Victoria Sponge

The classic Women's Institute-style version sandwiches the cakes with raspberry jam and may use caster sugar on top, without buttercream. Fresh cream and buttercream are popular modern additions but make the finished cake richer and less shelf-stable.

The cake is associated with Queen Victoria's enjoyment of sponge cake with afternoon tea. Its familiar jam-filled form became a standard British bake during the Victorian era.

A common method uses equal weights of eggs, butter, sugar, and self-raising flour. Weighing the eggs first lets the baker scale the other three ingredients to match.

Both can use similar proportions of butter, sugar, eggs, and flour, but Victoria sponge is normally baked as two lighter sandwich layers joined with jam. Pound cake is usually baked as one denser loaf or Bundt-style cake and is not defined by a jam filling.