To ask about Victoria sponge cake

[CathyTurnbull]

Does jam go on the bottom and buttercream on the top in the middle filling? Or Is it buttercream on bottom and jam above?
Does it matter?
Thank you

I do jam on the top of the bottom AND the bottom of the top and buttercream in the middle. I use buttercream not whipped cream because the cake keeps longer.

@CuriousaboutSamphire

What buttercream?

Just jam.

Or the WI will haunt you forever 😁

My mouths dry just thinking about a jam only sponge cake

Make it whichever way you want, although spreading one on top of the other is odd-just put jam over one separately baked half, cream or buttercream over the other, and then swing them closed together. Job done.
Then when your sponge eaters arrive do a quick survey and if they all decide the other way from yourself, flip the whole sandwiched cake over before they even see it and you can be assured when you take it through that they would still want to be friends with you.
There is nothing worse than a cake crime for causing fall outs..

what buttercream?

Jam first, then the fresh cream.
Jam first stops the cream sinking into the sponge.

It's supposed to be a cake with a cup of tea. Eaten in the hand. Alternatively it's a cake with little character safe to be eaten in the nursery. That's why it is a biscuits, dryish, barely filled cake. It's for being polite or safe 😁! It's based on a Spanish bake, I think the Portuguese air cake is from a similar time too.

I made one from the English Huswif, it has anise and coriander seeds. Vaguely edible. But flavouring a modern recipe with anise and coriander seeds is bloody marvellous.

If I wasn't currently making a big batch not crumble that has used the last of the butter I'd definitely be making one. Maybe tomorrow ☺️

Raspberry jam with a dark chocolate ganache would be nice

M&S Victoria sponge is good although it breaks the tradition of jam only and has fresh cream

@Davros

M&S Victoria sponge is good although it breaks the tradition of jam only and has fresh cream

It's the one true way.

Jam on one cake, buttercream on the other.

“ That's why it is a biscuits, dryish, barely filled cake.”

@CuriousaboutSamphire you must be making it wrong - mine is fluffy, light and moist, even without the filling - it only needs strawberry or raspberry jam. Buttercream is rank.

Cream first then jam - the cream is a more buttery consistency that's easier to spread on top of

Jam on bottom of top

Jam then buttercream on top of bottom.

I find fresh whipped cream too wet and cake doesn’t last. Tho hit me with tips on the use of fresh whipped cream in a Viccie sponge - I should try it again.

I meant that to include 'compared with chocolate ganache filled, buttercream filled birthday cakes'

But they are supposed to be a light tea sponge rather than a 'cake'.

I want to make a Victoria as big as the ones you get in cafes. Whenever I make them they always come out thin - even when I scale up. What number of eggs for two deep 20cm Victoria - 6, 8????

@CuriousaboutSamphire

I meant that to include 'compared with chocolate ganache filled, buttercream filled birthday cakes'

But they are supposed to be a light tea sponge rather than a 'cake'.

It's only a vehicle for the cream for me, so it serves it's purpose well

I think you’ll find this is almost identical in nature to the cream tea conundrum, and everyone knows that is #jamfirst

Victoria sponge only has jam in the middle

Just jam in the middle and a dusting of icing sugar on top is traditional. I'd do jam on the bottom sponge and buttercream on the base of the top one the turn it over and place on the jammed sponge.

I thought it was madeira cake that was dry biscuitish & foul

I do butter cream then jam, if you briskly stir the jam it becomes a loser texture and spreads evenly over the butter cream.
A quick pic of the birthday cake I made yesterday, buttercream then jam.

Buttercream made with proper butter is lush! It's only rank when people use margarine.
I use buttercream with a normal/ Madeira sponge, but fresh cream with a whisked/ Genoese sponge.
Jam on the bottom.

Victoria sponge is fresh cream not buttercream. I spread jam then pipe whipped cream. If not I would put each on one side of the cake then put together

That looks amazing! still think fresh cream would improve it, though 😉

Jam and each layer, pipped fresh cream in the middle, not butter cream. No need to mess around trying to spread cream on jam or jam on cream, that’s just bonkers.

Jam then buttercream - as others have said it’s easier to spread jam onto cake. It’s not quite as easy to spread buttercream onto jam but I often just dollop it all over the cake with a spoon and then smooth over it with a knife. It can end up being a thick layer of buttercream but I’ve got a sweet tooth so I don’t mind! You could also pipe the cream/buttercream on (which you couldn’t do with jam) but that’s too much faff for me