Said to have been a favorite of Queen Victoria, the namesake dessert, made with layers of sponge cake, fruit preserves, and whipped cream, continues to occupy a place of honor for afternoon tea. Pictured with our Citrus–Earl Grey Ganache Tartlets and Pistachio Éclairs.
Mini Victoria Sponge Cakes
Serves: 48
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups unsalted butter, softened
- 2 ½ cups granulated sugar
- 5 large eggs, room temperature
- 3 ¾ cups unbleached cake flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ¼ cups whole milk, room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup mixed berry preserves
- Sweetened Whipped Cream (recipe follows)
- Garnish: confectioners’ sugar, fresh blueberries, and fresh raspberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Spray 2 (13x9-inch) baking pans with baking spray with flour. Line pans with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat together butter and sugar at medium speed with a mixer until fluffy, 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides of bowl. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. With mixer at low speed, gradually add to butter mixture alternately with milk, beginning and ending with flour mixture, beating just until combined after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract. Divide batter between prepared pans, smoothing tops with an offset spatula.
- Bake until tops of cakes are dry, edges are golden brown, and a wooden pick inserted into centers comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Let cool slightly in pans for 10 minutes. Remove from pans, and let cool completely on wire racks. Trim domed tops, if necessary. Freeze cakes until firm, approximately 1 hour.
- Using a 1 ¾-inch round cutter, cut 48 rounds from frozen cakes, discarding scraps. Cut each round in half horizontally. Spread 1 teaspoon preserves each in a thin, even layer onto cut side of bottom halves of cake rounds.
- Place Sweetened Whipped Cream in a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip (Ateco #828). Pipe Sweetened Whipped Cream over preserves. Cover each with a remaining cake round half, cut side down. Serve immediately, or refrigerate and serve within an hour.
- Just before serving, garnish cakes with a dusting of confectioners’ sugar, and top with fresh berries, if desired.
Sweetened Whipped Cream
Serves: Approximately 4 cups
Starting with heavy cream that is very cold will ensure the resulting whipped cream has the best texture and volume without overbeating.
Ingredients
- 2 cups cold heavy whipping cream
- ½ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, beat together cream and sugar at medium-high speed until medium stiff peaks form. Use immediately.
