The Victoria Sponge is a classic, but Ed’s going to mix it up with a strawberry shortcake to make one impressive looking cake. Layers of sponge, fresh strawberries and luscious whipped cream give it a touch of decadence, but it’s the unusually flavoured icing sugar and garnish that really set it apart.
Ingredients
Method
Preheat oven to 180°C fan- forced (200°C conventional). Line two 20cm cake tins. Sift flour, malted, baking powder and bicarb 3 times. Beat eggs, caster sugar, vanilla and zest in electric mixer with whisk attachment on high for 12 minutes until pale and tripled in size.
Sift flour mixture over egg foam, mix gently with a small whisk, when nearly combined, drizzle butter over, mix until smooth. Pour into cake tins, flatten, bake for 17-20 minutes until just firm to touch in centre. Remove cakes from tins, cool on a wire rack.
Warm golden syrup in a small, microwave-safe jug on MEDIUM (50%) in 15 second bursts. Pour over top of one sponge and base of other. Whip 1/2 cup of the icing sugar, cream and sour cream into peaks. Mix jam and strawberries.
Spread jam mixture on cake topped with golden syrup. Spread half of the cream over. Place other cake on top, dollop with remaining cream. Sift remaining icing sugar and beetroot powder over. Serve with strawberries.
