Queen Victoria Sponge Cake

Queen Victoria Sponge Cake. I think it sounds so fancy! But what seemed to me as a lovely light, fluffy and very delicate cake turns out to be a pound cake. A POUND CAKE! Do you feel me? Queen Victoria ate pound cakes! I mean, the cake fit for a Queen was apparently the most basic of basic cakes that's been traditional throughout the whole of northern Europe for centuries? Well, fine.

So if you want to feel like Queen Victoria herself, bake a Pound Cake into a round tin. Cut the cake in half (per own insight), spread a thin layer of jam in between (the Queen liked raspberry) and top it with powdered sugar. Add a little bit of clotted cream to the side and voilà! Cake fit for a Queen.

For all those of you who want a light, fluffy and very delicate cake: I know just the thing! Which can of course still be sliced in half and filled with jam and cream and topped with sugar. And you can still feel like a Queen while eating this. I, for one, feel a lot Queenier with this cake!

Queen Victoria Sponge Cake
1 round cake (20cm/8inch) - from Cakes & Cake Decorating

4 large eggs
115 grams sugar
115 grams flour

1. In a heatproof bowl, beat the eggs with the sugar until it's about to fluff.
2. Boil water in a large pan and then turn the heat to medium/low. Put the heatproof bowl over the pan and whisk until the eggs turn thick, pale and fluffy. This may take up to 10 minutes.
3. Take the bowl off the heat and continue to beat until the bowl has cooled down. If you can't hold your mixer this long, just leave it to cool while you come back to whisk for 10 seconds every 0,5-1 minute.
4. Sift the flour over the cooled egg batter and fold in gently.
5. Bake in a preheated oven of 180 degrees Celsius or 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 12-15 minutes when making cupcakes or Swiss roll or 25-30 for a round cake.
6. For the Queen Experience: leave the cake to cool. Slice in half and spread a thin (thin is just relative really) layer of jam in between and top with (powdered) sugar.

*Cake should be consumed within 1-2 days as it will dry and stale quickly. 

Tadaa~ Now you've got two traditional English/Northern European cakes! Let's call them both British and serve at the fancy high tea party we suddenly feel like organizing. Will you invite me?

On a little side note: if I say light and fluffy I mean really light and fluffy ok? I mean in the sorts of: if you place a fork on it you'll have a perfect fork imprint on it. Or as in: if you put fondant over it it'll diminish to less than a quarter of the original size. But also: if you take one bite you'll find that suddenly the whole cake is gone! Ohoh, last one: it's kind of like coke! It's got more bubbles than actual food! Making it perfect for those people on a diet who refuse to actually go on a diet. (you'll have to omit the jam though. And the cream. The sugar too.)

But, remember: Never trust a skinny cook! So, we can afford to make two of these so we can try different jams. Or one with jam and one with nutella. And one with fresh fruits too. I suddenly feel very trustworthy!