Ultimate Victoria Sponge Cake with fresh strawberries - easy peasy!

This is such an easy cake to make and it looks so impressive! It's just a simple sponge cake, with fresh double cream and fresh strawberries. This recipe makes a large cake to serve 10-12.

Ingredients:

Sponge
225g self-raising flour
225g caster sugar
225g butter (or margarine for a lighter sponge)
8 eggs
1 teaspoons of vanilla essence
2 tablespoons of milk (if mixture is too thick)

Topping
Pack of Strawberries
1 tablespoon of strawberry jam
Double Cream

Equipment
You will also need two 8 inch (20 cm) wide tins, lightly greased and lined with silicone paper (baking parchment).
Bowl or Food Mixer
Scales
Teaspoon, Tablespoon, Mixing Spoon
Spatula
Sharp knife
Electric or manual whisk
Pallet knife
 

Method:

1. Pre-heat the oven to gas mark 3, 325°F (170°C).
2. Mix together the sugar and butter until it's light and fluffy.
3. Add all the other ingredients at the same time and mix thoroughly.
4. If the mixture falls of the spoon when tapped on the side of the bowl, it's the right consistency. If not, add a tablespoon of milk and try again.
5. Half the mixture, put into the 20cm lined baking tins and level the mixture out.
6. Place on the middle shelf of the oven together (but not touching)
7. Bake for 35-45 minutes, but don't open the oven to check until after 35 minutes has passed or until they look a golden colour. Otherwise the sponges will sink.
8. To check if they are cooked, press lightly on the top of the sponge and then if it bounces back, it is ready.
9. Remove from oven onto a cooling wire rack.
10. Slide a knife round the side of the tin, and then turn them out onto the wire cooling rack.
11. Allow them to cool
12. While the sponges are cooling, put the double cream in a bowl and whip until it's light and fluffy. Don't over whip, once it gets close stop whipping and then slowly finish whipping.
13. Cut the strawberries into quarters.
14. Put one of the sponges on the serving plate, add the strawberry jam.
15. Then add half of the whipped cream and half of the cut strawberries. Add the other sponge cake on top.
16. Then add the other half of the whipped cream and fresh strawberries to finish.