James Martin's platinum Victoria sponge
Ahead of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee this June, yesterday a competition was launched to try and find a pudding fit for the Queen.
Aspiring bakers from across the country aged 8 and over have been invited to whip up their best creations, with the hope that the winning dessert will become a new national favourite.
James Martin is in the kitchen with us today to get the nation baking, as he makes a classic Victoria Sponge.
Victoria sponge cake
Serves 8
Ingredients
250g good quality salted butter at room temperature
250g caster sugar
5 large hens eggs or 4 large duck eggs
1 lovely vanilla pod, seeds removed
250g self raising flour
1 jar strawberry jam
600ml double cream, softly whipped
Icing sugar to dust
8 inch springform cake tin and baking parchment to line, plus extra butter for greasing the cake tin
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 180c.
2. In a freestanding mixer beat the butter and sugar for 3-4 minutes and white, light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time and the vanilla seeds and continue to mix - the mixture may look like it’s starting to split but do not worry.
4. Fold in the flour by hand using a spatula until completely mixed.
5. Grease and line an 8 inch springform cake tin.
6. Pour all of the mixture into the cake tin and level off.
7. Bake the cake in the oven for approximately 50 minutes or until golden and a skewer comes out clean when tested.
8. Allow the cake to cool on a wire rack.
9. Cut the cake in half horizontally through the middle, spread the bottom with the jam evenly. Pipe or spoon on the whipped double cream and sandwich the top layer on and dust with icing sugar.