Chocolate Victoria sponge
A chocolate Victoria sponge is the tastiest, easiest chocolate cake recipe. With a light and airy sponge and chocolate buttercream filling it’s simple but delicious enough for a party or special occasion.
This chocolate Victoria sponge recipe is classic simple chocolate cake. It’s light and fluffy, with a delicious chocolate buttercream filling. Although it’s easy to make, it’s still special enough to use for a birthday party, special occasion or even an afternoon tea.
This recipe uses the all in one method which mixes everything together in one bowl, which makes it perfect for kids who want to help in the kitchen.
How can kids help to make a chocolate Victoria sponge?
This is such a simple chocolate cake it’s the perfect recipe for kids to try. As well as helping to measure all the ingredients out, kids can help to mix everything together. There are few eggs in the recipe so there’s a chance for them to practice cracking eggs – an important thing to learn for any young baker.
The best thing about a classic chocolate Victoria sponge is that it doesn’t require any decoration. This makes it super easy to assemble and finish. Simply whip up some chocolate buttercream, pop it in the middle and your done. Nothing could be easier.
What is the ‘all in one method’?
The all in one method this recipe uses is the easiest way of making a cake which makes it perfect if you’re baking with kids. It just means that all the ingredients are added to a bowl at the same time before being mixed together into a smooth batter. There’s no need to cream the butter and sugar together first as with some recipes.
If you don’t use the all in one method, you generally cream the butter and sugar together first before adding the rest of the ingredients. I find this can give the sponge a slightly better rise, but does take a bit longer. When I’m cooking with my kids, I generally find that recipes that are quicker and simpler are the best ones to use, which is why this one wins the day.
Why isn’t my sponge light and fluffy?
If your sponge isn’t light and fluffy and hasn’t risen properly it may be because you’ve over mixed it. When you’re making the cake, mix the ingredients together just until the batter becomes smooth, don’t over do it. Also check that you’ve used the correct, in date raising agents. If you use old self raising flour or baking powder your cake might not rise properly.
What can I use if I don’t have self raising flour?
If you don’t have self raising flour, which is common in the UK but not always elsewhere in the world, swap it for an equal amount of plain or all purpose flour and add 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
What is baking spread?
Baking spread, Stork being a well known version, is just a margarine that’s perfect for baking. It can make sponges lighter and fluffier than if you use butter, so it’s a great, cheaper alternative. I still like the taste of butter in buttercream icing so I wouldn’t swap the butter for baking spread in that.
Why is it called a Victoria sponge?
A Victoria sponge or Victoria sandwich was named after Queen Victoria. It is said that Queen Victoria enjoyed the cake with her afternoon tea, filled with jam and dusted with a little caster sugar. The cake itself is derived from the classic pound cake, but, with the invention of baking powder in 1843, was able to rise higher than had previously been possible.
Do you have to add chocolate buttercream?
I like adding a chocolate buttercream in between the sponges, but you could fill it with whipped cream for an alternative filling.
Other chocolate cake recipes
If you liked this chocolate Victoria sponge recipe you’ll love some of our other easy cakes and cupcakes:
Chocolate fudge cake
Boston cream pie
Nutella cupcakes
Easy chocolate cupcakes
Chocolate loaf cake
Easy chocolate cake with a chocolate ganache
Chocolate traybake
Chocolate fudge cupcakes
Chocolate butterfly cakes
Chocolate caramel cupcakes
Useful equipment
You might need the following baking tools/gadgets to make these chocolate Victoria sponge
Digital scales
Freestanding mixer
Mixing bowl
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Cake tins
Serving plate
Wire rack
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Difficulty: Easy
Time: 20 minutes + 25 minutes baking + 5 minutes decorating
Serves: 12
Ingredients
For the sponges
225g (1 + 2 tbsp) caster sugar
200g (1 ¼ cups) self-raising flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
4 eggs
225g (1 cup) baking spread or butter
50g (½ cup) cocoa powder
A few tablespoons of hot water
For the buttercream
100g (1/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened
225g (1 1/2 cups) icing sugar / confectioners sugar, sifted
3 tablespoons cocoa powder
4 tablespoons milk
*If you don’t have any self raising flour, swap it for an equal amount of plain or all purpose flour and add 2 teaspoons of baking powder.
How to make a chocolate Victoria sponge
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan and prepare your tins
Get your child to rub a little butter/baking spread over the base and sides of 2 x 20cm/8in loose bottomed or spring form cake tins. Line the bottom with a circle of baking or parchment paper.
Mix all the cake ingredients together
Get your kids to measure all the ingredients out and add them to a free-standing mixer or a large mixing bowl. The best thing about the all in one method is that it doesn’t matter what order you add everything, but if you do it in the order they’re listed, you’re less likely to miss anything out.
Start by getting your kids measure out the flour, sugar and baking powder. When you’re adding the baking powder, make sure your kids level the teaspoon with their finger, so they add just the right amount.
Next, add the baking spread/margarine or butter if you’re using it. Your butter, if you’re using it, needs to be soft. If it isn’t soft enough, pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it, but not long enough to melt it.
Crack the eggs into a small bowl, then add them to your mixing bowl/free-standing mixer. We always crack them into a small bowl first just in case any shell goes in, then if it does we use a larger piece of shell to fish it out. Small pieces of shell can be slippy and hard to get out with your finger, but should stick better to other, larger pieces of shell.
Finally, measure out the cocoa powder and add a few tablespoons of hot water and mix it together to form a paste.
Add it to your mixing bowl.
Now, using a hand held mixer or the k-paddle of your free-standing mixer (or even wooden spoons), combine everything together until it is nice and smooth and there are no big lumps of flour showing. You might need to get your kids to scrape down the sides of your mixing bowl with a spatula to make sure everything is mixed in.
Stop once everything has mixed in, it shouldn’t take long, but ensure you don’t over mix it or it won’t end up light and fluffy.
Bake your chocolate Victoria sponges
Get your kids to divide the chocolate cake batter equally between each prepared cake tin. You can judge it by eye and try to add the same number of spoons, but if you want to be really accurate, you can weigh your cake tins as you add the batter.
Use the back of a spoon or a spatula to gently spread the batter to the edges of each cake tin and smooth down the surface of the cakes.
Bake each cake on the middle shelf of your oven for 20-25 minutes. They’re done when they have risen, the edges are coming away from the tins and if you press gently down in the middle it should spring back.
You can double check the middle is cooked by inserting a skewer or cocktail stick into the centre. If it comes out clean your cake it ready. If a little cake batter is on your skewer/stick, pop it back in the oven for a few minutes.
Remove your sponges from the oven and leave them to cool for a few minutes in the tin before taking the cakes out the tins to cool further on a wire rack.
Make the buttercream
Get your child to measure out the butter and put it in your free-standing mixer or a large mixing bowl. If the butter isn’t soft pop it in your microwave for a few seconds to soften it but not long enough to melt it.
Weigh the icing sugar and cocoa powder then add some to your mixing bowl. Using the k-paddle of your free-standing mixer or a hand held mixer, slowly beat them together. Add the rest of the icing sugar/cocoa along with a few tablespoons of milk. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. The longer you whip it for, the lighter and fluffier it will end up.
Assemble your chocolate Victoria sponge
Put one of your cakes onto a serving plate top side down, (save the better looking one to go on top). Get your kids to help you spread the chocolate buttercream on top of the sponge using a palette knife or spatula.
Place the other sponge on top, and sprinkle your Victoria sandwich with icing sugar to serve.
Serve and enjoy.
Chocolate Victoria sponge
Equipment
- Digital scales
- Freestanding mixer
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Cake tins
- Serving plate
- Wire rack
Ingredients
For the sponges
- 225 g (1 + 2 tbsp) caster sugar
- 200 g (1 ¼ cups) self-raising flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 4 eggs
- 225 g (1 cup) baking spread or butter
- 50 g (½ cup) cocoa powder
- A few tablespoons of hot water
For the buttercream
- 100 g (¼ cup) unsalted butter, softened
- 225 g (1 ½ cups) icing sugar / confectioners sugar, sifted
- 3 tablespoons cocoa powder
- 4 tablespoons milk
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180C/160C Fan and prepare your tins
- Grease the base and sides of 2 x 20cm/8in loose bottomed or spring form cake tins. Line the bottom with a circle of baking or parchment paper.
Mix all the cake ingredients together
- Measure all the ingredients out and add them to a free-standing mixer or a large mixing bowl. Start by measuring out the flour, sugar and baking powder. When you're adding the baking powder, make sure you level the teaspoon with your finger, so you add just the right amount.Next, add the baking spread/margarine or butter if you're using it.Crack the eggs into a small bowl, then add them to your mixing bowl/free-standing mixer.Finally, measure out the cocoa powder and add a few tablespoons of hot water and mix it together to form a paste. Add it to your mixing bowl.
- Using a hand held mixer or the k-paddle of your free-standing mixer (or even wooden spoons), combine everything together until it is nice and smooth and there are no big lumps of flour showing. Stop once everything has mixed in, it shouldn't take long, but ensure you don’t over mix it or it won't end up light and fluffy.
Bake your chocolate Victoria sponges
- Divide the chocolate cake batter equally between each prepared cake tin. Use the back of a spoon or a spatula to gently spread the batter to the edges of each cake tin and smooth down the surface of the cakes.
- Bake each cake on the middle shelf of your oven for 20-25 minutes. They’re done when they have risen, the edges are coming away from the tins and if you press gently down in the middle it should spring back.You can double check the middle is cooked by inserting a skewer or cocktail stick into the centre. If it comes out clean your cake it ready. If a little cake batter is on your skewer/stick, pop it back in the oven for a few minutes.
- Remove your sponges from the oven and leave them to cool for a few minutes in the tin before taking the cakes out the tins to cool further on a wire rack.
Make the buttercream
- Measure out the butter and put it in your free-standing mixer or a large mixing bowl. If the butter isn't soft pop it in your microwave for a few seconds to soften it but not long enough to melt it.Weigh the icing sugar and cocoa powder then add some to your mixing bowl. Using the k-paddle of your free-standing mixer or a hand held mixer, slowly beat them together. Add the rest of the icing sugar/cocoa along with a few tablespoons of milk. Beat until the mixture is smooth and creamy. The longer you whip it for, the lighter and fluffier it will end up.
Assemble your chocolate Victoria sponge
- Put one of your cakes onto a serving plate top side down, (save the better looking one to go on top).Spread the chocolate buttercream on top of the sponge using a palette knife or spatula.
- Place the other sponge on top, and sprinkle your Victoria sandwich with icing sugar to serve.
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