Several Shades of Victoria Sandwich Cake

Picture: A decorated Chocolate Victoria Sandwich Cake

A Victoria Sandwich cake, with its straightforward, easy to remember recipe formula, is my go-to family cake for all occasions. Simple and quick to make, easy to adapt for ordinary weekend baking, for birthday confections and mile-high celebration cakes, it's a sure bet.

I always use the all-in one method - if it's good enough for Mary Berry, it's good enough for me!!

I weigh my ingredients to equal the weight of the eggs. Eggs vary, even supermarket eggs, and if you are lucky enough to have a source of farm fresh ones, even more so.

Basic recipe for a vanilla sponge

You will need eggs, caster sugar, baking margarine, self raising flour, baking powder, vanilla extract or paste and salt (if desired)

For an 8 or 9 inch round two layer sandwich cake, Grease and line your tins first, and heat the oven to 160 C Fan.

Put a large bowl (for me, it's the mixing bowl of my Kenwood Chef) and make sure the scale is set in grams and is at zero with the bowl on!

1 Take 3 large free-range eggs at room temperature (this is important), and break them into the bowl. Note the measurement, in grams or ounces, whatever you find easiest.

2 Reset the scale to zero and add the same weight of caster sugar to the eggs.

3 Reset the scale to zero again and add the same weight of soft baking margarine to the eggs and sugar.

4 Reset the scale and add the same weight of self raising flour.

5 Add 1 rounded tsp of baking power, 1 tsp of vanilla and a 1/2 tsp of salt (if used)

6 Take the whole bowl to the mixer, and beat on low speed for 30 seconds until everything is roughly incorporated, then beat until you have a smooth uniform mix (about 2-3 minutes) If you are using a hand electric mixer, the same timings apply!

7 Spoon the mix into your tins. I'm a bit obsessive here, and weigh the tins, so I'm sure the cakes will be equal in size, but it's really fine to do it by eye.

8 Bake the cakes for 22 mins - set the timer, don't guess! (DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR OF THE OVEN DURING THIS TIME OR YOU WILL HAVE FLAT CAKE WHICH IS NOT PRETTY!)

Test the middle of the cake with a thin skewer. If there is moist cake mix on the end, it will need a little longer. I suggest you give the cake 2 more minutes and test again. When they are done they will shrink a little from the sides of the tins.

9 Let cool in the tis for a couple of minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack, and remove the baking paper.

10 Cool completely before decorating.

Filling and Topping

I allow 3 oz butter and 6 oz icing sugar per cake. The butter MUST be soft, but not melted

That's the basic - now for the variations!

Lemon cake - omit the vanilla and add the juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon and I tsp Sicilian lemon extract. Taste the mix, add more lemon juice if needed.

Orange cake - omit the vanilla and add the juice and finely grated zest of 1 orange and 1 tsp Sicilian lemon extract. Taste the mix, add some lemon, yes , lemon! juice if needed.

For a lemon or orange cake I spread one layer of the cake with lemon or orange curd, then a layer of flavoured butter icing. I sandwich the layers together, and decorate with crystallised fruit, and candied strips of peel, or commercial toppings. I always make a lemon cake at Easter, and decorate with mini eggs and tiny chicks. Well, that's what Grannys are for, isn't it?!

Coffee cake - omit the vanilla and add 2 tbsp (or more, to taste) coffee/chicory essence. I use Camp coffee. You can use a concentrated mix of coffee powder and hot water - let it cool before adding.

For a coffee cake icing add a few tsps of coffee essence to the butter icing and mix in well. Taste, taste, taste! Add more essence as needed.

I put half the icing on the bottom layer of the cake, and then sprinkle on chopped walnuts or pecans. i sandwich the two halves together and spread the top evenly with the remaining butter icing. making an attractive pattern with a fork or palette knife. I use half walnuts or pecans to decorate the top.

Chocolate cake - reduce the amount of flour by 1.5 ounces. Replace with 1.5 ounces of cocoa powder.

For a chocolate cake icing with butter-cream, you need to mix cocoa powder with hot water first. In the bowl you will use to make the butter icing put 1 heaped tablespoon of cocoa powder with 2 or 3 tablespoons of boiling water. Mix well and let cool. Then add your butter and icing sugar and beat till all is well incorporated. Experience will tell you if you need more cocoa for your taste. If you do add more, increase the amount of hot water proportionately.

Half the icing goes in the middle, the rest on top.

I really enjoy decorating chocolate cakes - I use crushed flake bars, chocolate drops, commercial mini-stars, silver dragees, chopped up fudge, and anything else that looks good. A chocolate Victoria sandwich is also very good filled and topped with whipped double cream. Eat on the day of making - shouldn't be a problem - it never lasts any longer than that in my house!!!