Rules for Village Show Victoria Sponge Cake

[Slubberdegullion]

So I am taking the plunge and am going to enter a Victoria Sponge Cake into our local village show.

I'm not pussy-footing around with lemon curd. Oh no, straight into the Blue Riband event.

But I am a little afraid as I know there are rules. And these rules are not written down. If you have to ask, well you shoudn't be entering (well that's what I am sensing).

So I'm going to ask in happy annonymity here.

Size (18 or 20cm)?
Butter or marg?
What type of jam?
Cream filling?
Icing sugar or caster sugar on the top?
Doilly? (Sp?)

Seasoned village show entrants (or judges) your help gladly recieved.

what do you mean by dropping? I keep imagine someone bouncing the tin up and down

Ooohh. When are they coming out of the oven then? Need to know when to come back for update!

Just out of oven. Will give them a few mins before moving onto thin tea-toweled cooling rack.

Franca, I'm not an accomplished dropper, but I lifted the tin containing unbaked mix about 30cm off the work surface and dropped it. bang. The mix did settle somewhat (much wringing of hands), but so far I do not seem to have a crater crust.

lolol at this thread, thanks for cheering me up!

lol at accomplished dropper.
the things you learn on mn! .

www.

I'm smiling here but I tell you, my hands were trembling there during cake turn out.

Well they look OK. I have a raised lip around the edge that doesn't look very elegant.

And there are some lumps on the top. Like when you were 14 and you knew there was just a giant zit coming, about 3 days away, and the skin is rising up.

It smells good, but doesn't look very pretty.

Obviously I can't taste this one, as it's for the Bishop.

Could you "file" the raised lip with something? can't think what tho..

Well I picked at a bit of the lip, and an everso small and yet obvious lump fell off the side. That cake is destined for the bottom now.

Can I make a contribution re eggs please? My friend's mum shows her cakes and she will not use free range eggs in competition cakes. Their yolks are a lot yellower than battery eggs' yolks and it makes the colour of the sponge wrong for a competition entry. She is an old hand at this and her baked goods are regularly placed.

Thank you kikidee. There has not been too much egg discussion here (yet). That is interesting re colour (my word these judges do examine from all angles don't they)?

Would a free range egg not add to the flavour though?

These VSC's are a whole world of compromise. I bet Relate councellors and those industrial tribunal people all have to sit a lengthy course in Sponge making before they're allowed our on the job.

back again!
forgot to mention that eggs should be at room temp! - someone else picked up on that one. you drop the mixture because you whick 7 sieve for fine air bubbles but may fold in a few big ones by mistake, which then rise & leave huge holes (like you get in supermarket bread). dropping the mixture forces these to rise to the top - where they pop before cooking & avoids the problem, but doesn't ruin the fine bubbles which give it a light texture. also evens out the mix without the need to smooth the top which will also kill the little bubbles.
Dear lord, how do i know all this? I'm not even having to look it up & I have a feeling there's more to come - e.g. it is very important to get tin size & recipe in proportion.
if you think your cake may stick a little, run a cold wet dish cloth over the outside before turning it out. to avoid the 'lip' at the edge, run something blunt (finger works) around the edge before going in the oven
would just like to add that i have NEVER been to the wi - i'm saving that for when i'm old enough to retire (just another 30 year to go then)

I wonder if your zits were caused by the big air bubbles coming to top but not actually breaking the suface - so bubbling up into zits during the cooking?

Maybe 30cm is not high enough .

Yes eggs at room temp.

DH went to fry one with his steak tonight and I shrieked at him

'GET YOUR BLOODY HANDS OFF THE BISHOP'S EGGS'. He moved away slowly and carefully.

Kiki...brilliant re finger around edge regarding lip avoidance. Will def. do that tomorrow morning with the Bishop's sponge:beta version.

My thoughts exactly SMS re cake surface zits.

But I dropped them twice pre oven entry. Surely thrice would be foolhardy?

Message withdrawn

Maybe twice was your mistake???

I can't believe how tense i was awaiting outcome of the bishop's cake.

I am confused by all the 6/6/6/ refernces - is this the weight in ounces of the flour/ sugar/butter? My mum (keen WI member )taught me to weigh the eggs and use this weight for the other ingredients.

Something occured to me about baking powder - does it have a distinctive taste? When i first made LDC, MIL's comment was 'it's got baking powder in it' (she's lovely BTW, so this took me by surprise)

indeed weight in ounces of butter, sugar & flour + 3 eggs.

(I used to do 4442)

baking powder easy to taste. if you use free range eggs they are more yellow - the more you whisk them the lighter in colour they are so sould be a way to get the flavour without the colour. you could leave your cake mix for a few mins before putting in oven - may reduce pimple effect.

re the aussie recipes - custard powder is just cornflour & vanilla flavouring so suitable for a lazy all in one cake.
ideally your flour, fat & sugar should each be the same eight as the eggs - earlier people suggested using balances to ensure this - son't use scales ona spring as they aren't as accurate.

i assume from what you're saying that your oven is even ( i once lived with a crooked kitchen & oven - all cakes were wedge shaped)

Yup chippy, 6/6/6 (the devils sponge mix) is butter/sugar/selfraising flour. + 3 eggs.

I would be tempted to do the weighing eggs on one side of the scales, and other bits on the other side, but I don't have those type of scales. Does this competition merit me going out and purchasing some poncey scales.

cod, that is delia's preferred sponge, but I fear would not be a show winner (detection of magimix usage frowned upon).

Better get yourself some old-fashioned slubber.

Message withdrawn

old fashioned scales, even!!
That's what my mum does - eggs on one side,in place of the weights.

yeh, but cod is she a cake judge?

yes cod, is she a cake judge?

she said it first, she said it first.