Victoria Sponge Cupcakes are made using a traditional British Victoria Sandwich recipe and then dividing it into individual cakes, we lovingly refer to as Cupcakes. They are a blank canvas finished as you see fit, with buttercream, jam, fondant, sprinkles, or even a dusting of powdered sugar. Using the classic 1:1:1 ratio of sugar: butter : flour, these Cupcakes are the real deal.

Victoria Sponge cake recipe, was developed to satisfy our good friend Queen Victoria’s desire, for something sweet to eat with her afternoon tea. It is often referred to as Victoria Sandwich, as two sponge cakes would be held together with jam and sometimes buttercream too. The actual recipe however, for a basic sponge cake, is thought to have dated back as far as 1615, but using baking powder to leaven it, did not happen until after 1843.

This is the most basic cake recipe there is from the UK. Add other ingredients, such as cocoa to this recipe to create a completely different end result. This is the first cake we all learn to bake in the U.K., sometimes with disastrous results! Follow this recipe for a fool- proof and delicious cupcakes.

Ingredients

Flour: all purpose.
Sugar: granulated.
Eggs: whole.
Butter: salted.
Baking powder.
Salt

Instructions

Cream the sugar with room temperature butter in a stand mixer. This simply means to mix them together until blended and fluffy.

Add the first egg and continue mixing. Add the second egg. Once that is well incorporated, add the third egg.

Sift the flour, salt and baking powder. This will combine these ingredients, distribute the baking powder into the flour and introduce air. Then add this flour mixture, 1 tbsp at a time, to the creamed ingredients.

Add warm water, 1 tbsp at a time, once all the flour has been added and incorporated well.

Scoop cake batter into each paper liner. Place in a preheated 350 degrees F. oven for 15-18 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and there is a spring to them, when depressed with a finger tip.

Cool the Victoria Sponge Cupcakes on a wire rack and when cool, decorate if desired.

Flexibility

Use margarine or shortening instead of butter. Do not use low fat, alternative butter spreads. They contain too much water.

Acceptable substitutions for sugar include Stevia, monk fruit, coconut sugar and date sugar.

Use plain yogurt or buttermilk instead of whole eggs. Add 60g of yogurt or buttermilk per egg.

Changing any part of this recipe, will change the texture, color, flavor, mouthfeel and nutritional value of the cupcakes. Using more than one substitution will drastically change the end result.

Baking offers less flexibility than cooking. This is because the act of baking is not only an art but also a scientific process.

Uses for Victoria Sponge Cupcakes

There are many uses for Victoria Sponge Cupcakes. They belong at afternoon tea, birthday parties, potlucks, and anywhere else Cupcakes are accepted and expected!

I like to use these Cupcakes for Strawberry Crunch Cupcakes and use Russian Buttercream to frost them with.

Storage

Store them in an airtight container. The surface will harden if left out uncovered. Do not refrigerate them.

Freeze them for up to 6 months. Defrost overnight in the refrigerator.

Equipment

A stand mixer makes this recipe a lot easier.

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A Tip From Me

Make a double or triple batch of Victoria Sponge Cupcakes. Freeze the amount you do not need. Use a freezer bag to store them in. Freeze them unfinished, before frosting is applied. As they are individually portioned in paper cases, it is easy to defrost the exact number you need. Decorate / finish the cupcakes however you like.

Got Questions?

I’ve got answers -hopefully!

Can I use self raising flour instead of all purpose? Yes, omit the salt and baking powder and use the same amount of self raising flour as plain flour. There is less protein in self raising flour so the batter will spread. In the case of Cupcakes, the paper liner will hold the batter and prevent spread. The lower protein content in the self raising flour will be more noticeable when making cookies.
How far in advance can I make Victoria Sponge Cupcakes? No more than 2 days. After that the Cupcakes will start to loose their freshness.
I’ve noticed that when I make cupcakes, some of the sponge cake sticks to the paper liner, how can I prevent this? This is normal, expected and somewhat frustrating. There are two solutions: as most cupcake liners are not non-stick, spray a little cooking spray into each liner. The second solution is to wait a day before consuming them. This helps release the cake from the liner.