Victoria sponge cake
Works in the UK and the US. This version uses US words and measures (stove, cups, °F); the UK version uses hob, grams and gas marks. · UK version of this page
The classic British layer cake: two light sponges by the creaming method, filled with jam.
- Serves 10
- About 1 hr
- Oven
- Best for: Grades 6–8 (ages 11–14)
- Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 200 g (about 1 cup) butter, soft – contains milk
- 200 g (about 1 cup) granulated sugar
- 4 large eggs – contains eggs
- 200 g (about 1½ cups) self-rising flour – contains wheat or gluten
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tbsp milk – contains milk
- 4 tbsp strawberry or raspberry jam
- 1 tbsp powdered sugar, to dust
Cup measures are approximate – weighing is more accurate. Need a different amount? Use the recipe finder to change the servings.
Equipment
- kitchen scale
- 2 round cake pans (8 inch)
- parchment paper
- mixing bowl
- electric hand mixer or wooden spoon
- sieve
- spatula
- oven mitts
- cooling rack
- offset spatula
Safety first
- Wash your hands with soap for at least 20 seconds, tie back long hair and put on a clean apron.
- Ask about allergies before anyone cooks or tastes. This recipe contains: wheat or gluten, eggs, milk.
- Wash your hands after cracking eggs.
- Do not eat raw dough or cake mixture – raw flour and raw egg can carry harmful bacteria.
- Use dry oven mitts for anything that has been in the oven or under the broiler.
Allergens: Wheat (and other grains with gluten), Eggs, Milk. Always read every label and ask about allergies before anyone cooks or tastes.
Method
- Teacher-led: Turn the oven on to 350 °F (180 °C). Grease and line both pans.
- Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. (4 min)
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour if it starts to curdle. Wash your hands.
- Sift in the flour and baking powder and fold in gently with the milk until smooth. Do not taste the raw mixture.
- Teacher-led: Divide between the pans, level the tops and bake until golden and springy, and a skewer comes out clean. (23 min)
- Teacher-led: Cool in the pans for 5 minutes, then turn out onto the rack and cool completely. (30 min)
- Spread one sponge with jam, put the other on top and dust with powdered sugar through a sieve.
What this recipe teaches
Using an oven safely, Creaming (beating butter and sugar), Folding in, Presenting food. Steps marked “Adult” are always done by an adult; steps marked “Teacher-led” are done by an adult for primary-age children and closely supervised for older students.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 347 |
|---|---|
| Total fat | 18.4 g |
| Saturated fat | 11 g |
| Sodium | 449 mg |
| Total carbohydrate | 41.6 g |
| Dietary fiber | 0.6 g |
| Total sugars | 24.9 g |
| Protein | 4.8 g |
Worked out from the raw ingredients (optional ones and pinches not counted) using USDA FoodData Central – SR Legacy (SR28, 2018). Brands vary – check labels. Figures for 2% milk (the recipe finder shows the other choices).
MyPlate food groups in this recipe: Grains; Protein Foods; Dairy. Learn about MyPlate.
Added sugars and saturated fat are best kept low – enjoy treats less often and in small amounts.
Curriculum links
- FCS 8.2: “Demonstrate food safety and sanitation procedures.”
- FCS 14.3: “Demonstrate ability to acquire, handle, and use foods to meet nutrition and wellness needs of individuals and families across the life span.”
Try the interactive lesson
Step by step: a quick safety check, questions graded by Classfern, timers for each cooking step, then an honest look at how it went – a teacher or parent judges the cooking, and learners rate their own work. Photos of the finished dish stay at home.
Use the code your teacher gave you – never your name. Progress is kept on this device.