Victoria Sandwich

The Victoria Sandwich is a classic British dessert, a fluffy sponge cake filled with jam and whipped cream. Let’s see how to add an Italian touch to this traditional recipe.

Ingredients

• 200 g of butter at room temperature
• 200 g of caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 200 g of self-raising flour (or plain flour with 16 g of baking powder)
• 1 pinch of salt
• Vanilla extract or the grated zest of 1 Italian lemon, to add a Mediterranean aroma
• Strawberry jam or, for a change, an Italian citrus jam such as orange or mandarin jam
• Icing sugar for dusting
• 200 ml of fresh cream to whip (optional, for those who enjoy the addition of cream)

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 180 °C and butter and flour two 20 cm diameter round cake tins.
2. In a large bowl, beat the soft butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, incorporating well after each addition.
4. If you’re using vanilla or lemon zest, add it now.
5. Sift the flour with baking powder and salt, then gently fold it into the mixture with a movement from the bottom up to maintain aeration.
6. Divide the batter evenly between the two prepared tins and level the surface.
7. Bake for about 20 minutes or until the cakes are golden and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.
8. Let cool slightly in the tins, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
9. Once cool, spread a layer of jam on one of the bases. If you wish to add cream, whip the fresh cream and spread it over the jam.
10. Gently place the other base on top and dust with icing sugar.

Trivia

The Victoria Sandwich is named after Queen Victoria, who enjoyed this cake with her afternoon tea, giving rise to the tradition of “tea time”. The delicateness of the cream and the freshness of the jam make this dessert a perfect balance of flavors that goes well with a cup of tea, just as in the Victorian era.