Zesty Vanilla Victoria Sponge With Rose Macerated Strawberries

A zesty vanilla Victoria sponge layer cake, with rose macerated strawberries and mascarpone cream.

I make variations of this cake all the time, swapping lime zest for lemon, and adding different fillings, here i have used strawberries, jam and curd. But it also works well if you use lemon zest in the sponge, omit the rosewater and use peach and raspberry as the filling for a peach melba version.

Go with what is seasonal or what ever your favourite fruit is. This sponge also works well brushed with a syrup, i have not added one here though.

This recipe makes 3 thin 8 inch layers, i adjusted the recipe and made extra for the cake in some of these photos to create a 4 layer taller cake.

Victoria sponge cakes are easy as they often use the same weight in flour, sugar and butter.

Decorating this cake is the fun part, i love to use edible flowers from the garden, here you can see a few variations of it over the years.

The one with wild strawberries is one of my favourites.

Notes

Make sure that all ingredients are room temperature, i know this seems like a simple thing, but it really makes all the difference and helps create a fluffy cake.

I use a balloon whisk when beating the butter, sugar and vanilla together and beat it for well over 5 minutes until pale and really light. I scrape around the bowl with a spatula and whisk again for 1-2 minutes to make sure its well combined. I then add the eggs one at a time, making sure each egg is well beaten in before adding the next.

When all the eggs are added i remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the flour by hand so i don’t over mix it.

I bake my cakes at a lower temperature so that rise evenly and do not dome in the middle.

Zesty vanilla Victoria sponge with rose macerated strawberries

Recipe by Aimee TwiggerCourse: baking, cake

Ingredients

For the sponge
250g unsalted butter softened
250g caster sugar
5 medium eggs at room temp
zest of 2 limes (lemons work well too)
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
250g self raising flour or (250g plain flour with 2 tsp baking) powder
1 tsp salt
4 tbsp whole milk at room temp
For the macerated strawberries and filling
200g fresh strawberries hulled and sliced into half or quarters
3 tbsp caster sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
1 tsp rosewater (optional)
lime curd or lemon curd (optional i like to add a zesty hit)
Strawberry jam
For the frosting
500g mascarpone
250ml double cream
5 tbsp icing sugar or more to your taste
1-2 tsp rosewater

Directions

For the cake
Preheat the oven to 160c fan.
Grease and Line three shallow 8 inch pans.
Using a balloon whisk Whip the butter and sugar and vanilla together until pale and fluffy this will take at least 5 minutes but it could take 10. scrape around the bowl half way through to ensure it is evenly whipped. Add the eggs one at a time ensuring each egg is combined before adding the next egg.
Mix the flour, baking powder and salt together, then fold in to the wet ingredients using a spatula until well combined. Add the lime zest and fold in,
Add the milk and fold in.
Divide the mixture between the three tins and place on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for approx 20 minutes or until a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean. Leave to cool.
For the strawberries
Slice the strawberries and place in a bowl and add the rose water and sugar and mix.
Leave to macerate for 15 minutes. cut the strawberries smaller if needed.
For the frosting
Whip the cream until just beginning to thicken. then add the mascarpone, icing sugar and rose water and mix again until pillowy. If you find it too thick, you can loosen it with some whole milk, i add a tbsp at a time until its the consistency i like. I don’t like my frosting too sweet, but if you do feel free to add more icing (powdered) sugar.
To assemble
Add one of the layers on a cake plate then add a thin layer or frosting. Pipe a ring around the edge. Spoon on some strawberries and add a few spoonfuls of lime curd and jam. (if you want the strawberry and rose flavour to shine you can leave out the lime curd) Then continue this with the next layer. Add the rest of the frosting on top and around the sides of the cake.
Decorate with roses or edible garden flowers

Notes

In some photos you will see a cake with 4 layers, rather than 3, i adjusted this recipe for that to make an extra layer.
Make sure that all ingredients are room temperature