Great British Bake Off Inspired Victoria Sponge Cake

The Great British Bake Off will be back on our screens on Wednesday and I can't wait! I'm not much of a TV watcher, but this is one of my favourite programmes and I'm already looking forward to getting drawn into the show and being inspired in the Kitchen. In fact I'm already feeling inspired having harvested some fresh Raspberries from the garden this morning and thought I'd share with you a Great British Bake Off and Summer inspired Victoria Sponge Cake recipe, prefect for Sunday Afternoon Tea.

This is my take on the classic Victoria Sponge Cake. I've added an additional sponge layer for an extra bit of naughtiness which is balanced out with the use of fresh fruit (well so I like to think, others may not agree). I've also used some of my home made Raspberry Jam as I was fortunate enough to have some in the cupboard but you can use your favourite jam and adapt it accordingly.

Ingredients

for the sponge

250g unsalted butter, at room temperature, plus extra for greasing

250g self-raising flour, sifted, plus extra for dusting

1 teaspoon baking powder

225g golden caster sugar

4 large eggs, preferably free-range or organic

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

for the filling

200g fresh Raspberries

150g homemade or good-quality shop bought Raspberry jam

275g icing sugar and for dusting

150g butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1-2 teaspoon milk 

Method

Sponge

Preheat the oven to 180C/350F/Gas 4.

Grease and line 3 x 18cm/7in cake tins with baking paper. (if you haven't got 3 tins, the triple layer can be made in batches)

Cream the butter and the sugar together in a bowl until pale and fluffy. 

Beat in the eggs, a little at a time, and stir in the vanilla extract. If the mixture begins to curdle, fold in a spoonful of flour with a large metal or silicon spoon.

Fold in the flour and baking powder using a large metal or silicon spoon, adding a little extra milk if necessary, to create a batter with a soft dropping consistency. For a light consistency don't over mix at this stage.

Divide the mixture between the cake tins and gently spread out with a spatula.

Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden-brown on top and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.

Buttercream and filling

Beat the butter in a large bowl until soft. Sift in half of the icing sugar, add the vanilla extract and beat until smooth.

Sift in the remaining icing sugar and one tablespoon of the milk and beat the mixture until creamy and smooth. Beat in the milk, if necessary, to loosen the mixture

Add a layer of buttercream and Raspberry jam to the two layers of cake adding the fresh Raspberries between each layer.

Place  a few fresh Rapberries on top and dust with icing sugar.