Victoria Sandwich aka Victoria Sponge

6 ozs Butter (nice and soft at room temp)
6 ozs Castor Sugar
6 ozs Self Raising Flour
3 medium Eggs
1/2 teaspoon pure Vanilla Extract
Good jam for the filling - raspberry or blackcurrant is great, strawberry will work too
Icing Sugar to sprinkle


Make sure that the oven is at 180C (350f or gas 4) before starting as the sponge needs to be baked as soon as prepared.

Prepare 2 sandwich baking tins (round and not too high sided). Grease them with butter and then ensure that the insides are all covered with flour.


1. Cream together the soft butter and the castor sugar, until it has become paler and light and fluffy.


2. Bit by bit beat in the eggs and the vanilla extract. With each egg add a small bit of the weighed out flour (sifted) to help the egg blend and not curdle.


3. Next sift the remaining flour into the bowl. So as not to knock out the air you added to the mixture when beating the eggs in, make sure that you gently fold the flour in, slowly.


4. Spoon the mixture into the 2 sponge tins, equally. Smooth over the tops.


5. Place in the centre of the oven.


6. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the cake is a golden brown colour and it springs back gently when you touch it with your finger.


7. Turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack.


8. When stone cold, spread the required jam onto one of the cakes, and then place the other on top of it, like a sandwich.


9. Sprinkle the icing sugar on the top of the sandwich, but putting a teaspoonful into a sieve and shaking it over the sponge.


Serve with afternoon tea (earl grey or green) and cucumber sandwiches (cut into neat triangles naturally, and with the crusts removed).