Mercedes55 Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 I am entering a Classic Victoria Sponge into our local Horticultural Show tomorrow. It's only a small show, but I am a bit worried about making this cake. Apparently they have judges from the WI, so obviously they will be looking for specific things in a cake and I have no idea what. Now last week I dug out my trusted Delia Smith recipe book and followed the recipe which used butter and was the traditional one with the adding the egg bit by bit. I made a bit of a gaff as I meant to put the oven on without the fan, but forgot and ended up overcooking the stupid cake, so it was a bit overdone around the edges. However it tasted divine My plan at the moment is to bake the cake in the morning so that it's as fresh as possible, although I hate being rushed and would rather bake it today, but everyone tells me to wait till tomorrow. So now I am thinking of doing an all in one cake but still using butter, but I have never baked an all in one cake with butter before and not sure if it will turn out okay. Sometimes I wonder why I decide to do the things I do Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Maybe do one today as an experiment and if it turns out well, do another tomorrow morning? After all, that's how these things get won isn't it - lots of cake baking practice and learning from your mistakes! I've never tried one with butter - I always use tub stork, would be interesting to make one of each and compare them! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 Maybe do one today as an experiment and if it turns out well, do another tomorrow morning? After all, that's how these things get won isn't it - lots of cake baking practice and learning from your mistakes! I've never tried one with butter - I always use tub stork, would be interesting to make one of each and compare them! I just can't be bothered to do one again today, gosh that makes me sound a right lazy so and so I normally use an olive oil margarine for my cakes, but honestly it really did taste amazing with the butter. I've still got to sort out the other things I am entering and one of those is doing a flower arrangement with perennial flowers. I've never done a flower arrangement and my garden is a bit thin on the ground with flowers right now, guess it's the time of year. My granddaughter has painted 2 of my hen's eggs as her contribution, she is only 3, so you can imagine what they look like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Ah bless! Well hope you do well anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 Ah bless! Well hope you do well anyway Well I took your advice and decided to have another go today. Good job I did as firstly I realised my Baking Powder was out of date, so had to nip to the shops to get some more. Then after I had mixed the cake up, which I have to say was the easiest ever, I realised that I'd been so intent on not putting the oven onto the fan setting that I forget to set the temperature It's now baking, not sure if leaving it out while the oven got to temperature will affect how it turns out. OH will gladly eat it all no matter what it looks like though Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 Exactly, cake never goes to waste! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted July 15, 2011 Author Share Posted July 15, 2011 Exactly, cake never goes to waste! Glad I did try it out as it wasn't one of my best The texture was very open and one cake seemed to be getting too brown and despite switching them over I ended up with one too cooked and one cooked but a bit sunken, something I've not had before. So tomorrow I will go back to the other recipe I think Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loumabel Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 I never find all in one cakes work very well. They always seem to be too heavy and you don't get that light fluffy texture that you get by creaming the butter and sugar seperately. It could just be me though, I don't claim to be an expert!! Good luck anyway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 I have made many a Victoria sponge (never for a show, mind) and find that you can't beat the weigh-the-eggs method. Basically, you need 3 eggs, weigh them (shells on!), then use the same weight of butter/stork, caster sugar and SR flour. I personally find stork better, butter makes for a heavier cake IMO. Cream together the butter and sugar, add the eggs bit by bit, then sift and fold the flour in carefully, Divide between 2 buttered sandwich tins and bake for 20-25 mins at 180C. I have cooked them in a fan oven and they turn out fine, I just turned the temperature down to 160C. A proper, traditional Vicky Sandwich should be filled with raspberry jam only and no cream/buttercream, and sprinkled on top with caster sugar (icing sugar will dissolve into the cake). However, if I were making the cake for personal consumption, there would of course be lashings of buttercream! But I believe for a show you should fill with raspberry jam only. Good luck! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Snowy Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 I agree, I use the weigh the eggs method and always cream the stork and sugar first. Even if the mixture curdles, I always seem to get a nice light cake. I use two shallow tins. And I always fill with strawberry jam and fresh cream and top with icing sugar! Divine! Is my favouritest cake! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sjp Posted July 15, 2011 Share Posted July 15, 2011 might be a bit late but this is from the THE SANDWELL HORTICULTURAL AND MIDLAND LEEK SHOW 2011 schedule Class 501 6”– 8”/150 – 200mm dia. Victoria Sandwich (As per recipe: 6oz/170g self-raising flour, 6oz/170g margarine/butter, 6oz/170g caster sugar, 3 eggs, to be filled with jam only) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted July 16, 2011 Author Share Posted July 16, 2011 Well I got up at 7am and made the cake. I did use butter and I dusted it with icing sugar as that's what was in the Delia Smith book, although I think caster sugar is the more traditional topping. They also said the cake had to have strawberry jam only inside, although I always make mine with raspberry! It did look fine and when we dropped it off at 9.30am there was another cake there already, didn't look as good as mine, but it did have caster sugar on it. I do weigh my eggs but stupid me weighs them after I have cracked them open. Have to go back after 2.30pm for the judge's results Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lavenders_Blue Posted July 16, 2011 Share Posted July 16, 2011 Ah I got that wrong then, should be strawberry jam then, not raspberry (strawberry jam is my favourite though, so good choice!). Good luck - hope your cake was the winning entry! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mercedes55 Posted July 16, 2011 Author Share Posted July 16, 2011 Ah I got that wrong then, should be strawberry jam then, not raspberry (strawberry jam is my favourite though, so good choice!). Good luck - hope your cake was the winning entry! Well traditionally a Victoria Sponge should be made with raspberry jam I'm sure. Anyway I came 3rd with my cake........out of 3 entries I spoke to the lady who came 1st and asked her what she had put in hers and she'd made an all in one cake with Stork Margarine and put caster sugar on top of hers. Oh well I have learnt something for next time I did get 2 1st's for my cross stitch picture and my knitting, so got 2 cups which was nice Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
