My Classic Victoria Sponge

There are cakes…
and then there is the cake.

The one that never goes out of style.
The one that every baker returns to.
The one that tastes like sunshine, picnics, tea parties, and pure nostalgia.

For World Cake Day, I’m celebrating with the most timeless bake of all:
a Classic Victoria Sponge soft, light, airy, filled with clouds of vanilla cream and fresh berries.
Simple. Elegant. Iconic.

And the best part?
This recipe uses my favourite foolproof method: weighing the eggs to determine the rest of the ingredients.
It gives you perfect texture every single time.

Let’s bake!

Classic Victoria Sponge

Makes: Two 8-inch layers
Best With: Fresh cream + seasonal berries

Ingredients

For the sponge

(Based on 5 eggs, but the method is fully scalable!)

• 5 large eggs, weighed in their shells

• Equal weight of:

  • unsalted butter

  • caster sugar

  • self-raising flour

For the filling + topping

• 300 ml double cream

• 2 tbsp icing sugar

• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste

• Fresh berries (I love strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries)

• Mint leaves, for a fresh garnish

Method

1. Prepare the tins

Heat oven to 190°C (170°C fan).
Grease and line two 8-inch cake tins, and wrap each with cake strips for beautifully flat layers.

2. Weigh the eggs

Place your 5 eggs (still in their shells) on the scale.
Whatever they weigh, match that amount of butter, caster sugar, and self-raising flour.
I find this is the most reliable way to achieve a perfect Victoria sponge.

3. Cream the butter + sugar

With the paddle attachment, beat the butter and caster sugar for 4–5 minutes, until pale, light, and fluffy.
This step gives your cake its lift and tenderness.

4. Whisk the eggs

Swap to the whisk attachment.
In a clean bowl, Whisk the eggs until they triple in volume thick, foamy, and airy.
This is where the magic happens.

5. Bring it all together

Fold the batter in three additions:

• Add ⅓ of the flour

• Add ⅓ of the whisked eggs

• Repeat, folding gently each time

You want to keep as much air in the batter as possible.

6. Bake

Divide between the tins.
Bake for 22–28 minutes, or until the tops spring back and a skewer comes out clean.
Cool completely before filling.

Filling + Decorating

1. Make the cream

Whisk together:

• 300 ml double cream

• 2 tbsp icing sugar

• 1 tbsp vanilla bean paste

Whip to soft, silky peaks.

2. Build your Victoria sponge

• Place the first cake on your serving plate.

• Spread a generous layer of cream.

• Add fresh berries (the more the merrier).

• Place the second cake on top.

• Add more cream, letting it swoop casually across the top.

• Finish with a crown of berries and a few mint leaves — a gorgeous, natural garnish.

Elliot’s Notes

• This method scales perfectly just weigh the eggs and match the ingredients.

• Cake strips help keep layers even and prevent doming.

• Use the freshest berries you can find; they make the cake sing.

• Serve on the day you assemble for the very best texture.

• I placed some musical biscuits on the top of my cake just… because. totally optional!