Mini Victoria Sponges with strawberry jam and butter icing

These are so sweet and a very lovely afternoon tea addition. Using a very simple sponge recipe and a muffin tin, you can create these mini Victoria Sponges.

Sponge
Ingredients:
113g self-raising flour
113g caster sugar
113g butter (or margarine for a lighter sponge)
4 eggs
couple of drops of vanilla essence

Filling
3 tablespoons of strawberry/raspberry jam (to be honest you can use any type of jam)
1 x portion of butter icing
Butter icing
140g butter softened (at room temperature)
280g icing sugar
1-2 tablespoons milk

Equipment
12 case muffin tin

12 cupcake cases
Bowl or Food Mixer
Scales
Teaspoon, Tablespoon, Mixing Spoon
Spatula
Sharp knife
Electric or manual whisk
Pallet knife
 

Method:

Sponge

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. Place the 12 cupcake cases into the muffin tin.
6. Divide the mixture between the 12 cases and level off the top of the mixture.
7. Place on the middle shelf of the oven
8. Bake for 15-20 minutes, but don't open the oven to check until they look a golden colour. Otherwise the sponges will sink.
9. To check if they are cooked, press lightly on the top of the sponge and then if it bounces back, it is ready.
10. Remove from oven onto a cooling wire rack.
11. Use a knife to get the cupcakes out of the muffin tin, and then put them onto the wire cooling rack. Try to do this as quickly as possible, as if left in the tin they might start to sink.
12. Allow them to cool
13. While the cupcakes are cooling, begin to make the buttercream icing.

Butter Icing

1. First beat the butter in a large bowl until soft.
2. Add half of the icing sugar and beat until smooth.
3. Add the remaining icing sugar and one tablespoon of the milk and beat the mixture until creamy and smooth. Add more milk if the mixture looks dry.

Assemble

1. Once the cupcakes are cool, remove them from the cupcakes cases and then using a sharp knife cut them in half. Allow the bottom of the cake to be a little deeper than the top.
2. Spread a little jam on the bottom piece of the cupcake and then spread a 12th of the buttercream on the bottom of the lid and then put them together.
3. To finish, dust a little icing sugar onto the top.