MASSIVE Victoria Sponge

Behold, the cake I baked a few years ago for Prince Charles himself for a charity function. The cake at the time was approx 4 x as big as this, as it needed to feed a room full of people. I also made a lot of fruit cake ready to be wrapped for guests to take home with them.

Incase you're wondering, he loved the fresh cream and said not enough people use fresh cream in cakes and shook my hand. A good result!

As the Queen's Jubilee is fast approaching, I thought i'd write a scaled down version of the recipe for you:

Need 4 x 6 inch baking tins

Makes 1 massive celebration cake, enough for 15 people

Sponge ingredients:

200g unsalted butter, soft

50mp neutral oil

250g golden caster sugar

5 eggs

1tbsp vanilla bean extract

1 lemon, zest

Pinch of salt

250g self raising flour

Or 250g plain flour and 2.5tsp of baking powder

Buttercream ingredients:

220g caster sugar

5L egg whites

50ml water

450g unsalted butter

Cream ingredients:

400ml double cream

Pinch of salt

1tbsp caster sugar

1tsp vanilla bean paste or half a vanilla pod scraped

To assemble:

150g raspberry jam

Cake method:

• Preheat the oven to 160 degrees fan/180 oven

• Line 4 x 6 inch baking tins with parchment paper and butter the sides

• Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a large bowl with an electric whisk

• Beat the butter until soft, add the sugar and the oil and beat for 5 minutes until soft pale and fluffy

• Scrape down the sides and mix well

• Add in the vanilla, lemon Zest and salt and mix well

• Beat in the eggs one at a time

• Finally add the flour and mix or add the flour and baking powder and mix

• Divide the mixture evenly between 4 tins

• Bake for 20-22 minutes or until when a skewer is inserted it comes out clean

• Leave the cake to cool completely before removing from the tins

Buttercream method:

• First, make an Italian meringue, put the egg whites in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment

• Whip the egg whites until frothy

• In a pan mix the sugar and water

• Heat it until it reaches 119 degrees C

• Pour this over the whipping egg whites until cool

• Add in the butter and mix well until it’s smooth

Chantilly cream method:

• Whip the cream with the salt, vanilla and sugar until soft peaks

To assemble:

• Layer up the cakes with the Chantilly cream and jam

• Allow to set in the fridge for an hour before covering in buttercream

• Set in the fridge for 1 hour before cutting and serving

This cake will keep for 3 days in the fridge

It’s best eaten from room temperature