Pretty much everyone likes a Victoria sponge cake. Not only is it usually considered pretty easy to make, but you, and most other people, know exactly how it should taste. That means you have nowhere to hide and it’s even more important to get the recipe right if you’re making a gluten free version.
The challenge here – as with most gluten free cakes – is to make sure your sponge doesn’t dry out. To combat this you need three things:
- a good gluten free flour blend (I use Doves Barn – but some bakers swear by their own personal mixes),
- a stabiliser (I use xanthan gum)
- something to hold moisture (here we will use ground almonds).
I’ve baked this gluten free victoria sponge time and time again, it’s always come out well and when taken into the office nobody can tell that its gluten free (which I’ve come to learn is one of the best compliments a gluten free cook can hope for).
- 200g Olive spread
- 150g Caster Sugar
- 80g Light brown soft sugar
- 4 eggs
- 175g Doves self raising gluten free flour
- 45g Ground almonds
- 1tsp Xantan gum
- 1/4tsp Salt
- 1tsp Vanilla paste
- 140g/5oz Olive spread (or softened butter)
- 280g/10oz icing sugar
- 1tsp Vanilla paste
- 5tbs Raspberry jam
- 8 Fresh raspberries (optional)
- 1. Preheat oven to 180c/160c fan/gas 4. Grease and line your tins.
- 2. Mix 50g of the light brown sugar with your caster sugar and salt. Cream this with the olive spread until its light and fluffy.
- 3. Beat in your eggs one at a time, making sure each is fully incorporated before adding the next. Add 1tsp of vanilla paste with your last egg.
- 4. Mix together 155g flour with your xanthan gum and ground almonds. Incorporate this with your egg mixture, bit by bit, making sure you have no lumps.
- 5. Add half of the mixture to each tin.
- 10. Bake for around 30 minutes then test the cake by inserting a skewer into the deepest part, if it doesn't come out clean, return the cake to the oven 5 minutes at a time, until it does.
- 11. Let the cake cool for 10minutes before turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, drizzle with icing.
- Icing method
- 1. Cream the butter until soft.
- 2. Gradually beat in the icing sugar, adding the vanilla paste about half way through.
- 3. The icing should be firm but spreadable. If it's too soft add more sugar, if it's to firm add a dash of water.
- 1. Use your flattest sponge for the lower portion of the cake (if it has risen more in the centre than the edge, cut the top of to make it level)
- 1. Spread your jam evenly across the top of the lower portion of your cake
- 2. Spread the icing (retaining a small amount) over the underside of the upper portion of your cake.
- 3. Sandwich the cakes together
- 4. Using a piping bag or spoon, add 8 small drops of icing on the top of your cake (spaced evenly near the edge)
- 5. place a fresh raspberry on each drop of icing and dust with icing sugar directly before serving
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