Mary Berry's and James Martin's Victoria sponge cake recipes are simple — but one is tastier. I tested both celebrity chefs' recipes side-by-side to find the best one. Here's which recipe came out on top in my taste test.
Mary Berry's Victoria Sponge Cake
Mary Berry's Victoria sponge cake recipe couldn't be more straightforward. You simply combine all the required ingredients in a bowl and mix — either manually or with an electric mixer — before dividing the mixture between two small tins and baking them in the oven.
She advises baking the cakes in the oven at 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4 for 20 to 25 minutes; though I've discovered the cakes require slightly longer at this reduced temperature. I find the sponges emerge perfectly after 30 minutes.
Once baked, cooled and put together, Mary Berry's Victoria sponge cake yielded light, fluffy and airy results. I also appreciated how evenly both sponge layers had risen, which significantly enhanced the texture.
James Martin's Victoria Sponge Cake
While straightforward, James Martin's Victoria sponge cake recipe requires a handful of additional steps and ingredients. Rather than the all-in-one approach, James suggests creaming the butter, sugar and vanilla essence initially before incorporating the eggs individually and folding in the sifted flour at the end.
He also suggests baking the cakes for 20 to 25 minutes, though at a marginally higher temperature of 190°C/170°C Fan/Gas 5.
Rather than simply choosing jam and cream for the filling, James suggests incorporating raspberries into the centre. I thoroughly enjoyed this addition to the filling, as it provided the cake with wonderful freshness and tartness that balanced the sweetness.
Regarding the sponge, it was tasty and remarkably moist, though it proved quite dense, especially the top layer.
Results
All in all, both Victoria sandwich cakes were delightful, but I must declare Mary Berry the winner, as her sponge turned out considerably better.
