This article was written for Annabel & Grace, which is now part of Rest Less.
Lemon Victoria Sandwich Cake
Course: StoriesCuisine: BritishDifficulty: EasyServings
8
servingsPrep time
25
minutesCooking time
20
minutesPerfect Spring cake or an alternative to a traditional Easter Simnel cake
Ingredients for victoria sponge
Oil, for greasing the tins
225g unsalted butter, softened
225g caster sugar
Finely grated zest and juice of 4 lemons
4 medium eggs
225g self raising flour
6 tbsp milk
- For lemon buttercream
Finely grated zest and juice of 3 lemons
170g unsalted butter, softened
125g icing sugar, sifted
- To decorate
Sugared primroses and/or ½ lemon
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 180℃/170℃ fan/gas mark 4
- Lightly oil tow 18cm sandwich tins. Line the base of each with baking parchment.
- To make the sponge cake, cream the softened butter and sugar together in a large bowl, using a wooden spoon or electric whisk, until pale and fluffy. Add the grated lemon zest.
- Break the eggs into a jug, roughly beat with a fork and whisk a little at a time into the creamed butter. If the mixture begins to curdle add 2 tbsp flour. Once the eggs have been whisked into the mixture, use a flat metal spoon to gently fold in the remaining flour in three batches.
- Loosed the mixture with 2 tbsp lemon juice and 6 tbsp milk, so that it drops off the spoon in soft blobs.
- Quickly divide the mixture between the tins and smooth the tops. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the cakes are well risen, golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed.
- Place on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then, using a knife, gently loosen the sides of each cake from its tin. Turn out, peel off the baking parchment and leave to cool.
- To make the lemon buttercream
- Place the lemon zest, butter and icing sugar in a mixing bowl. Using an electric whisk, beat thoroughly until light and fluffy. Then gradually whisk in 4 ½ tbsp lemon juice.
- Once the cakes are cold, spread a third of the buttercream on one. Sandwich the other cake on top, baked side up.
- Spread another third of the cream on the top and the remaining third around the sides of the cake. Chill for 30 minutes to set the buttercream.
- Decorate with sugared primroses or cut a lemon in half lengthways, and then cut into thin slices and arrange on top.
Notes
- A Victoria sandwich cake is made from equal weights of eggs, butter, sugar and self-raising flour. A medium egg in its shell weighs approximately 55g; if you have different sized eggs, adjust the weight of the other ingredients accordingly.
- To purchase Sybil Kapoor’s book, The National Trust Book of Baking (see below) click HERE.
