Victoria Sponge Cake

My take on a classic dessert from the Queen. A light, fluffy sponge filled with sweet berry compote and silky chantilly cream. This dessert is perfect for a formal gathering, it's easy to bake and once assembled, it's ready to be served. The berry compote is jam-packed with flavours from various berries and a hint of lemon. It compliments the smooth, soft chantilly cream that provides a luscious texture to the vanilla sponge. If you're in hurry to bake a cake for a large gathering, you've landed on the right recipe.

Serves: 8

Ingredients

Sponge Cake

1 ¾ cup Flour

1 ¾ tsp Baking powder

3 Eggs

Pinch of Salt

1 ¼ cup Castor sugar

2 tsp Vanilla extract

90g unsalted Butter

1 ¼ cup full-fat Milk

Berry Compote

100g Strawberries

75g Blueberries

75g Raspberries

75g Blackberries

¼ cup Water

¼ cup Granulated sugar

1 tbsp Lemon juice

Chantilly Cream

2 cups Heavy cream

1 tsp Vanilla extract

½ cup Granulated sugar

Method

Step 1- Sponge cake

Preheat the oven to 170°c. Line an 8" inch cake tin with parchment and grease the sides with butter.

Step 2

In a bowl, sift flour, baking powder and salt. Whisk together. Then in another bowl, add yolk and sugar. Beat on medium till mixture is thoroughly combined, pale and doubles in size.

Step 3

In a saucepan, add milk, butter and vanilla extract. Place on heat and bring to a light simmer, melting the butter entirely.

Step 4

Then add ⅓ of the dry ingredients to the yolk sugar mixture. Once thoroughly combined, scrape the bowl down. Then add ⅓ of the wet ingredients. Repeat till all the ingredients are mixed in, scrape the bowl down, and mix for a couple of seconds.

Step 5

Then transfer the batter to the cake tin. Bang the tin against the counter a couple of times. Place in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes or till the toothpick test is passed.

Step 6

Then take the cake out of the oven and let it rest for 20 minutes in the tin. Then transfer to a cooling rack. When the sponge comes to room temperature, cut the cake into two equal layers with a sharp knife.

Step 7- Berry Compote

Add strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, lemon juice, water and sugar to a saucepan. Mix well and place on medium heat. Reserve ¼ of all berries.

Step 8

Stir and mash the berries occasionally. Once berries dissolve into a thick puree, add rest of the berries. Cook for 2-3 minutes and take off the heat. Keep it aside to cool down.

Step 9- Chantilly Cream

Place a bowl and the beaters in the freezer for 30 minutes. Then add heavy cream to the bowl, and whip the cream to soft peaks with a hand beater on high.

Step 10

Then add vanilla extract and sugar. Beat on medium speed till stiff peaks and no lumps of sugar. Scrape down the bowl from time to time.

Step 11- Assembly

On a plate/cake board, place the bottom layer of the cake, then add half of the chantilly cream and spread evenly. Now add berry compote and spread evenly.

Step 12

Then place the second layer of the cake on top and the rest of the chantilly cream on. Spread the cream evenly on the sponge. Add extra berries and compote. Place in the refrigerator for 30 minutes and serve.

Tips

1. Beating the sugar and egg till pale and fluffy ensures a moist sponge.

2. When heating butter and milk, don't bring the milk to a boil.

3. Bake the cake on the middle rack.

4. Cook the compote on medium-low to prevent burning from the bottom.

5. You can adjust the sugar in the compote according to taste.

6. Cool the berry compote before using; otherwise, the cream will melt.

7. When making chantilly, the chilled bowl helps beat the cream faster. Don't use a plastic bowl.

8. You can serve Victoria sponge cake right after assembly. But if made in advance, cling wrap and cake and placed in the refrigerator.