fluffyknickers Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 I am well used to baking and make lots of cupcakes, brownies etc and also the chocolate brooklyn blackout from the Hummingbird baker book, but cannot make a decent victoria sponge (with Jam AND buttercream!). Saturday I tried making the one from the River Cottage Everyday whereby you weigh 4 eggs (in their shells) and then use same butter, sugar and flour. I then poured into two tins and baked. I out straight into the bin they were hard and thin and awful. So whats your foolproof recipe? Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 Oh dear!! I too use the weigh eggs and then equal quantities of everything else - although only do 3 eggs. Switched to this after getting chickens, and the non standard size eggs that then came rolling in. I can only suggest are you over or under mixing? I put everything in food processor and only mix for maybe 20 seconds or so?? Just until all mixed up thoroughly. And what flour are you using? Even with self raising, I often pop in a teaspoon of baking powder - seems to help give it a lift if you know what I mean... I am sure someone clever could say your oven was too hot/cold - but I just know my oven works at 185 degrees.... If it helps, I can make bread no problem, but cannot make swiss buns or anything with milk instead of water in the mix. Tis probably a good thing - only so many chelsea buns you can eat - but I wish i knew why my savoury bread rises and my sweet bread mixes don't... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickendoodle Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 I always do the weighing thing but I use decent quality soft margarine instead of butter - for the all in one method you need a teaspoon of baking powder for 3 eggs or 1 1/2 for 4 eggs. Beat together until floppy and in the oven at 180 degrees for 30/35 mins Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
..lay a little egg for me Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 How odd...that recipe always works for me. Can you describe exactly what you did, what flour you used, what oven temp and what size pans? We omleteers may spot something but hmm, can't think of any obvious thing that would make it go so wrong! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Egluntyne Posted February 15, 2010 Share Posted February 15, 2010 I've always had good results with this recipe. I wonder if your oven was too hot? How disappointing for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 Make sure it is self raising flour and lower your oven temperature. I cook mine at 150 degrees in my fan oven. Nice solid deep tins make a difference too. I always struggled when I used thin shallow ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffyknickers Posted February 16, 2010 Author Share Posted February 16, 2010 At work at moment without the recipe book, but I just followed exactly what it said and used two 20cm tins. I thought perhaps I was supposed to weigh them OUT of shells but re-read and it said in shells (which I did). Maybe I over mixed? They were just dense and horrid and weighed a tonne! Because I dont have a problem with any other baking stuff it now is just annoying me and want to get it right! Will try again tomorrow but this time not mix too much and maybe turn oven down. Maybe I should try margarine? I WILL get it right!!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chucky Mama Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I use the weighing the eggs recipe too. I always use margarine as it make the cake lighter and less oily and I also add some baking powder as I dont hand mix I just bung everything in the Magimix type mixer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoid Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 You might have over mixed it, therefore over stretching the gluten in the flour which would result in a dense cake. If using a fan oven, reduce cooking time by 20 mins or so. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iar fach goch Posted February 16, 2010 Share Posted February 16, 2010 I made what everyone else calls the perfect victoria sandwich today for OH's birthday, 6oz sr flour, 6oz sugar, 6oz eggs, 6oz margarine, 1 1/2 tsp baking powder. Bung in bowl, mix by hand, add 1 tblsp warm water and 1 tblsp milk, mix, pour in tins, bake at 180 (not fan) for 25 - 30 mins. Yum! and I am no great cook! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 The right tins are important too. When I still lived at home with my mum and dad I used to make a cracking vicky sandwich which became quite legendary for its lightness and fluffiness. When I moved out I bought myself a set of tins and my cakes never turned out right after that. I assumed it was because of the different oven. However, when I got fed up of serving leaden cake to guests, I borrowed my mum's tins as an experiment and voila, the light, airy cakes returned! (I am now 'borrowing' them on a long term basis ) So I would check your tins and if they're not aluminium, try swapping them for some that are! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 I have nice aluminium ones too, and my sandwich cakes are usually nice and airy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Dogmother Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 I do the weighing eggs method in my old Kenwood mixer and get perfect cakes every time. I hop that you manage to sort it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lesley Posted February 17, 2010 Share Posted February 17, 2010 From your description I would say perhaps the flour was old or you used plain flour by mistake? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffyknickers Posted February 17, 2010 Author Share Posted February 17, 2010 Thanks everyone. I used the flour that the recipe said - I checked when the cakes came out as could see straight away they werent right! Iar Fach Goch - when you say 6oz of eggs - how are you weighing them? I plan on making another tomorrow morning and planning on not mixing too much or over cooking and will let you all know!!! Thanks Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iar fach goch Posted February 18, 2010 Share Posted February 18, 2010 I weigh them in their shells too. (I am convinced that my free range eggs make a difference, as my sponges were never so successful BC). My sponges are also much nicer since changing from butter to margarine, much lighter and more moist. As yet I have not had a disaster, and often have help from my lively three year old, so I can't say that we take too much care over the mixing. I just try to make sure I get all the lumps out before adding the water and milk. Good luck for tomorrow - let us know how you get on! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffyknickers Posted February 18, 2010 Author Share Posted February 18, 2010 Ok, made one today and its yum. Slightly too well done on the outside but not major - just nit-picking! Have filled it with jam and buttercream. Dont know if this facebook link will work http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/photo.php?pid=4706203&id=787146718 Michelle Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickencam Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Yeah got your mojo back Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickendoodle Posted February 19, 2010 Share Posted February 19, 2010 Just had another thought - are you baking in a fan oven as they can play havoc with cakes. I've got a fan main oven and a normal one over the top of it and I always bake my cakes in the top one as the fan oven does weird things to cakes - it can dry them out or overcook them. I did read somewhere that you should put a container of water in a fan oven when baking as it helps with the moisture. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iar fach goch Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 What did you do differently? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fluffyknickers Posted February 22, 2010 Author Share Posted February 22, 2010 well only thing I did differently was to not mix very much. I did use the kenwood for creaming the butter and sugar but then did the rest by hand. It said in the recipe to do it all by hand but I gave up with the creaming of the butter and sugar! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
C&T Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 Thats where I went wrong for a bit - was so tempting to leave the mixture whirring in the processor to get more air in - when all I was doing was removing it all... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
