National Trust Challenge part 3 - The classic Victoria Sponge

The first cake I can remember making was a Victoria Sponge. I think it is most peoples first cake, mine was from my mum's recipe book that I think comes from the 1970's but it worked and tasted great. When I started Little Sprinkles I spent time looking at the different sponge recipes out there and tried several before deciding on the one from the Hummingbird Bakery  cookbook. I like it because it is really light and fluffy and it doesn't use a lot of butter. So when I saw a very different recipe in the National Trust Cookbook I thought I would give it a go. 

The first thing that struck me as odd was the fact I had to weigh my eggs, something I have never done before in any kind of baking. But I did it.

Then I had to use the same weight of butter, sugar and flour and make sure I was beating them for a long time, I say I, but what I mean is my kMix. 

Any good cake maker know that the longer you beat the sugar and the butter the lighter the cake, I do beat them for quite a long time but as this recipe told me to beat them for at least 5 minuets I decided to time it, this is something that I will keep doing as I think it does make a difference. 

The resulting batter was much thicker than the one I am used to and it took double the cooking time. It cake out looking very nice but seems really heavy weigh wise and when it was cooled it had a crispy outside. 

I know that the traditional filling for a Victoria sponge is jam but I LOVE fruit curds and the National Trust do such an amazing range of them, I have not dared try some of them especially the Raspberry curd as I know that if I did, I would not be able to go a day without eating it! I have been known to go to a National Trust property just to buy another pot of curd! If you can't get to a National Trust property, I have just found out that you can buy them online here this is very dangerous information to me. 

Unfortunately I was not able to get to my local National Trust property (Montacute House) so I had to make do with the lemon curd I could find in the supermarket. Added to that a nice layer of buttercream.

A simple dusting of icing sugar and it was finished. 

I must say that even though this was a nice recipe to make, I do not like the cake. It is too heavy and buttery for me.