Wonderfully simple gluten free Naked Victoria Sponge Cake, so easy that even the most novice baker can do it!
You'll remember this recipe from my Victoria Sponge Cake blog, except I made this one three-tiers and skipped the decorating all together.
The recipe was initially adapted from my Vanilla Butterfly Cupcakes and it's a dream! The sponge is light and fluffy, and the vanilla buttercream and strawberry jam are a foolproof combination.
It's a glorious treat for your summer garden parties and barbeques - I'm thinking it could be a winner for the Jubilee Weekend perhaps.
One useful trick I use for filling cakes is to create a rubber-ring shape in the buttercream and fill this with jam. You'll find your jam does squirt out everywhere and you have nice, neat edges. This is important with naked cakes as it makes them super neat and beautiful!
Once your cake is filled, put the other layer on top and finish with a dollop of leftover buttercream and strawberries (you can see how easy it is in the video below).
The sponge is gloriously fluffy, and the satisfaction of getting a bite of buttercream, jam and sponge is the best!
They also bake pretty level which means you really don't have to level them yourself when cool - they should be ready to stack!
This is a beautifully simple cake that has a striking impact. Even the most novice bakers will be able to put this together - so please do have a go!
Let's get Caking It.
Recipe
180C (170C fan)
8" cake pan
Yield: 16 slices
Prep: 30 mins
Bake: 20 mins
Assembly: 20 minutes
Ingredients
Sponge
300g unsalted butter
300g caster sugar
6 medium eggs
2 tsps vanilla extract
300g gluten free self-raising flour
1 1/2 tsps gluten free baking powder
1/2 tsp xanthan gum
4 tbsp sour cream
Filling
Strawberry jam
Frosting
250g unsalted butter
500g icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla extract
Milk
Strawberries
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Method: Sponge
Don't forget to wait until all the ingredients are room temperature before starting.
Preheat oven to 180C. Line 3 cake pans with parchment and grease with a little oil.
With an electric whisk, cream the butter until pale, then add the sugar and cream together until fully incorporated.
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing with an electric whisk between each addition. Now add the vanilla extract.
In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder, and xanthan gum with a fork, and then add this to the mixture, mixing until fully incorporated.
Spoon in the sour cream and fold until combined.
Split evenly between the three cupcake pans and leave to rest for 10 minutes.
Place in an oven for 20 minutes. A skewer or toothpick inserted into the cakes should come out clean.
Method: Buttercream
This buttercream is so simple and yet it hits the spot every time.
While the sponges are cooling, move onto the vanilla buttercream.
Cream the butter until pale, and gradually add in the icing sugar until it is all incorporated. You can do this either with a standing mixer, an electric hand whisk, or a fork. At this point the mixture should be a little stiff.
Add the vanilla extract and a splash of milk and mix. Remove a third of the buttercream and use this to fill and crumb coat your cake.
Assembly
Make sure the sponges are completely cool before assembling.
Spread a 1ittle of the buttercream onto one of the sponges and create a ring around the edge of the cake.
Fill the middle with jam and place the other sponge on top. Repeat this process with the other layer.
Dollop the remaining buttercream on top and cover with fresh strawberries.
Enjoy your beautiful cake!
