Berry vanilla Viktoria sponge cake- A light, elegant dessert perfect for any occasion
If you’re looking for a timeless dessert that’s both simple and impressive, a Berry Vanilla Victoria Sponge Cake is the perfect choice. This cake combines soft, fluffy sponge layers with rich vanilla flavor, fresh berries, and a luscious cream filling. It’s ideal for example Mother’s Day coming up this weekend or an afternoon tea, birthdays, or any moment that calls for something sweet yet refined. Especially with the summer berry season starting.
What is Viktoria sponge cake?
A Victoria sponge cake is a traditional British dessert made with two light sponge layers sandwiched together with jam and cream. Named after Queen Victoria, it’s known for its delicate texture and simple elegance.
This berry vanilla version enhances the original by incorporating fresh seasonal berries and it is filled with a homemade strawberry compote and a rich vanilla flavor. This cake is rather simple and utterly delicious!
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Ingredients you will need:
For the Sponge Cake:
- 7 whole eggs (about 350g)
- 210g sugar
- 125g all purpose flour (Typ 550)
- 125g cornstarch (maizena)
- 70g melted butter
- Pinch of salt
For the Vanilla cream filling:
- 250g whole milk
- 50g sugar
- 20g cornstarch (maizena)
- 60g egg yolks
- 30g butter
- Pinch of salt
- 350g whipped cream
- 1 pcs. Vanilla pod (for ex. Vanilla Dream)
For the strawberry compote:
- 500g fresh strawberries
- 50g sugar
- 10g lemon juice
- 1/2 vanilla pod, used
- 1 pcs. gelatine leaf
For the decorations:
- Fresh mixed berries
- Whipped vanilla cream
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Prepare the sponge batter
Preheat your oven to 180°C and prepare your 2 ring molds 20cm in diameter
In the bowl of your stand mixer, whisk together the eggs, sugar and the pinch of salt. (Optionally you can heat up the mixture slightly over a Bain Marie. Heating up the mixture adds more volume to the egg mixture for a fluffier sponge) whip on high speed until light and very fluffy.
Sift in the flour and cornstarch together. Sift over the whipped egg mixture in 3 parts folding in carefully after each addition. Once all the flour mixture has been added mix a little bit of the batter with the warm, melted butter. Then mix this back into the egg mixture folding gently until you have a smooth and even batter.
2. Bake the Sponge Layers
Divide the batter evenly between the tins and smooth the tops with a spatula.
Bake immediately for about 30-35 minutes until golden brown and soft to the touch (with bounce/ springy to the touch) you can do a knife test to make sure they are baked through (insert a knife and if the tip comes out clean it’s done)
Allow the cakes to cool down completely before cutting into layers.
3. Prepare the Fillings
You can make the vanilla cream a day in advance so it has time to completely cool down and set. Whip the vanilla cream until smooth.
Fold in the whipped cream to make a creme diplomat for the filling.
To make the strawberry compote
Wash and cut the strawberries into small pieces. Place them into a medium sized pot along with the sugar, lemon juice and dried piece of vanilla. Cook for about 5-8 minutes until the strawberries have softened.
Remove from the heat and add in the soaked Gelatine. Mix until dissolved and place into a bowl to cool down completely.
To make the sugar soaking sirup
In a small pot mix together the water and sugar. Bring to a boil, remove from the heat and allow to cool down completely.
4. Assemble the cake
Cut the sponge into even layers about 2 cm in thickness.
I like to use one the ring mold to layer the cake ( you can also layer it without using a ring mold but it will make it easier to use the ring mold for stability) I put plastic cake film on the rim to make it easier to later remove the cake from the mold.
In total I use 4 layers of sponge, 3 layers of strawberry compote and vanilla cream. You can use more if desired as you will have 1-2 layers of sponge leftover (which you can perfectly freezer for another cake)
Soak each sponge with a little sugar soaking sirup, add about 3-4 Tbsp. Of strawberry compote per layer and sprinkle fresh pieces of strawberry. Add vanilla creme diplomat onto each layer and spread it out evenly. Repeat the process 2x more times
Place the cake into the fridge to set a couple hours or best overnight
5. Decorate and Serve
Whip the whipped cream with powdered sugar and vanilla until soft but firm peaks (but make sure not to overwhip the cream, you still want a creamy texture thats stable enough to pipe)
Place the whipped cream into a piping bag fitted with the large nozzle and pipe long strips from bottom to top onto the cake.
Fill the center with a mix of fresh berries and serve.
Tips for the Perfect Victoria Sponge
- Weigh your ingredients for accuracy and consistency. This goes for ALL my recipes!
- Cool completely before assembling to prevent the cream from melting.
- Make your fillings a day ahead (the vanilla cream, sugar sirup and strawberry compote)
- Decorate on the day of serving for the freshest flavor and best look
- Use a metal ring mold to assemble the cake and use plastic cake strips for the edge for a clean look and it makes it easy to remove from the mold
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This berry vanilla Victoria sponge cake is:
- Light and fluffy texture and flavor
- It’s an easy cake to make with wow effect
- Perfect for spring and summer gatherings
- Easy to customize with your favorite berries
FAQ:
1. What is a Viktoria sponge cake?
A Viktoria sponge cake is a classic British dessert normally made of 2 light sponge layers filled with a jam such as strawberry or raspberry and filled with whipped cream.
2. Can I use frozen berries instead of fresh?
Yes and no. You can use frozen berries strawberries to use for the compote (but they add extra liquid so you might need to boil it for a little longer or add 1/2 piece more gelatine)
I don’t recommend sprinkling in the frozen berries into the cake as these will make the cake too soggy as they loose the frozen water once defrosted.
Also use only fresh berries for the decoration!
3. What is the best berry filling to use?
I like to use a homemade berry compote such as strawberry or raspberry. But you can definitely substitute this for a store bought jam if sounds don’t want to make your own compote.
4. How do I store a berry Viktoria sponge cake?
It is best to store a berry Viktoria sponge cake in the fridge. You can store it in the fridge up to 2-3 days. It won’t look as fresh the next day so I recommend decorating it on the day of serving it.
You can also freeze the leftover Viktoria sponge cake.
5. Can I add other flavors to the cake?
Yes! You can play around with different flavors with this cake. As the sponges are very simple and don’t habe much flavor of their own you can add different flavors to the fillings such as nut butters, different fruits, etc.
Happy baking!
