History Victoria Sponge

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

The Victoria Sponge is a sandwich style cake traditionally made with a raspberry jam and is dusted at the top with powdered sugar. It's quintessentially associated with afternoon tea rituals and came into popularity during the reign of Queen Victoria – hence its name.

The traditional ingredients in a Victoria Sponge (many times referred to as a Victorian Sandwich) are quite simple with just eggs, flour, sugar and butter – all in equal measure. There are variations on the traditional sponge with raspberry jam that evolved over time to include the use of strawberry jam, or instead placing buttercream or whipped cream in the middle instead of jam. And instead of dusting the top with powdered sugar you can drizzle iced sugar on the top. Sometimes the cream and the jam are combined together and the top is dusted with powdered sugar.

Supposedly Victoria Sponge was the favorite tea treat of Queen Victoria, however it didn't originate with her, but in the nursery. Afternoon tea cakes in the early Victorian era were typically made with fruit pieces or contained seeds. It seems for safety reasons (choking perhaps?) that children should not eat cake that contained pieces of fruit or seeds. The airy and soft Victoria sponge was created for children to enjoy during their teatime. Eventually the nursery sponge made its way to the adult tea time ritual and the rest is history, as they say.

Here's a recipe from the famous British baker Mary Berry for her version of a Victoria Sandwich -

Ingredients -

• 225 g (8 oz) softened butter
• 225 g (8 oz) caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 225 g (8 oz) self-raising flour
• 2 level tsp baking powder
• 2 x 20cm (8in) greased and lined sandwich tins

filling and topping:

• 4tbsp strawberry or raspberry jam
• A little caster sugar, for sprinkling

Directions - http://www.goodtoknow.co.uk/recipes/495936/mary-berry-s-victoria-sandwich

Like the Bath Buns, most of the authentic recipes I found were in metric measurements, but a quick Google search can assist in converting things.

 

[nitrofd]

This cake cut in small pieces is the mainstay of a high tea.

 

[BelleBlackburn]

That sounds good. I have to admit when I read the title I thought about the wrong kind of sponge, like sponge-worthy was on Seinfeld.

 

[JOHN42768]

I sure looks delicious, but a small piece is out of the question. Yum.

 

[John Winn]

I, too, clicked because I thought there was some bizarre reference to a different type of sponge from the past only to be shocked to see that it had to do with r*********s. Noooooooooo !

 

[BelleBlackburn]

I, too, clicked because I thought there was some bizarre reference to a different type of sponge from the past only to be shocked to see that it had to do with r*********s. Noooooooooo !

You have got to get therapy over this raspberry aversion.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

I, too, clicked because I thought there was some bizarre reference to a different type of sponge from the past only to be shocked to see that it had to do with r*********s. Noooooooooo !

Oh no, I forgot about your raspberry aversion. Don't worry you can use strawberry jam! Actually the strawberry version is more common from the looks of it online in more contemporary recipes. Maybe you aren't the only one with raspberry aversion

 

[John Winn]

You have got to get therapy over this raspberry aversion.

I'm fine. It's all those other people who like r********** who need therapy. R.D. Laing said it well when he said "one of the things that 's the matter with them is that they don't think there's anything the matter with them." So there.

Oh no, I forgot about your raspberry aversion. Don't worry you can use strawberry jam! Actually the strawberry version is more common from the looks of it online in more contemporary recipes. Maybe you aren't the only one with raspberry aversion

Thank you. Maybe now I'll be able to read the recipe and mentally substitute strawberry for ... you know. I'll have to meditate on it for a while, though.

And yes, we are legion but largely hidden as we face persecution when we step out and express ourselves. We've just learned to avoid in silence. Somehow I've not been able to remain completely silent here on CWT though, especially when led astray and caught off guard by ambiguous thread titles.

I know, though, that you are a good person and meant well. Many are simply unaware of those of us who are strongly averse to even mention of - those things. Perhaps in the future you could just provide a little warning in your thread title so as to avoid food-related micro-aggressions. Off to my safe zone to meditate.

 

[nitrofd]

It is really amazing that this 150+ year old type of cake is still served in Britain everyday to this day.it is the simple things that endure.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Thank you. Maybe now I'll be able to read the recipe and mentally substitute strawberry for ... you know. I'll have to meditate on it for a while, though.

And yes, we are legion but largely hidden as we face persecution when we step out and express ourselves. We've just learned to avoid in silence. Somehow I've not been able to remain completely silent here on CWT though, especially when led astray and caught off guard by ambiguous thread titles.

I know, though, that you are a good person and meant well. Many are simply unaware of those of us who are strongly averse to even mention of - those things. Perhaps in the future you could just provide a little warning in your thread title so as to avoid food-related micro-aggressions. Off to my safe zone to meditate.

Did you have a bad experience with the faulty fruit? Or just the flavor and/or texture of the vile berry? On the bright side you don't have to do jam at all with the sponge, there's always the option of the cream filling. I've been using the new tag feature for posts and will tag the vile berry accordingly so you can avoid it.

It is really amazing that this 150+ year old type of cake is still served in Britain everyday to this day.it is the simple things that endure.

I agree, so many of the simplest recipes do seem to stick around forever. Scones are another oldie but goodie.

 

[John Winn]

Did you have a bad experience with the faulty fruit? Or just the flavor and/or texture of the vile berry? On the bright side you don't have to do jam at all with the sponge, there's always the option of the cream filling. I've been using the new tag feature for posts and will tag the vile berry accordingly so you can avoid it.

Ah, cream filling - that would be good.

As to the offending fruit, it just tastes like the most vile medicine one had to drink as a child. And there was one time when we visited an aunt who had made a "special" dessert of - you know - and I was forced to eat it so as not to be rude. It made me ill and as we left I puked it all up. Every now and then I get ambushed when some shows up in a food unannounced (e.g. I order cheesecake and when they bring it they've covered it with r's and now I can't eat it and sending it back creates an uncomfortable scene).

So I must be forever vigilant; trust no one outside my closest circle. It is a curse. Woe is me - I am but a character in a Shakespearean gustatoric tragedy.

 

[FarawayFriend]

I, too, clicked because I thought there was some bizarre reference to a different type of sponge from the past

John, I think I know what you mean ... here she looks as if she is wearing one on top of her head, isn't she?

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Bumping up the Victoria Sponge/Cake/Sandwich - it seems to go by three names depending who's recipe it is! @nitrofd mentioned it in the thread about Victoria Buns.

 

[donna]

Another tasty dessert.

 

[mofederal]

At first I thought we were talking sponges. I mean the sop up water variety. I was relieved to see it was dessert. Then it contained the dreaded thing Raspberry. Yes, that evil berry, looks good, but is just nasty and evil. Strawberry is much better, and a saner choice. Thank god. Actually the recipe sounds good, very much so. Thank you for posting this thread. It is so much nicer with strawberry or any other flavor.

 

[nitrofd]

At first I thought we were talking sponges. I mean the sop up water variety. I was relieved to see it was dessert. Then it contained the dreaded thing Raspberry. Yes, that evil berry, looks good, but is just nasty and evil. Strawberry is much better, and a saner choice. Thank god. Actually the recipe sounds good, very much so. Thank you for posting this thread. It is so much nicer with strawberry or any other flavor.

In the baking world sponge means your basic yellow cake and of course chocolate.

 

[donna]

Strawberry Jam would work. Also I think blackberry jam would be good.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Any berry jam would be good. I did see one Victoria Sponge while on vacation that lemon curd instead of jam, so that's another idea for those who enjoy lemon curd.

 

[nitrofd]

Any berry jam would be good. I did see one Victoria Sponge while on vacation that lemon curd instead of jam, so that's another idea for those who enjoy lemon curd.

That sounds good also.