All-in-one Victoria Sandwich Sponge Cake

I recently had a request from someone to do a video making sponge cake.  So I have decided that over the next few weeks I shall do three different types of sponge cake.  First up is a Victoria Sandwich, but this one is using the all-in-one method from Mary Berry’s recipe. This is where all the ingredients are placed in the bowl together and mixed, rather than mixing ingredients a bit at a time.  Doing it this way requires little effort but it does need some extra raising agent as the eggs are not whisked in the same way as a normal sponge cake. 

This method works very well and is almost foolproof, providing that the batter is not mixed for too long.

A Victoria Sandwich is two layers with jam in the middle. Often some buttercream or whipped cream is added too. For mine I used strawberry jam and buttercream(with a little vanilla added).  

It turned out very well indeed, so I am very pleased.  The cake is delicious, ideal as part of afternoon tea.

Over the next few weeks I shall do a hot milk sponge and then a very light sponge, similar to a chiffon cake.  In each instance I will do single layers just to show how they are done.

Ingredients:
For the sponge cakes:

• 225g self raising flour (1 3/4 cups)
• 225 unsalted butter, softened (2 sticks)
• 225g caster sugar (1 1/4 cups)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 4 large egss(xl in USA)
• pinch of salt

For filling:

• 3-4 tbsp strawberry or raspberry jam
• 140g icing sugar
• 100g unsalted butter, softened 
• a dash of vanilla extract(optional)

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan/350F.
2. Grease and line 2 20cm(8 inch) sandwich/cake pans.
3. Place all the ingredients for the sponges into a large bowl and mix them together(I used a hand mixer, but manually or a stand mixer is fine).
4. Do not over mix the batter.
5. Transfer the batter equally between the two pans and spread to level all over.
6. Bake in the oven for 25 minutes, until the cake is coming away from the side of the tin and the top springs back when gently pressed down.
7. Cool in the pans for 10 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool, removing the lining paper from the bottom.
8. Place 100g of butter and the icing sugar and vanilla extract into a large bowl amd mix together until all is combined and creamy.
9. Spread the jam over one of the sponge layer, almost to the edge.
10. Turn the other sponge over so the bottom is facing upwards.  
11. Spread the buttercream all over it, almost to the edge.
12. Turn that layer of sponge over and place on top on the jam layer.
13. Dust the top with icing sugar if you wish.