Victoria sponge traybake
A Victoria sponge traybake is a delicious version of the classic cake. It’s easy to make and feeds a crowd, so this traditional bake will go down a treat at any street party or celebration.
A Victoria sponge traybake is the perfect version of the classic bake if you need to feed a crowd. Larger than the round version, and easy to portion up, it’s ideal if you’re having a street party or cake sale.
A Victoria sponge is one of the most traditional bakes you can get. But I love it for it’s simplicity. It’s an easy bake which makes it great for children or beginner bakers. And turning it into a traybake, not only makes it perfect for sharing, it means you don’t need lots of round cake tins to bake it in.
What is a Victoria sponge?
A Victoria sponge or Victoria sandwich was named after Queen Victoria. History books suggest 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.
Our Victoria sponge traybake takes this very Royal classic bake and bakes it in a square baking tin rather than round cake tin, but otherwise remains true to our own regular Victoria sponge.
How can kids help make the Victoria sponge traybake?
This Victoria sponge traybake is a wonderful, easy bake for kids. It’s uses the ‘all in one method’ where everything just gets mixed together in one bowl which I love for it’s simplicity when I’m baking with my kids.
That doesn’t mean there aren’t lots of steps to get involved in, including measuring everything out and mixing it all together. The recipe includes quite a few eggs so they can really practice their egg cracking shells, an essential skill for any young baker.
A classic Victoria sponge doesn’t need decoration, so your kids can help to assemble everything, and add the jam and buttercream if you’re using it. But beyond that there’s not complex decorating or piping to contend with.
What is the ‘all in one method’?
The all in one method is the easiest way of making a cake which makes it perfect if you’re baking with kids. It simply means 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 i’m not baking with my kids I sometimes choose to cream the butter and sugar together first before adding the remaining ingredients as I tend to find my sponge gets a slightly better rise. But sometimes, particularly when you’re baking with children, simplicity wins the day, which is when the all in one method comes into its own. And if it’s good enough for Mary Berry, it’s good enough for me!
How do you store a Victoria sponge traybake?
This Victoria sponge traybake will keep in an air tight container for a few days.
If you want to keep it for longer, you can freeze it for up to three months. It’s best to do this before you decorate it. To freeze it, wrap it well in cling film and pop it in a freezer bag. Make sure you defrost it fully before you add the jam and buttercream.
Do you have to add buttercream?
I like having buttercream in my Victoria sponge, but you can also choose to leave it out and just have jam in the middle. If you want something more than jam but not buttercream try adding some whipped cream mixed with a tablespoon or two of icing /confectioners sugar.
What can I use if I don’t have any self raising flour?
If you don’t have any self raising flour you can swap it for an equal amount of plain or all purpose flour and add 2 extra tea spoons of baking powder.
What is baking spread?
Baking spread, (something like Stork for example), is just a non dairy margarine that’s perfect for baking. It makes cupcakes and cakes lighter and fluffier than butter, which means it’s a great, cheaper alternative.
I still prefer the taste of butter in buttercream icing so I wouldn’t swap the butter for baking spread in that but it’s great for the sponge itself.
More classic cakes
If you liked this Victoria sponge traybake you might also want to try one of these delicious classic bakes:
Lemon drizzle cake
Madeira cake
Victoria sponge
Chocolate Victoria sponge
Victoria sponge cupcakes
Ginger loaf cake
Lemon cupcakes
Banana traybake
Strawberry cupcakes
Lemon sponge cake
Apple traybake
Orange sponge cake
Raspberry sponge cake
School cake
Tottenham cake
Useful equipment
You might need the following baking tools/gadgets to make this Victoria sponge traybake
Digital scales
Freestanding mixer
Mixing bowl
Measuring cups
Measuring spoons
Baking tin
Wire rack
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Ingredients
For the sponge
300g (2 cups) self raising flour*
300g (1 ½ cups) caster sugar
300g (1 1/3 cups) butter or baking spread
1 ½ tea spoons baking powder
6 eggs
For the filling
200g strawberry jam
For the buttercream icing
150g (2/3 cup) butter, softened
300g (2 cups) icing / confectioners sugar
25ml milk
A few drops of vanilla extract
* If you don’t have any self raising flour, swap it for an equal amount of plain or all-purpose flour and add an extra teaspoon of baking powder.
How to make a Victoria sponge traybake
Preheat your oven to 180C / 150C Fan / 350F and get your kids to grease and line a 23 x 30 cm (9 x 12 inch) deep baking tin with baking or parchment paper.
We often find the easiest way to line a tin is to add a strip of baking paper the width of our tin in one direction before adding another strip going the other way. If you leave some overhanging the edge it makes it easier to remove the traybake once it’s finished baking.
Measure all the Victoria sponge traybake ingredients out
Measure all the traybake sponge ingredients out and add them to a free-standing mixer or a large mixing bowl.
You can choose any order to add the ingredients as it all just gets mixed together in one bowl. We tend to follow the order they are listed in the ingredients however so that we don’t miss anything out.
Add the flour and sugar
Start by getting your kids to add flour and sugar to your mixing bowl.
Add the butter/margarine
Then add the butter, or baking spread if you’re using that rather than butter.
If you’re using butter it needs to be soft enough to mix in to the batter. If you haven’t taken yours out the fridge far enough in advance, you can cut it into a few pieces and pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to soften it. Don’t do it long enough for it to melt. If you’re using baking margarine/spread, you can just add it straight in to your mixing bowl.
Add the baking powder
Get your kids to measure out the baking powder and add that to your mixing bowl. Make sure your kids level the teaspoon with their finger before it goes in so that they add just the right amount.
Add the eggs
Finally, get your kids to crack the eggs into a small bowl and then add them to your mixing bowl. We generally don’t crack eggs straight into the mixing bowl just in case any shell goes in (which it tends to). If it does, we fish it out with a larger piece of shell or a teaspoon as it sticks to that much better than it does our finger and it saves getting messy hands. We also it a good idea to have a spare bowl or food bin nearby to put the egg shells in as it saves a lot of mess.
Mix the Victoria sponge traybake batter
Using the k-paddle of your free-standing mixer, a hand held mixer or even wooden spoons, beat everything together until the batter is nice and smooth. Mix it together for a minute or so until there are no visible lumps of flour or butter showing but be sure not to over mix it.
Get your kids to scrape down the sides of the bowl with a spatula to make sure no unmixed ingredients are left at the bottom of your bowl.
Bake the Victoria sponge traybake
Get your kids to either pour or spoon the batter into your prepared baking tray. Spread the batter well into the corners and edges, then level the top with a spatula or palette knife.
Bake the traybake for 50 – 55 minutes. It’s ready when the cake has risen and turned a nice golden brown colour. You can check it’s properly baked by pressing down gently on the top. If it’s ready it should spring back up. Alternatively, you can insert a skewer, cocktail stick or sharp knife into the middle of the traybake. If it’s baked it should come out clean but if not, pop the traybake back in the oven for a few more minutes.
If you find the sponge is browning too quickly before the middle is baked, cover it loosely in tin foil.
Remove the traybake from the oven and leave it to cool in the baking tin for a few minutes before removing it and putting it on a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the icing
Get your kids to measure the, icing/confectioners sugar, butter and milk out and add them to your free-standing mixer or a large mixing bowl. Again, if your butter isn’t soft chop it up and pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to make it easier to mix.
Cover your bowl or mixer with the lid, or a clean tea towel to save a bit of mess (icing sugar has a tendency to go everywhere!) Using the k-paddle of your mixer or hand held mixers start mixing the icing.
Start on a slow setting and once the icing sugar has mixed in, you can turn the speed up and keep beating it for at least 5 minutes. Don’t skimp on the time you mix it in. The longer you beat it the softer and nicer it will become.
Decorate the traybake
Once the traybake has cooled, cut the sponge in half through the middle horizontally. We find a bread knife works best for this job. Try and keep cutting as level as you can. And if you’re worried about removing the top without it coming apart try sliding a thin baking tray underneath and using that to help support it as you lift it off.
Place the base of the sponge onto your serving plate. Using a spoon or knife, get your kids to spread jam over the base of the Victoria sponge traybake.
Spread the buttercream on top of the jam and spread it to the edges.
Place the top of the traybake on top of the base, dust it with icing sugar.
Serve and enjoy.
Victoria sponge traybake
Equipment
- Digital scales
- Freestanding mixer
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring cups
- measuring spoons
- Baking tin
- Wire rack
Ingredients
- 300 g (2 cups) self raising flour*
- 300 g (1 ½ cups) caster sugar
- 300 g (1 ⅓ cups) butter or baking spread
- 1 ½ tea spoons baking powder
- 6 eggs
- For the filling
- 12 teaspoons strawberry jam
- For the buttercream icing
- 150 g (⅔ cup) butter, softened
- 300 g (2 cups) icing / confectioners sugar
- 25 ml milk
- A few drops of vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180C / 150C Fan / 350F and grease and line a 23 x 30 cm (9 x 12 inch) deep baking tin with baking or parchment paper.
Measure all the Victoria sponge traybake ingredients out
- Measure all the sponge ingredients out and add them to a free-standing mixer or a large mixing bowl.You can choose any order to add the ingredients as it all just gets mixed together in one bowl. We tend to follow the order they are listed in the ingredients however so that we don't miss anything out.
Mix the Victoria sponge traybake batter together
- Using the k-paddle of your free-standing mixer, a hand held mixer or even wooden spoons, beat everything together until the batter is nice and smooth. Mix it together for a minute or so until there are no visible lumps of flour or butter showing but be sure not to over mix it.
Bake the Victoria sponge traybake
- Pour or spoon the batter into your prepared baking tray. Spread the batter well into the corners and edges, then level the top with a spatula or palette knife.
- Bake the traybake for 50 - 55 minutes. It's ready when the cake has risen and turned a nice golden brown colour. You can check it's properly baked by pressing down gently on the top. If it's ready it should spring back up. Alternatively, you can insert a skewer, cocktail stick or sharp knife into the middle of the traybake. If it's baked it should come out clean. If it's not, pop the traybake back in the oven for a few more minutes.If you find the sponge is browning too quickly before the middle is baked, cover it loosely in tin foil.
- Remove the traybake from the oven and leave it to cool in the baking tin for a few minutes before removing it and putting it on a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the buttercream icing
- Measure the, icing/confectioners sugar, butter and milk out and add them to your free-standing mixer or a large mixing bowl. Again, if your butter isn’t soft chop it up and pop it in the microwave for a few seconds to make it easier to mix.
- Cover your bowl or mixer with the lid, or a clean tea towel to save a bit of mess then using the k-paddle of your mixer or hand held mixers start mixing the icing.Start on a slow setting and once the icing sugar has mixed in, you can turn the speed up and keep beating it for at least 5 minutes. Don't skimp on the time you mix it in. The longer you beat it the softer and nicer it will become.
Decorate the traybake
- Once the traybake has cooled, cut the sponge in half through the middle horizontally. If you're worried about removing the top without it coming apart try sliding a thin baking tray underneath and using that to help support it as you lift it off.
- Place the base of the sponge onto your serving plate. Using a spoon or knife, get your kids to spread jam over the base of the Victoria sponge traybake.Spread the buttercream on top of the jam and spread it to the edges.Place the top of the traybake on top of the base, dust it with icing sugar, serve and enjoy.
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