Cake History Part I: Frosted Victoria Cake


Our Frosted Victoria is one of the bestselling Celebration Cakes at Jack & Beyond. The recipe is a modern twist on the classic Victoria Sponge and retains the traditional strawberry jam filling whilst adding an elegant, smooth finish with our delicious Mascarpone & Cream Cheese Vanilla Frosting, handmade meringue kisses and fresh strawberries. But what is the story behind this popular sponge cake and the secret to its deliciousness? Keep reading and find out!

Cake history part 1: Frosted Victoria Cake.

The Victoria Sponge is a beloved British teatime classic from the Victorian era with a Royal background. Some sources claim that it was the favourite treat of Queen Victoria herself who used to have it with her afternoon tea.

It also goes by the name “Victoria Sandwich” as it looks a bit like a sandwich with the two sponges and jam filling – we would argue that a cake sandwich is the best kind of sandwich!

Queen Victoria enjoying a cup of tea with relatives.

Queen Victoria enjoying a cup of tea with relatives

The main ingredients of the Victoria Sponge are butter, eggs, sugar, flour and a raising agent such as baking powder or self-raising flour.

The invention of baking powder at the beginning of the 19th century was a game changer for cake making and the development of the Victoria Sponge recipe as we love it today with its light & fluffy texture.

Even though it seems like a simple recipe, it is a challenge for any baker to get the texture and height just right and there are fierce debates going on in the baking world about the exact measurements and composition of ingredients to achieve the perfect sponge, there are even Victoria Sponge competitions!

Victoria sponge cake with slice taken out of it.

A classic Victoria Sponge Cake

Victoria sponge is a versatile cake due to the vanilla sponge base and has been adapted over the years to keep this classic treat on trend.

Mini Victoria Bites

Mini Victoria Bites

Smaller bite size versions or cupcakes can be made for Afternoon Tea, or you can also incorporate different jam flavours and different fruit fillings to add some decadence to this traditional recipe.

Buttercream or fresh cream are popular choices for the filling, but cream cheese frostings work just as well, depending on your personal taste.

It is a popular choice for bespoke Wedding and Birthday Cakes as the simple yet delicious flavour combination of vanilla and fruity jam appeals to adults and children alike.

Feeling peckish now? Head over to our Celebration Cake section and treat yourself and your loved ones (sharing is optional of course) to a Frosted Victoria Cake for tea: https://jackandbeyond.com/collections/celebration-cakes/products/frosted-victoria.

Sources:

https://foodcrumbles.com/victoria-sandwich-history-science/

http://the-lothians.blogspot.com/2011/12/tea-with-queen-victoria.html

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/collection/victoria-sponge-cake-recipes

https://www.greatbritishfoodawards.com/recipes/strawberries-cream-mini-victoria-sponges/ 


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