Victoria Sponge Fairy Cakes Recipe

When anyone asks me what my favourite cake flavour is, it’s a difficult choice between lemon cake, chocolate cake and a classic Victoria Sponge. Actually, it’s a difficult choice between all cakes, but sometimes simple is best. These little Victoria Sponge fairy cakes make the most of the simple, timeless combination of vanilla sponge, vanilla cream and raspberry jam. They are sweet, delicious, and undeniably satisfying. They have the perfect ratio of sponge to jam and cream, and look the flower decoration looks really impressive on a sharing platter at a party, without being too complicated! They are great for sharing with family and friends, or for enjoying as a little treat to yourself…it’s up to you!

Victoria Sponge Fairy Cakes Recipe
Makes 12 fairy cakes, cooking time 10-15 mins

For the cakes:
2 large eggs
140g self-raising flour
140g margarine
140g caster sugar
1tsp baking powder
1tsp vanilla extract

For the topping:
Seedless raspberry jam
85g unsalted butter
170g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp semi skimmed milk

Method:
Preheat the oven to 180˚C.
Fill a 12 hole bun tin with fairy cake cases and set aside.
If using an electric mixer, mix all cake ingredients together, and skip to filling the cake cases.
If making by hand, first cream together the margarine and caster sugar with the back of a metal spoon. Sieve in the flour & baking powder, add the eggs and vanilla extract, and whisk together well – the more air you can beat in, the lighter your cakes!
Divide the mix evenly between the fairy cake cases, and bake for 10-15 minutes, or until lightly golden and springy to touch. If you’re not sure, poke a skewer into the middle of one, and if it comes out clean, they’re done.
Remove them from the oven and allow to cool completely before decorating – it’s hard, I know!

To decorate:
Mix the butter, icing sugar, vanilla and milk together to make a smooth, stiff buttercream. If it’s too stiff to pipe, add a little more milk.
Smear a thin layer of raspberry jam over each cake, then carefully pipe a flower shape on each one using a star-shaped nozzle, held directly above the cake.