Victoria Sponge Filled with Jam and Buttercream

Serves 8 - 10

for the Cake
250g unrefined caster sugar
250g dairy-free margarine
5 medium eggs
125g gluten-free plain flour
125g gluten-free oat flour
1 heaped teaspoon gluten-free baking powder
A few drops vanilla extract
Jam of choice

for the Buttercream
100g dairy-free margarine
400g icing sugar
Few drops vanilla extract

 

Grease and line two 20cm / 8 inch cake tins.

Preheat oven to 190°c /170°c fan oven / 375°f / gas mark 5.

Weigh the gluten-free plain flour, gluten-free oat flour and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Stir together then sift at least twice to fully distribute the baking powder. Alternatively blend together in a food processor.

Cream together the caster sugar and dairy-free margarine until light and fluffy. It is best to do this using a food mixer with a beater attachment or use a hand held electric mixer.

Crack the eggs into a bowl and beat lightly with a fork.
Beat the egg into the creamed mixture a bit at a time making sure to beat in each addition properly before adding the next. When using dairy-free margarine, the mixture will probably split but the cake will be fine.
Add the vanilla.

Fold in the flours with a large spoon.

Divide the mixture between the two tins, spread out the mixture to level and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until firm to touch and a knife inserted comes out clean.

Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes before turning out onto a plate then turn onto the cooling wire so the cake cools the right way up or it could break in half.

Dairy-free buttercream

Mix the icing sugar into the dairy-free margarine, a little at a time. Do not overbeat the mixture or it may split. Stir in a few drops of cooled boiled water until it reaches the required consistency. Add the vanilla to taste.
This is a lot of icing sugar. If you use less icing sugar to margarine, the mixture may split. Add a little extra flavouring to this buttercream. *see note.

Once the sponges have cooled, place one half onto your plate. Spread with a thick layer of jam. Spoon the buttercream on top and spread gently over the jam. Place the second sponge on top.

Dust the top of the cake with icing sugar through a small sieve.

For a chocolate flavoured Victoria sponge – substitute 35g of the gluten-free plain flour with cocoa powder when weighing the ingredients and sift together with the flours.

In all recipes requiring self-raising gluten-free flour, I advise stirring the flours together with the gluten-free baking powder then sift at least twice to fully distribute the baking powder. Alternatively blend together in a food processor.

Gluten free cakes are crumblier than other cakes but taste just as good. To cut neat slices, dip a serrated knife in hot water and wipe clean between slices.

You can make your own gluten-free oat flour by blending gluten-free oats in a food processor until fine. This may not turn out as fine as shop bought but is not as expensive.

For dairy-free buttercream: Most dairy-free margarine is quite soft. You will need to add four times as much icing sugar to the dairy-free margarine or it will split. I like to use Naturli block margarine as it is a firmer margarine. You only need twice as much icing sugar to this block margarine. It is a lot tastier and doesn’t contain palm oil.

www.icedgembakes.co.uk