Make Victoria Sponge even more special with homemade raspberry jam. This jam recipe is super simple and ready in no time.
Preheat the oven to 190C/170C Fan/Gas 5. Lightly grease and flour two 20cm/8in loose-bottomed sponge tins, at least 4cm/1½in deep. Line the bases with baking parchment.
Beat together the butter, caster sugar and a pinch of salt until pale and creamy. Gently whisk the eggs in a small bowl and then add them, a little at a time, to the creamed butter mixture. Add the vanilla and fold in the flour. Divide the mixture between the two prepared tins.
Bake for 25-30 minutes until well-risen and golden-brown on top. Remove from the oven and turn the cakes out onto a wire cooling rack. Peel off the baking parchment and leave to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the jam. Tip 500g/1lb 2oz of the raspberries, the sugar and lemon juice into a large heavy-bottomed pan and stir over a moderate heat for 2-3 minutes, or until the sugar has dissolved. Turn up the heat and boil for 5 minutes – this is an ‘instant jam’ so you don’t have to check for setting point. Remove from the heat, pour into a tray and set aside to cool.
Whip the double cream and put in a piping bag. Place one of the sponges on a plate or cake stand and spread with the jam. Pipe the cream on top of the jam and put the remaining raspberries on top. Place the second sponge on top and dust with icing sugar.
