This Victoria Sponge Cake recipe sandwiches wonderful Chantilly cream and homemade balsamic strawberries between two airy layers of cake, and tops it off with delicious fresh strawberries. Heavenly!
How do you describe a classic like a Victoria Sponge Cake? Well, for a start, it's a classic. Secondly, it's a light, airy cake that's perfect as a summer dessert served alongside a cup of tea. Two layers of cake separated by whipped cream and strawberry jam. My version mixes it up just a little bit - instead of using plain ol' jam, I'm using a homemade balsamic strawberry reduction. Why? Because it's delicious.
This post will provide everything you need to know to make a delicious Victoria Sponge Cake with Balsamic Strawberries from ingredients and instructions, to tips (including some quick hack substitutions) and variation ideas.
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What is Victoria Sponge Cake
Originating from the United Kingdom, Victoria Sponge Cake (also known as Victoria Sandwich), is a light and airy layer cake that sandwiches jam and cream between two layers of light cake. It’s often topped with a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
It’s said to be named after Queen Victoria who often enjoyed sponge cakes with her afternoon tea.
Victoria sponge cake vs Victoria sandwich
Victoria Sponge Cake and Victoria Sandwich are both terms for the same thing. While Victoria Sponge Cake is the slightly more common name for this recipe, it should be noted that the cake batter used isn’t a sponge cake (in the strictest sense of the definition), as it creams sugar together with butter to prepare the cake batter.
Ingredients
For the cake
- Large Eggs
- Cake Flour, sifted (also called pastry flour)
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Granulated white Sugar
- Baking powder
- Strawberries, hulled/halved
- Icing sugar (also called powdered sugar or confectioners’ sugar)
For the balsamic strawberry reduction
- Strawberries, hulled/halved
- Granulated white Sugar
- Balsamic vinegar
- Lemon juice
For the Chantilly cream
- Whipping Cream
- Pure Vanilla Extract
- Granulated white sugar
How to make Victoria Sponge Cake with Balsamic Strawberries
Prepare the cake
Begin by preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter and line eight-inch circular baking dishes with parchment paper. I like to use springform pans as it’s much easier to remove the cake once ready.
Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl, then add the sugar, cake flour, baking powder and softened butter. Mix until combined taking care to not over-mix. You’re looking for a soft-dropping consistency (i.e. you should be able to scoop it, but it should still fall off a spoon easily).
Evenly divide the cake batter between the two prepared round cake pans. Smooth the surface of the batters, favouring the outsides slightly (the center tends to rise more), and bake in the middle shelf of the oven until cooked through, with the edges of the cake beginning to pull away from the tin, about 25 minutes.
Remove the cakes from the oven, and set them aside to cool in the tins for five minutes. Run a palette knife around the inside edge of the tin, and gently release the cakes on to a wire rack. Allow to cool completely.
Prepare the balsamic strawberry reduction
In a pot, mix the strawberries, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar. Reduce the mixture over a low heat, stirring occasionally. Don't stir too often as the strawberries will breakdown and turn into mush if you do. It’s nice to maintain a bit of the strawberry’s texture.
Reduce until the mixture meets your preferred taste and consistency (for me, this means the mixture reduces to just a little more than half it's original volume).
Prepare the Chantilly cream
Using a mixer (electric handheld or stand mixer are both fine) vigorously whip the sugar, vanilla extract, and whipping cream until soft peaks form.
Victoria Sponge Cake, Assemble!
To assemble, place one cake upside down on a platter, and spread the Chantilly cream, and then the balsamic strawberry reduction. Leave a little room at the edges of the cake so that it doesn’t overflow.
Sandwich using the second cake, top-side up. Spread more Chantilly cream on top of the cake, and garnish using plenty of fresh strawberries and a light dusting of powdered sugar.
Tips
Over-mixing kills tenderness. You want to mix the components of the cake batter to the point that they’re just barely combined. If you’re using an electric mixer, you may even consider switching to mixing by hand.
Tap, tap, tap…your baking pans. Once you’ve divided your batter into the prepared baking pans, give them a little tap on the counter. This gets rid of an air bubbles stuck within your batter so there aren’t any broken pockets of cake once it’s baked.
Cake mix. If you’re very short on top, you can make Victoria Sandwiches using cake mix. A yellow cake mix will work well enough, but baking from scratch is how you’ll get the best results. (A pound cake mix will work…but, due to its difference in preparation, will be a lot heavier than a Victoria Sponge is supposed to be.)
Storebought jam. You can use storebought strawberry jam if you don’t feel like making my homemade version. It’ll still turn out delicious, but I recommend using a good quality and flavorful jam!
Storebought whipped cream. You can also use storebought whipped cream instead of making your own. Personally, I suggest making your own Chantilly cream as it usually tastes a lot better. ("Chantilly" is just fancy French-speak for a sweetened whipped cream. Don't let it daunt you.)
Fixing your balsamic strawberries. When preparing your homemade strawberry reduction, if you find that your reduction has become too tart, add a little sugar and/or water to fix.
Easy variations
As far as cakes go, the Victoria Sponge Cake is a reliable classic. If you want to mix it up a bit, there are plenty of easy variations that can be done.
Switch the fruit. The easiest significant change is to switch the strawberries out for another berry. Using a raspberry jam filling, and fresh raspberries to top the cake is a great option.
Buttercream instead of cream. If you’re looking for a richer dessert, you can swap up the whipped cream with actual buttercream. Try either my white chocolate buttercream or my whipped cocoa buttercream recipe – both have great reviews!
Chocolate is always a good idea. To add another dimension (but stray a little further from the light, airy, tea cake this usually is), you can add melted chocolate as a filling.
Flavoring the cake. A small change that can really add some oomph and moisture to the cake is soaking the baked cake in juice (think: lemon juice, or orange juice), or a liquor if you prefer.
Maximalist option. A popular variation that’s often seen in bakeries in the UK is completely coating the cake in vanilla buttercream. This isn’t my personal preference as I feel like it takes away much of the originality of Victoria Sandwiches.
Storage suggestions
Like most cake recipes, a Victoria Sponge Cake can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to three days. It tastes best if you all the cake to come to room temperature before serving, though I admit, I’ll eat it straight out of the fridge!
I generally don’t recommend freezing this cake as sponge cake tends not to thaw very well.
Helpful tools
The link below is an affiliate link. This means that if you choose to purchase using it, I will receive a small commission (at no additional cost to you). These small commissions help keep Chocolates & Chai going. Thank you.
A good stand mixer is always helpful when making a cake. The ability to beat heavy cream at a high speed to create whipped cream is magic (especially if you’re whisking muscles, like mine, aren’t the most developed!).
Victoria Sponge Cake, Updated
I initially wrote this recipe post because it was my mother’s birthday! Of all the cakes I’ve made for her, I think this Victoria Sponge Cake with strawberries was her favorite. I’ve since updated the post to give you lots more useful information on how to make Victoria Sponge Cake at home, and moved the story about my mother’s cake preferences and how I first started walking for strawberries here. The recipe is the same tried and tested recipe it always was.
Final thoughts
If you’re an afternoon tea aficionado or if you’ve tried a classic Victoria Sponge Cake, then I probably don’t need to sell this Victoria Sponge Cake with Balsamic Strawberries to you.
However, if you’ve never tried it before, I highly recommend giving it a shot! Cakes like this work wonderfully as sweet afternoon treats (usually they are served in slightly small slices), but also as celebration cakes. I made it for a birthday after all.
Let me know what you think in the comments section below.
๐ Recipe
Victoria Sponge Cake with Balsamic Strawberries
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 8 Slices 1x
Description
An airy strawberry & cream cake that's perfect as a summer dessert. My version uses a homemade balsamic strawberry reduction. Why? Because it's delicious.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 4 Large Eggs
- 1 cup Cake Flour, sifted
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter, softened
- 1 cup White Sugar
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 450g Strawberries, hulled/halved
- Icing Sugar, for dusting
For the Balsamic Strawberry Reduction
- 450g Strawberries, hulled/halved
- 2 tbsp White Sugar
- 2 tsp Balsamic Vinegar
- 1 tbsp Lemon Juice
For the Chantilly Cream
- 1 cup Whipping Cream
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract
- 2 tbsp White Sugar
Instructions
Sponge Cake
Preheat oven to 350 F degrees. Butter and line two 8-inch circular baking tins with parchment paper.
- Break eggs into a large mixing bowl; add sugar, cake flour, baking powder and softened butter.
- Mix together until combined. Make sure to not over-mix. The finished mixture should be what's called a "soft dropping" consistency - that is, you should be able to scoop it, but it should still fall off a spoon easily.
- Divide the mixture evenly between baking tins. Smooth the surface of the batters, favouring the outsides slightly.
- Place tins on the middle shelf of the oven; bake until golden brown and cooked through, about 25 minutes.
- Remove them from the oven and set aside to cool in their tins for five minutes. Run a palette knife around the inside edge of the tin and gently turn the cakes out onto a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely.
Balsamic Strawberry Reduction
- Mix strawberries, balsamic vinegar, lemon juice, and sugar. Reduce the mixture over a low heat, stirring occasionally. Don't stir too often, you don't want the strawberries to breakdown and turn into mush.
- Reduce until the mixture meets your preferred taste and consistency.
Chantilly Cream
Vigorously whip sugar, vanilla extract, and whipping cream until soft peaks are formed.
Victoria Sponge Cake Assembly
- To assemble, place one cake upside down and spread the Chantilly cream, and then the balsamic strawberry reduction.
- Top with the second cake, top-side up. Spread Chantilly cream on top, and garnish using fresh strawberries and powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Notes
Sponge Cake
Make sure to not over-mix your batter. The finished mixture should be what's called a "soft dropping" consistency - that is, you should be able to scoop it, but it should still fall off a spoon easily.
Balsamic Strawberry Reduction
- The final reduction should meet your preferred taste and consistency (for me, this means the mixture reduces to just a little more than half its original volume).
- If you're reduction becomes too tart, add a little sugar and/or water to fix.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: English
Chaman
Thank you Riz for baking this delicious cake for me.As usual.you made my birthday perfect .God bless you.with lots of love your Mama
Riz
Glad you liked it!
Jemma @ Celery and Cupcakes
Yum! Such a classic recipe and I love the addition of balsamic.
Riz
Thanks Jemma!! I love the classics!
Claire Jessiman
Stunning cake! I bet the flavours are amazing. I love black pepper on my strawberries.
Riz
You know… I was actually thinking about that myself!! I’m going to give it a shot too. ๐
Sus // roughmeasures.com
Sounds so delicious. Balsamic pairs so well with strawberries, I bet your mum loved it!
Riz
She did, thank you! She’s even commented above! ๐
Margaret Melo
This is the second time I’ve made this cake. The first time I made it for a picnic with my best friend, and the second time I made it for my daughter’s birthday.
Massive hit both times!