Mini Victoria sponges
Make these bite-sized Victoria sponges for a special afternoon tea or birthday celebration. Choose your favourite jam for the filling, then add whipped cream
Fancy filling up the cake tin with some tasty treats for the Bank Holiday weekend? I’ve got just the recipes for you. You can’t beat a classic Victoria sponge and these bite-sized versions are perfect if you’re hosting an afternoon tea or having friends over this weekend – simply fill them with your favourite jam and whipped cream.
Everyone loves a chocolate cake and the whole family can get involved in making this chocolate chip traybake and decorating it with sweets or sprinkles.
If you fancy a challenge, try this carrot cake with pecan praline, it’s a real crowd-pleaser! 150g unsalted butter, softened 150g golden caster sugar 2 eggs 1 tbsp milk ½ tsp vanilla extract 150g self-raising flour 250ml double cream 2 tbsp icing sugar, plus extra for dusting 185g jam of your choice (strawberry or raspberry work particularly well) 1 Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases. Beat the butter and caster sugar together using an electric whisk until pale and fluffy, then whisk in the eggs, one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition.
2
Add the milk, vanilla, flour and a pinch of salt, then beat again until smooth.
Divide the batter evenly between the paper cases – this can be easily done using an ice cream scoop. Bake for 17-20 mins, or until the sponges are golden, risen and a skewer inserted into the middles comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once that’s done, the sponges can be frozen for up to three months.
3
Remove the paper cases from the sponges, then split them in half through the equator using a small serrated knife. Set aside. 4 Whip the cream and icing sugar together to soft peaks using an electric whisk. Spread a little jam over the base of each sponge, then spoon or pipe over a dollop of whipped cream and sandwich with the tops of the sponges. Dust with a little icing sugar before serving. Best eaten on the same day.