This recipe is originally from Delicious Magazine.

Ingredients

250g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra to grease
250g golden caster sugar
5 medium free-range eggs
175g self-raising flour
75g ground almonds
For the filling
150g unsalted butter, softened
150g icing sugar, plus extra to dust
Zest of 1 large orange
Squeeze of lemon juice
Splash of milk or cream
3 tbsp raspberry jam, at room temperature

Method

1.Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease and line 2 x 20cm shallow sandwich tins with baking paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, beat the 250g butter and golden caster sugar with an electric hand whisk until really light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition, then fold in the flour and ground almonds.

3. Divide the mixture between the 2 tins, then bake on the middle oven shelf for 20-25 minutes until a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean. Remove the sponges from the oven and leave in the tins for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

4. To make the filling, put the 150g butter, icing sugar, orange zest and lemon juice into a mixing bowl, then beat together to make a light butter icing. Add a splash of milk or cream if you need to loosen it a little.

5. Put one of the sponges on a serving plate. Spread with the buttercream, then top with the jam Place the other sponge on top, flat side facing down, and press down lightly. Dust with icing sugar, then slice and serve with a mug of tea Enjoy!

If you’d like to see my other Victoria sponge recipes, I have the classic recipe here and a delicious lemon version by Mary Berry here. You may also enjoy this Bakewell cake with raspberry curd filling

Happy baking!

The post Orange and almond Victoria sponge cake appeared first on Hello! Hooray!.

Mary Berry’s Lemon Victoria Sandwich recipe was specially commissioned by the GDST for the 140th anniversary of the Girls’ Day School Trust and appeared in issue 12/13 of Verve Magazine (also available online here). Mary Berry is a GDST alumna, and all girls were given a postcard with the recipe to celebrate the Bake Off event (the final of which was just by one of the hosts of The Great British Bake Off, Mel Giedroyc – another GDST alumna!). I used to teach music at Central Newcastle High School which makes me an ‘Old Girl’, and as I love baking I just had to try out this recipe. If you make your own lemon curd, it will taste even better! I also added buttercream, which is not in the original recipe.

Ingredients

225g butter, softened

225g caster sugar

4 eggs

225g self-raising flour

2 level teaspoons baking powder

Finely grated zest of 1 lemon

For the filling

About 4 tbsp lemon curd

250g icing sugar, sifted (plus extra for dusting)

80g unsalted butter, at room temperature

25ml semi skimmed milk

Finely grated zest of half a lemon

Method

1. Lightly grease two 20cm loose bottomed sandwich tins and line the bases with a circle of non-stick baking parchment. Pre-heat the oven to 180C/160F/Gas 4.

2. Cream the butter and sugar together in a bowl. Beat the eggs and add the grated lemon zest and mix well. Pour the mix in a little at a time and mix well. Sift in the flour and baking powder and combine together. (Mary’s original recipe suggests using an electric whisk – put all ingredients into a bowl and beat for a couple of minutes).

3. Divide the mixture evenly between the two tins and level with a spatula or the back of a spoon. Bake in the oven for about 25 minutes or until well-risen and golden.

4. Leave the cakes to cool in the tins for a few moments then run a blunt knife around the edge of the tins to free the sides of the cakes. Turn the cakes out, peel off the paper and leave to cool completely on a wire rack.

5. As the cakes cool, make the buttercream by creaming together the butter and icing sugar. Add the milk and lemon zest and beat until smooth.

6. Choose the cake with the best top, then put the other cake top downwards on to a serving plate. Spread with the lemon curd and then the buttercream. Put the other cake on top and dust with icing sugar. Put the kettle on, cut a big slice and enjoy! If you’re not a fan of lemon, you could always try out my Classic Victoria Sponge. Either of these cakes are best enjoyed with a cuppa!

Post updated 19th June 2016.

The post Mary Berry’s Lemon Victoria Sandwich appeared first on Hello! Hooray!.

Ingredients (makes two layers, I used two loose-bottomed 20cm cake tins lined with greaseproof paper)

225g/8oz self-raising flour

225g/8oz unsalted butter

225g/8oz golden caster sugar

4 medium size eggs, beaten

One cap full of vanilla extract (it’s worth investing in the proper stuff for an amazing flavour)

For the buttercream, I use the Hummingbird Bakery recipe:

500g icing sugar

160g unsalted butter

50ml semi-skimmed milk (original recipe uses whole milk)

1/2 cap of vanilla extract

You will also need 3-4 tsp seedless raspberry jam

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190°c/375°F/Gas mark 5. Cream the butter and sugar together until smooth. Combine the vanilla extract and the eggs and add a little at a time, beating well each time you add more. If the mixture starts to split, you can sift in a tiny amount of the flour but try to avoid it if you can!

2. When all the egg and vanilla has been combined with the butter and sugar, sift half of the flour into the bowl, fold in and then repeat with the rest of the flour.

3. Place half of the mixture in each tin and level with a knife (this is easier if you fill a mug with boiling water, leave the knife in for 30 seconds and then level the mixture).

4. Bake for about 20 minutes until the cakes are well risen, firm to touch and are beginning to shrink away from the sides of the tins. Turn out of the tins and leave to cool on a wire rack.

5. Whilst the cakes are cooling you can prepare the buttercream. Beat the icing sugar and butter together (either by hand or with an electric whisk for a smoother texture). Combine the milk and vanilla extract in a separate bowl and then add to the butter mixture a little at a time. Continue beating until the mixture is light and fluffy.

6. When the cakes are cool, choose which one will be the top layer and spread the jam over the bottom layer. Cover with the butter cream and then place the other cake on top. Put the kettle on for a cuppa and cut yourself a slice – enjoy![/vc_column_text][/vc_column][/vc_row]

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