teaspoon of baking powder, until you have a smooth batter, and then, with the motor running, pour in 2 tablespoons of the milk slowly down the funnel until the mixture has a soft, dropping consistency, adding the third tablespoon only if necessary — or you can make it with an electric mixer and, indeed, the old-fashioned way, by hand; and if either of those is this case, start by creaming the butter and sugar, that’s to say, beating them vigorously together until very light and fluffy. Add the teaspoon of vanilla extract and beat that in, too.
3. In another, smaller, bowl mix together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder and salt.
4. Beat one egg into the creamed butter and sugar, followed by one tablespoon of the flour mixture and, once both are absorbed, continue in this manner until all 4 eggs are used up. Give a good scrape down, and then, gently, gradually but thoroughly beat in the rest of the flour mixture.
5. Once everything’s smoothly combined, start beating in the milk, one cautious tablespoon at a time (you shouldn’t need more than 3) until your batter drops easily off the beaters, paddle or wooden spoon when lifted up out of the bowl.
6. Divide the cake batter evenly between the two prepared tins, and smooth the tops a little. Place side by side in the oven and bake for 20–25 minutes, or until the deep burnished gold tops of the cakes are delicately springy to the touch and a cake tester comes out clean.
7. Take them out of the oven and leave on a cooling rack for 10 minutes before turning them out and removing the parchment. Choose which cake you want on top — generally when I bake, I choose the thicker cake for the bottom layer, but with a Victoria Sponge, I go for the one which I think will look most appealing — and place that layer with the top uppermost to stop the rack leaving an impression. The bottom layer should be cooled top-side down, so as to help diminish any doming. Allow the cakes to cool completely. If needed, you can keep the cooled cakes on the wire rack, draped with a clean tea towel, for a couple of hours before sandwiching.
8. When you are ready to serve the cake, put the bottom layer on its serving plate, top side down, so that you are sandwiching the two flat sides together. Beat the jam in a cup or small bowl, just to make it easier to spread, and then duly spread it over the waiting cake.
9. Put the raspberries onto a plate and lightly fork to crush them a little and add them evenly to the layer of jam.
10. Whip the cream until it’s thick but still with a little softness to it, and spread it gently over the jam and fruit. Place your second cake on top, and then sprinkle over the 2 teaspoons of sugar to give the cake a light, sparkly dusting. Eat immediately and with joy in your heart.