Juliet Sear's guilt-free Victoria sponge
It’s the classic cake with a healthy twist - Juliet Sear’s making her traditional Victoria sponge, but with 50% less calories! Juliet shows us that low fat doesn’t mean less taste and why it’s the perfect guilt-free treat for the weekend.
Guilt-free Victoria sponge
Serves: 10
Ingredients
170g melted low fat spread, cooled160g self-raising flour 1/2 tsp salt1 tsp baking powder 4 large eggs 160g caster sugar1 tsp vanilla
Filling
½ tsp vanilla extract1 tablespoon icing sugar150g low fat double cream115g low sugar/diabetic strawberry jam
A little icing sugar for dusting the top (optional)
Method
1. Preheat the oven to 170C fan oven
2. Lightly grease 2 x 20cm round cake tins and line the base and sides with baking parchment. Lightly grease the inside of the parchment too with the melted low fat spread, leaving you 160g left for adding to the cake batter.
3. Sift the flour, salt and baking powder into a bowl
4. Separately, whip together the eggs, sugar and vanilla in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment on a high setting for about 5-6 minutes until it has tripled in size. It should be stiffer in texture, leaving ribbon trails.
5. Pour the cooled low fat spread into the egg mixture and gently fold through with a spatula taking care not to knock out the air.
6. Sift about a third of the flour onto the mix and gently fold. Repeat twice more, folding through very gently to keep the air in the mix.
7. Divide the mix between the two tins, spooning in gently to keep in the air. Bake in the oven for about 20-22 mins until risen, golden, spongy and completely cooked through. Leave to cool slightly in the tin for a few minutes, before turning out carefully onto wire racks, removing the paper and leaving to cool completely.
8. To make the filling, add the vanilla and sugar to the cream and whip with an electric hand whisk or in a stand mixer with a whisk attachment for a few minutes until it has thickened and it is holding its shape.
9. To assemble, place one sponge onto a cake plate or stand and spread over the jam in a neat, even layer. Spread the cream over to almost the edge and then place the second sponge on top, making sure it’s in line with the bottom one. Dust with extra icing sugar if you wish.
Tip: Best eaten on the day, but if you wish to keep it for longer, wrap and place in the fridge for up to 3 days. Bring out of the fridge and allow to come to room temperature before serving.