Victoria Sponge

The classic British teatime treat. If us Brits were to be represented by a baked good, this would be it. Perhaps a little plain, possibly even pedestrian, but smart in it's simplicity, truly iconic and packing a punch in sheer awe inspiring delightfulness. 

The secret lies in the simplicity: listen to the eggs, they are wise, do what they tell you! I am in search of cake recipes without wheat that are as good as the ones with it. I cant tolerate wheat. I mean my insides cant, not that it just fecks me off. Well, actually it does. It's in everything good! Anyway, the flour I used here was 4/5 corn flour & 1/5 ground almonds. Thus, it's entirely gluten free. Happy days. And the result is light, moist and beautiful (even if I do say so myself), though a touch delicate, so take extra care when your slicing. 


This is the only time I'll advocate dusting a cake (or anything else for that matter) with icing sugar. I usually feel that, a load of sugar has already gone into the cake batter, and that bit extra on top really doesn't do anything for the flavour. So if I must dust, my weapon of choice is cocoa powder (make sure it's a good one, like Green & Black's). Not only does it bring an extra element of flavour, but it's a much better camouflage for any imperfections! However, the Victoria Sponge is somewhat of a legend and who am I to argue with tradition. So this rare beauty gets its icing sugar veil. 


Ingredients
2 Eggs (weigh them in their shells).
Butter, equal in weight to the eggs.
Flour, equal in weight to the butter.
Sugar, equal in wieght to the flour.
1 teaspoon of Vanilla extract.
1 teaspoon of baking powder.
At least 150ml of whipping cream, whipped!
A generous tablespoon or 2 (or 3!) of Jam.
1 or 2 teaspoons of Icing sugar, the natural golden variety is splendid.


Method
Preheat the oven to 180oC/350F/gas mark 4.
Beat the butter until soft and add in the sugar. Beat vigorously until pale and fluffy.
Add the eggs in, one by one, mixing as constantly as you can. 
Add in the vanilla. Mix. 
Sift in the flour and fold to combine.
At this point if the mixture drops easily off a spoon, then it's perfecto. However, if it stubbornly sticks to the spoon add a tablespoon of milk (or cream, or water will even do the trick) to loosen the mixture just a little.
Pour the batter into a cake tin, from as low as you can so that as little air is knocked in the process as possible.
Smooth the top of the mixture, so that it's spread evenly in the tin.
Bake for 25-30 mins, (or until the toothpick test comes out clean).
Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, cut the cake in half along it's midriff. Fill with your jam of choice (raspberry is the traditional option) and heaps of softly whipped cream. Give the top a dusting of icing sugar, and sit the cake atop a doily, if you like, for just a little bit of kitchy charm.
Present to your family/friends/colleagues with massive smug grin :).