Try James Tanner’s delicious Victoria sponge – plus get his exclusive recipe for a fat free sponge with raspberries and cream

Serves 8 - 10

Ingredients:

  • 225g x soft butter
  • 225g x castor sugar
  • 4 x large free range eggs
  • 225g x self raising flour
  • 2 x tsp baking powder
  • Pinch of crushed sea salt
  • 4 x tbsp strawberry jam
  • 150ml x whipping cream, lightly whipped
  • 150g x fresh strawberries cut into quarters
  • Castor sugar or icing sugar to dust

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F/gas mark 4
  • Grease and line two 20cm sponge tins with baking parchment
  • Cream the butter and castor sugar then gradually add the beaten eggs
  • Sift and mix in the self raising flour, baking powder and sea salt until all combined
  • Pour the mix into the two greased and lined cake tins, levelling the tops with a spatula or palate knife
  • Bake for 20 minutes until golden and the top of the sponges spring back when touched - you can also tell if the sponge is cooked by inserting a knife or metal skewer into the middle of the cake, it should come out clean
  • Allow to cool
  • Spread one of the sponges with a layer of jam then a layer of cream and strawberry quarters, place the second sponge on top and dust with castor or icing sugar
  • Serve with a cup of tea

Fat free sponge with raspberries and cream

Serves 4

Ingredients:

  • Oil for greasing
  • 4 large free-range eggs, separated
  • 175g caster sugar, plus extra for dredging
  • 150g self-raising flour, sifted
  • Pinch of crushed sea salt
  • 150ml whipping cream
  • 225g raspberries

Method:

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C/ 350°F/gas mark 4
  • Grease and line two 18cm sponge tins with baking parchment
  • In a mixing bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar together until pale and creamy.
  • In a separate bowl, whisk the egg whites until stiff. Whisk the egg whites into the egg yolk mixture
  • Fold in the flour in small batches using a large metal spoon. Repeat until all the flour is combined. Fold in the salt
  • Divide the mixture between the two lined tins and bake for 20 minutes until well risen and golden. Remove from the oven; turn out onto a wire rack and leave to cool
  • For the filling, pass 75g of the raspberries through a fine sieve. Set aside
  • Whip the cream to soft peaks and spread over one of the cooled sponges
  • Spoon the remaining raspberries over the cream and drizzle over the raspberry purée
  • Top with the remaining cooled sponge and dredge with caster or icing sugar