The Hairy Bikers’ Victoria Sponge with Blackberries and Spiced Cream

Updated post.

For this year’s Comic Relief, our nation’s favourite chefs and bakers are raising money by working with HomeSense to sell their fabulous Red Nose Day Aprons.

HomeSense has teamed up with the acclaimed photographer Rankin to create a super cool charity apron that will raise money to help people living incredibly tough lives across Africa and here in the UK.

The Hairy Bikers are getting in on the act and donning their aprons for this great cause and what’s more, they have also very kindly shared their recipe for Victoria Sponge with Blackberries and Spiced Cream! And yes it does to taste as good as it sounds!

Time to get your ‘bake on’ folks! I must make this as a vegan version!

Ingredients 

For the sponge cakes:

• 225g butter, softened
• 225g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 225g self-raising flour
• 2 tbsp lemon juice

For the blackberries:

• A punnet of blackberries
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 tbsp crème de mure (optional)

For the cream:

• 250ml double or whipping cream
• 2 tbsp icing sugar
• ½ tsp ground cardamom
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• ¼ tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground mace

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Butter and line 2 x 20/21cm sandwich tins.
2. Using a hand-held electric whisk or a stand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until very light and fluffy – it should be almost mousse like.
3. This should take a good 5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time with a tablespoon of the flour, mixing lightly between each addition, then add the remaining flour.
4. Add as much lemon juice as necessary to give a dropping consistency, then divide between 2 tins.
5. Bake in the oven for between 20-25 minutes until the sponge has shrunk away from the sides slightly, is springy to touch and a very light golden brown.
6. Leave to cool in the tins for at least 10 minutes, then turn out onto a cooling rack.
7. For the filling, put the blackberries in a bowl and sprinkle over the caster sugar and crème de mure if using. Leave to marinade for a short while – they will give out some juices.
8. Whip the cream then fold in the icing sugar and spices – the cream needs to be just beyond the soft peak stage – then pile this onto one of the sponges. Top with the blackberries and pour over any juices. Place the remaining sponge on top. Dust with icing sugar or caster sugar and serve.

Credit –  Recipe is taken from The Hairy Bikers’ Comfort Food (BBC1)

Photographer: Richard Hill