This cake is my daughter, Olive-Rose's, favourite. It is a Victoria Sponge and was a favourite of Britain's second longest reigning monarch, Queen Victoria- 1837-1901 - who enjoyed this simple yet elegant cake with tea. The recipe appears in my book, The Baker's Companion, published by PenguinRandomHouse, and is available at book retailers.

Ingredients

• 100 grams butter, softened
• 100 grams caster sugar ( 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon)
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 100 grams flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence or extract

Decoration

• whipped cream
• fresh edible flower petals

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC.Grease and line 2x 16cm round cake tins.
2. Into the bowl of the mix master, put all the ingredients for the cake. Beat all together on a medium speed for 3 minutes or until the mixture is light an fluffy. The mixture should fall easily from the beaters. If the mixture seems thick and does not fall easily from the beaters, beat in a tablespoon of hot water.
3. Divide the mixture between the prepared cake tins. Bake in the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until a skewer inserted comes out clean.
4. Turn out immediately onto a cake rack and allow to cool. Once cool, sandwich with whipped cream. Top with more whipped cream and garnish with fresh edible flower petals or your preferred topping.
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