Victoria Sponge Cake

I first came across Victoria sponge cake, or Victoria sandwich as some people refer to it, when I was living in the UK. It's an iconic teacake typically served in the afternoon, named after Queen Victoria herself.

To elevate this beloved teacake, I created a luxurious twist featuring moist, fluffy vanilla cake layers generously filled with rich, velvety whipped cream frosting and bursting with sweet strawberry jam.

This cake recipe was one of my first on the blog in 2020. In 2025, I've updated the post with new photos and helpful baking tips based on your questions, as well as more filling and substitution options.

Best Moist Victoria Sponge Cake Recipe

This dessert was Queen Victoria´s favorite cake for a reason! She enjoyed a slice with her afternoon tea every day, which I think is a habit we could all get used to!

What is it? Victoria sponge cake is a buttery, light, and fluffy vanilla sponge cake sandwiched together with strawberry jam and whipped cream. It has a moist, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth texture with a refreshing strawberry and cream filling, which makes the cake super creamy yet balanced in sweetness.

This version, with even more filling than the usual, ensures that every bite is full of delicious strawberry flavor, perfectly balanced by smooth cream. If you've ever thought the classic cake needed something more, this recipe will show you just how delightful a Victoria Sponge can really be!

Make The Victoria Sponge

Prepare your baking pans by greasing them thoroughly or lining them with parchment paper. I recommend using springform pans for easy release.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C), no fan.

In one large mixing bowl, prepare your wet ingredient mixture. Cream the softened butter and sugar together with an electric hand whisk (or a stand mixer) until the mixture is light and fluffy, and it is not grainy when rubbed between your fingertips.

Add the eggs, one at a time, until they are incorporated, while mixing, and then add the vanilla extract.

In a separate bowl, prepare your dry ingredients. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt together and then fold this dry mix into the wet mixture. Don't mix for too long, just until it is fully incorporated.

Split the mixture between the two prepared cake tins. You can weigh them to ensure they are even, if you prefer. Smooth off the surface with a spatula or butter knife.

Bake the vanilla sponge cakes for 22-25 minutes (on the same oven shelf, if possible). They are done when bouncy to the touch, and a toothpick inserted comes out clean with no sticky batter attached to it. Sponge cakes also tend to "contract" in the pan when baked, see picture below.

Try My Easy Whipped Cream (Chantilly Cream) Frosting

Crème Chantilly is one of the easiest cake fillings around, and it tastes absolutely delicious without being too sweet. You will notice that I do not use excessive powdered sugar, but be sure to sift it first to avoid lumps and achieve a silky smooth finish.

Place your sifted sugar and cold, full-fat heavy cream into the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment. Don't start the mixer until everything is in the bowl; otherwise, you'll end up with a powdered sugar cloud in your kitchen. Alternatively, use an electric hand whisk, which is my preferred method as chantilly cream is quite easy to overwhip, and you can keep a better eye on it this way.

Whip the ingredients together for 1 minute, then add the vanilla extract. Continue whipping for 2–3 minutes until the cream is fluffy and pipeable. It can't be too slack, so wait until it has early hard peaks. However, do not overwhip the chantilly, or it can split.

Place the whipped cream filling into a piping bag fitted with a big round nozzle tip. You can spread the cream with a knife or spatula, but using a piping bag makes it look more pro!

Now, Assemble The Cake

Once they have cooled to room temperature, place one of the sponge cakes onto a serving plate. Spread a layer of strawberry jam over the surface with a knife.

Pipe around 80% of the crème chantilly on top of the jam layer, and then place the second sponge on top.

Decorate the top layer of your Victoria sponge cake with the remaining piped cream filling, fresh strawberries, and a dusting of powdered sugar.

Store and Freeze Like a Pro

This cake is best served fresh. Once frosted, store leftover Victoria sponge cake covered and in the fridge for 2-3 days. Let it come up to room temperature before serving leftovers for the best texture, as butter-based sponges will harden slightly when cooled.

Making Victoria sponge cake in advance and freezing the sponge is an easy way to be prepared at any moment! I make the sponge cakes and freeze them, and then you can defrost as needed and whip up the frosting and filling. Wrap the sponge in plastic food wrap and then aluminum foil to protect it. Defrost overnight on the counter.

Want to Customize It? Here Are Some Flavor Variations

One of the things I love most about this British tea-time classic is how you can adapt it. The traditional filling for Victoria sponge is strawberry jam and cream, but if you prefer raspberry jam, use that instead! It also tastes delicious with blackcurrant jam. I have a strawberry compote recipe that is made from fresh strawberries and absolutely delicious, which I sometimes use, although it isn't as thick or as sweet as jam.

There are plenty of other fillings you can use instead of my crème chantilly. Perhaps a strawberry buttercream frosting, or if you're in the mood for decadence, try a white chocolate frosting with fresh strawberries.

You can also replace the jam with curd, such as lemon curd, which offers a deliciously zesty twist on this classic cake.

Helpful Resources to Work Around Dietary Restrictions

Baking is a science, and adapting cake recipes by substituting ingredients requires careful consideration.

If you'd like to try a different flour or make the sponge gluten-free, refer to my flour guide for suggestions. You can also read about how to use egg substitutions (or try one of my other egg-free desserts).

You can certainly replace butter with oil in this cake recipe. In fact, when I first developed it in 2020, I used oil for a non-traditional twist (oil-based sponges stay softer and don't harden in the fridge). Read more about the substitution rules in my butter substitute article.

You can also substitute the heavy cream with vegan whipping cream; however, the taste profile may differ.

Expert Tips For Making Victoria Sponge Cake

1. Always use room temperature ingredients when baking this cake to allow them to properly emulsify. So take your eggs and butter out of the fridge before you begin.
2. Ensure that you use cream with a high enough fat content; I suggest 36% minimum. It is known as heavy cream in the US and as double cream in the UK. IT also needs to be very cold to whip up properly, so keep it in the fridge until you need it.
3. To get a really light sponge, cream the butter and sugar until it is very pale and fluffy. This will take 3-4 minutes.
4. Don't skip the salt in your dry mixture! It balances sweetness and brings out all the flavors.
5. Cakes are fully baked when the edges pull away from the sides of the pan slightly and are bouncy to the touch.
6. If your cakes dome in the oven, your oven is too hot. Check the temperature using a digital oven thermometer and avoid using the fan setting.
7. Do not assemble and frost Victoria sponge cake before it has cooled to room temperature, or the frosting will melt.
8. To get a perfectly flat top for frosting, flip the cakes upside down.

Useful Equipment

Weigh your sponge cake ingredients by the gram using a digital scale and avoid using the cup system, which is too imprecise. Baking is a science!

Combine everything using an electric hand whisk or stand mixer, and then a rubber spatula. But as always, be careful not to overmix.

I use two 8-inch / 20 cm Spring form pans to bake the sponge cakes; make sure they have straight sides.

Oven temperature is crucial when baking, and ovens can vary significantly. Check that you are baking at the right temperature by using a digital oven thermometer.

Frost cakes and cupcakes like a pro using piping bags!

Try Some Of My Other Cake Recipes

If you love a classic Victoria sponge cake, try some of these other cakes next:

• Almond strawberry cake
• Lemon sheet cake
• Blueberry ricotta cake
• Peanut butter cake

And for all the inspiration on cake frosting you will ever need, check out my list of cake fillings.

Have you tried this recipe?

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