A week in the life of a Cake Shed Owner - week 7

VICTORIA SANDWICH CAKE

Ingredients

225g soft unsalted butter - 225g caster sugar - 4 large free range eggs - 225g self raising flour - 2 teaspoons baking powder - 2 tablespoons of milk - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract - seedless raspberry jam - icing sugar

Method

Preheat your oven to 180 degrees or gas mark 6

Measure all the ingredients (except raspberry jam and icing sugar) and put into a mixing bowl or stand mixer. Mix on a medium speed in your stand mixer or with a handheld whisk over the mixing bowl. Combine all the ingredients until you have a smooth mixture. Don't over mix as your cake then may not bake properly.

Divide the mixture into 2 x 8" greased sandwich tins and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown and the mixture has come away from the side a little. You can tap it on the top and it should spring back.

Once you cakes have cooled assemble by spreading some raspberry jam on one cake and place the other on top of it ideally on a cake stand. Sprinkle with a little icing sugar. Eat and enjoy!

Optional Vanilla Buttercream

Ingredients

125g unsalted butter - 200g icing sugar - 25ml of milk - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Method

Beat the butter for about 5 minutes in a stand mixer until it becomes much paler and fluffy. Add the icing sugar one spoonful at a time and beat on a slow speed until incorporated with the butter. Add the milk and vanilla extract and beat for another 5 minutes.