Mary Berry's foolproof Victoria cake recipe made her 'fall in love with baking'

07 January 2024 , 13:30

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Mary demonstrates how to make the clever recipe (Image: BBC)

National treasure Mary Berry has shared hundreds of delicious and traditional recipes published over the years, but her love of baking began with some of her early baking creations, including her classic Victoria sponge cake recipe.

Mary, 88, revived her classic recipe and showed her legion of fans how they too can make the baking delight for friends and family, or even themselves. Thankfully, the recipe that holds a dear place in Mary's heart isn't complicated and is perfect for first-time bakers.

Famed for being a judge on The Great British Bake Off, Mary has published more than 70 cookery books over the past five decades. She began her career in the food and drink industry back in the 60s, becoming the cookery editor of Housewife magazine, followed by Ideal Home magazine.

Sharing a fond memory of the time she taught others to make the Victoria Sponge Cake, the 88-year-old TV personality said: "For my first job for the Electricity Board, I would visit people in their homes and teach them how to use their ovens by cooking this fabulous cake. The all-in-one method makes it one of the simplest cakes to make. I feel it is the most healing of cakes to make, too."

Mary is a big fan of the cake (BBC)

Mary revealed she used to teach people how to make the fabulous concoction. The simple recipe follows an all-in-one method, which means you won't need to separate ingredients as they can be added into one mixing bowl.

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You can bake your perfect Victoria sponge in a breeze, as it takes half an hour to prepare in the kitchen. Here's the step-by-step guide.

Ingredients:

• 225g (8oz) of self-raising flour
• 225g (8oz) of caster sugar
• 225g (8oz) of cold butter or baking spread, plus extra for greasing
• Four eggs
• One teaspoon of baking powder

Topping and filling:

• 300g (½ pint) of whipped double cream
• One jar of strawberry jam (370g or half a cup)
• Caster sugar for dusting

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 180C (350F), 160C (320F) for a fan oven or Gas Mark 4. Grease your cake tins and line them with baking paper.
• Place the cake ingredients into a large mixing bowl and stir for around two minutes until you have a smooth and light cake batter.
• Divide the cake batter in half and pour it evenly into the two cake tins. Use a knife to smooth out the cake batter on top.
• Bake in the oven for around 25 minutes or until the cake has risen and is golden brown in colour.
• Leave the cakes to cool in the cake tins for a few minutes. Once they have rested, run a knife around the edge to loosen them and take them out of the tins. Set them aside on a wire rack if you own one and leave them to fully cool.
• In a bowl, whisk the cream until it is fully whipped. Then decide which cake should be on the top and spread jam on the bottom. For the cake's bottom, carefully spread the whipped cream on top.
• Place the cakes together so that the jam side is touching the cream side. Dust the top of the cake with sugar, and then your classic Victoria sponge cake is ready to serve.

Ayaan Ali