Victoria Sponge Cake History
Victoria Sponge Cake is a two-layer sponge-likeairy cake thatisfilledwith a layer of jam and whippedcream. It iscutintosmall “sandwiches” and served in a similarmanner. Also know as Victoria Sandwich and Victorian Cake. Victoria Sponge Cake isconsidered the quintessential English teatimetreat.
Anna, the Duchess of Bedford (1788-1861), one of QueenVictoria’s (1819-1901) ladies-in-waiting, iscredited as the creator of teatime. Because the noonmealhadbecomeskimpier, the Duchesssufferedfrom “a sinking feeling” at about four o’clock in the afternoon. At first the Duchesshadher servants sneakher a pot of tea and a few breadstuffsintoher dressing room.
Photo fromFarmhouseCookery
Adopting the Europeantea service format, sheinvitedfriends to joinher for an additionalafternoonmealat five o’clock in herroomsatBelvoir Castle. The menu centeredaroundsmall cakes, bread and butter sandwiches, assortedsweets, and, of course, tea. This summer practice provedsopopular, the Duchesscontinueditwhenshereturned to London, sendingcards to herfriendsaskingthem to joinher for “tea and a walking the fields. The practice of invitingfriends to come for tea in the afternoonwasquicklypicked up by other social hostesses.
Queen Victoria adopted the new craze for tea parties. By 1855, the Queen and her ladies were in formaldress for the afternoonteas. This simple cake was one of the queen’s favorites. Afterherhusband, Prince Albert, died in 1861, the Queen Victoria spend time in retreatat the Queen’sresidence (Osborn House) at the Isle of Wight. According to historians, itwasherethat the Victoria Sponge Cake werenamedafterQueen Victoria.
In Isabella Beeton’s 1874 cookbookcalledMrs. Beeton’sCookery and Household Managementa recipeisincluded for Victoria Sandwiches:
Victoria Sandwiches.
Ingredients.–4 eggs; theirweight in poundedsugar, butter and flour; 1/4 saltspoonful of salt, a layer of anykind of jam or marmalade.
Mode.–Beat the butter to a cream; dredge in the flour and poundedsugar; stirtheseingredientswelltogether, and add the eggs, whichshouldbepreviouslythoroughlywhisked. When the mixture has been wellbeaten for about 10 minutes, butter a Yorkshire-pudding tin, pour in the batter, and bakeit in a moderateoven for 20 minutes. Let it cool, spread one half of the cake with a layer of nicepreserve, place over it the otherhalf of the cake, press the piecesslightlytogether, and thencutitinto long finger-pieces; pile them in cross bars on a glass dish, and serve.
Time.–20 minutes. Averagecost, 1s 3d
Sufficient for 5 or 6 persons. Seasonableatany time.