VICTORIA SPONGE BIRTHDAY CAKE

I love the birthday cake trend right now with sprinkles in the batter; they add color and fun to a simple sponge. I also love how “birthday cake” has now become a prominent flavor in ice cream and other desserts. Who can resist that vanilla cake batter flavor with sprinkles?

Some more of my summer recipes: Cherry Clafoutis, Lemon-Syrup Tea Cake, Peach & Blueberry Pie, Lemon Tarts, Plum Cake, Strawberries & Cream Fairy Cakes.


Victoria Sponge Birthday Cake 
(makes 1 cake)

• 1 cup butter (room temperature)
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt
• 1 tablespoon grated lemon zest
• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (well sifted)
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 cup of colorful sprinkles (plus extra for decoration)

• 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream (double cream)
• 1 tablespoon confectioners sugar (plus extra for dusting on top)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup raspberry jam (or strawberry)

• Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with oil and then dust lightly with flour.
• In a large bowl whisk together the butter and sugar until fluffy. Beat in the eggs, vanilla, salt, and lemon zest. Sift in the flour and baking powder, whisk until smooth. Mix in the sprinkles.
• Add the batter to the prepared pan and bake for 30-35 minutes or until golden and an inserted skewer comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool on a rack.
• For the filling, whisk together the heavy cream, confectioners sugar and vanilla extract until the cream is whipped to soft peaks.
• Cut the cake in half horizontally and spread each inner side with raspberry jam. Then dollop the whipped cream onto the lower half of the cake and spread out evenly.  Add the top half of the cake on top of the cream, jam side down.
• Dust the top of the cake with confectioners sugar and more sprinkles.

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Lemon Cream Cake

As you can see by the candles, this is a birthday cake :)
It's a buttermilk sponge cake with a lemon cream icing using mascarpone cheese. I made this cake last summer using regular cream cheese and it works all the same way, but the sweet creaminess of the mascarpone compliments the sourness of the lemon juice very nicely.

It was my partner's birthday this week and I decided to make him this cake. He's had it before and I remember him liking it a lot so I thought it was a good choice.
Sadly I was looking forward to a lengthier week of cake and a cup of tea after, but the cake was a little too popular to last even a couple of days.
This has easily become one of my favorite cakes in the word, It's the perfect balance of lemon and sweetness and is the perfect cake for a summer afternoon high tea.


For the cake:

• 2 1/4 cups fine cake flour
• 1 1/4 tablespoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/4 buttermilk
• 4 large egg whites
• 1 1/3 cups white sugar
• zest of 1 lemon
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter (room temperature)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Pre-heat oven to 350F.

Begin by sifting the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl.

In another bowl, beat the buttermilk and egg whites with an electric whisk until it forms soft peaks.

In another bowl, rub together the sugar and lemon zest and whisk in the butter and vanilla extract until light and fluffy.

Gradually add half of the flour while whisking with an electric mixer.Then slowly add the egg whites and mix again.

Add the rest of the flour, continuing to mix well until you're left with a smooth batter.

Divide the cake batter into two 9 inch round cake pans lined with parchment paper.

(I used spring form pans which makes it easier to remove the cakes)

Bake at the top of the oven for 30-35 minutes.

When the cakes are done, let them cool in their cake pans a little before transferring to a cooling rack.

For the Lemon Cream:

• 1 tub of soft mascarpone cheese (8 oz)
• 2 cups confectioners sugar
• 5 teaspoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup heavy cream

When the cakes have cooled fully you can begin to make the lemon cream.

Whip the cream with an electric whisk until it forms high stiff peaks. Add the mascarpone and lemon juice to the cream and whisk. Then slowly add in the confectioners sugar, whisking well until smooth.

Begin to assemble the cake by placing one of the cakes on a serving plate. Spread the lemon cream to cover the top of the cake.

Then carefully place the other cake on top of the lemon cream covered cake and cover them all over with the rest of the lemon cream.

Decorate the cake as you like! I used sliced lemons and blueberries and lightly dusted confectioners sugar over the cake.

Chill the cake in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours before serving to enable the lemon cream to set.