Glorious Victoria Sponge Cake
I have the feeling that I'm slowly turning this blog into a cooking blog. I've admitted (to myself and to everyone else) that I'm a foodie a long time ago but I think is just now that I realise how much of a big part of me is cooking. I love trying new recipes, upgrading old ones, experimenting with the mouthwatering tastes, the delightful aromas, the extravagant combinations. I simply love creating food for the people I love, and as my Granny likes to say - Food brings everyone together.
About today's recipe, is a delicious and decadent cake (what a surprise, right?!). It is one of the most English cakes ever and I thought St. George's day (the patron of England) is the perfect day to share my old-school English layered cake. Well, old-school but with a tine twist. A splash of rum, enough to bring a bit more spicy aroma to the creamy-n-fruity goodness. I was considering adding some sliced almonfs on top of it but decided to try and keep it a bit simpler this time, just for once. Besides the fact now delicious this cake is, it's incredibly easy to prepare, and, on top of all that, it bakes for just 25-30 minutes. Oh, and it's a show-stopper, especially in England where everyone associates this cake with their Nana and the lovely afternoon cake they used to have together. So, to the point:
Ingredients:
For the Cake:
- 200gr Caster Sugar
- 200gr Butter, Softened
- 200gr White Flour
- 4 Eggs
- 1tsp Baking Powder
- 1tsp Rum
For the Syrup:
- 2tbsp Sugar
- 1tsp Rum
- 2tbsp Water
For the Filling:
- 150ml Double Cream
- 2-3tbsp Sugar
- 1tsp Vanilla Extract
- Strawberry (Raspberry/Blueberry would also work) Jam
- Icing Sugar for dusting
How-To:
- Whisk the softened butter and sugar to a light, fluffy cream.
- Add the eggs, one by one, and slowly combine together.
- Add the rum and stir well.
- Fold in the sifted flour and the baking powder, using slow, smooth movements (a bit like doing 8) so that the airness of the eggs, butter and sugar stays intact.
- Grease and line two sandwich tins.
- Divide the batter equally between them, making sure that the whole surface of each is covered.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes at 180C. TO make sure that the inside is cooked try and puncture the cake with a toothpick. If it's clean after going in-and-out of the cake then its ready.
- Set aside and let cool completely before proceeding further.
- Now that the cake is cold down, put a small sauce pan on the hob and put all of the ingredients for the syrup and mix together.
- Stir it until the sugar is dissolved, then bring to boil and turn off the hob.
- Pour the syrup on top of each of the cake and set aside.
- In a bowl pour the double cream and (preferably using a electric whisker or mixer) start wiping it. Add the sugar spoon by spoon as the mixture starts to resemble wiped cream.
- Between the 2nd and the 3d spoons add the vanilla extract.
- When it light and fluffy stop, you don't won't to over-wipe it as it goes bad.
- Place the worse-looking cake on the surface you want to serve it in.
- Spread a tick layer of the jam. Make sure that the whole top of the cake is covered.
- Now spread the cream on top of the jam, repeating the covering process.
- Close the sandwich by putting the second cake on top of the cream and press lightly.
- Dust with icing sugar and enjoy in good company!
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| Mmm, My Favourite Summer Taste |
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