Victoria Sponge Cake

By Melissa Clark

Updated February 28, 2024

  • Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times
Media 1 of 2
Total Time
50 minutes, plus an hour's cooling
Rating
4(1,471)
Comments
Read comments

This traditional British layer cake is made up of two buttery, tender spongecake rounds that sandwich a thick layer of jam and, often, a dollop of sweetened whipped cream. It’s a simple, homey confection that works as well with a cup of afternoon tea as it does for dessert. Feel free to substitute other flavors of tart jam for the raspberry. Apricot and blackberry work particularly well.

Featured in: ‘The Great British Bake Off’ Changes the Way the British Bake

  • or to save this recipe.

  • Subscriber benefit: Give recipes to anyone

    As a subscriber, you have 10 gift recipes to give each month. Anyone can view them - even nonsubscribers. Learn more.

    Subscribe

  • Share this recipe

  • Print this recipe

    or to print this recipe.

Advertisement

Ingredients

Yield:8 to 10 servings

  • 12 tablespoons/170 grams unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), softened, more for greasing pan

  • 1 ⅓ cups/166 grams all-purpose flour

  • 3 ¼ teaspoons baking powder

  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt

  • ¾ cups plus 2 tablespoons/175 grams granulated sugar

  • 3 large eggs, at room temperature

  • 2 tablespoons whole milk

  • ½ cup/120 milliliters raspberry jam, more to taste

  • 1 cup/240 milliliters heavy cream

  • 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar, more for dusting

  • ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (8 to 10 servings)

58 grams carbs; 120 milligrams cholesterol; 463 calories; 7 grams monosaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 15 grams saturated fat; 24 grams fat; 1 gram fiber; 249 milligrams sodium; 5 grams protein; 42 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

Powered by

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Heat oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the center. Grease and line the bottoms of two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.

  2. Step 2

    In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.

  3. Step 3

    In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, then beat in milk, scraping down sides of the bowl as necessary. Mix in flour mixture until combined, then scrape into prepared cake pans, smoothing the top.

  4. Step 4

    Bake cakes until golden brown and springy, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then unmold them onto a wire rack to cool completely, flat side down.

  5. Step 5

    Transfer one cake (the less attractive one) to a serving platter, and spread jam evenly on top. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip cream, confectioners’ sugar and vanilla just until it holds stiff peaks. Dollop about half the cream on top of jam, then top with remaining cake. Dust with confectioners’ sugar and serve immediately, with the extra whipped cream on the side.

Private Notes

Leave a Private Comment on this recipe and see it here.

Ratings

4 out of 5
1,471 user ratings
Your rating

or to rate this recipe.

Have you cooked this?

or to mark this recipe as cooked.

Comments

Ann

These are the quantities for a 7 inch cake. An 8 inch cake needs 4 large eggs and 225g each of butter, sugar and flour (and no milk needed). Mary Berry says so, and so do I - I am English and have made these cakes for many parish cake sales.

Jack

For 9-inch cake pans: 15 tbsps/215g unsalted butter (1 ⅞ sticks), softened 1 ⅔ cups/210g all-purpose flour 4 ⅛ tsps baking powder ⅔ tsp kosher salt 1 cup/220g granulated sugar 4 large eggs, at room temperature 2 ½ tbsps whole milk ⅔ cup/152ml raspberry jam, more to taste 1 ¼ cup/303 ml heavy cream 1 tbsp + 1 tsp confectioners’ sugar, plus more for dusting ⅓ tsp vanilla extract (or just make it ½)

Linda Carey Kunnath

I bought a beautiful cake cookbook, featuring cakes from all over the world by Roger Pizey and followed a slightly different recipe for the Victoria Sponge from his book. It is a lovely cake - light and simple and Pizey says that Queen Victoria was said to have enjoyed it with her afternoon tea. I invited a friend over and we enjoyed it in my garden on a warm afternoon with iced tea. I brought a piece to my 93 year old mother, who has now passed but loved it. Cakes bring meaning to life.

Tom G

I enjoyed the cake. My only regret is using a store bought jam.It’s very easy to make a raspberry jam. I definitely will make this again and make the jam with fresh raspberries. Even frozen berries would work

mary

lovely as-is and endlessly customizable! took it to a picnic and everyone was impressed--looks a lot more elegant than its effort level

Jenny

Absolutely delicious! The video tips helped.

Private comments are only visible to you.

Recipe Tags

or to save this recipe.