These Mini Victoria Sponge Cakes are layered with sweet raspberry jam and fluffy lemon whipped cream, an adorable take on a classic treat.
What is Victoria Sponge?
Victoria Sponge Cake is an iconic British dessert named after Queen Victoria, and is traditionally enjoyed at afternoon tea. It consists of two light sponge layers sandwiched together with raspberry jam and either buttercream or whipped cream.
With the invention of baking powder in 1843, sponge cakes became lighter and airier giving us the soft, delicate texture we love today.
Why I Love Mini Victoria Sponge Cakes
I’ve been a huge fan of traditional British afternoon tea since I was a teenager, and this cake has been on my must-bake list for years. I finally decided to make it for my Valentine’s tea this year and came across an adorable mini version from Edible Mosaic.
Instead of one large cake that you slice, everyone gets their own individually decorated mini cake, which makes these cakes extra special.
- You can make these easily in a standard muffin pan
- They’re perfectly portioned for gatherings or tea parties
- You can freeze unfilled cakes for up to 3 months.
- You can switch up the fillings depending on what you have on hand
Raspberry jam is the traditional choice ( I used my favorite jam from St. Dalfour ) but you can use strawberry, blueberry, blackberry or even lemon curd.
These cakes are not only pretty to look at but so delicious! Combination of soft sponge, sweet jam, and airy whipped cream, especially when topped with fresh strawberries!
Lemon Whipped Cream
For this recipe, I chose lemon whipped cream because I love anything with lemon. A hint of fresh lemon in the whipped cream was perfect with the jam filling. I added the whipped cream with a spoon, but if you can, pipe it on for a more polished, bakery-style finish.
Valentine’s Tea
These mini cakes were the star of this year’s Valentine’s tea. My Burleigh Pottery pieces, Blue Asiatic Pheasants, Victoria Chintz, Plum Asiatic Pheasants were perfect for the setting.
To round out the tea spread, you can also serve:
- Scones – Earl Grey scones, or classic fruit scones
- Tea Sandwiches – Traditional crustless options like cucumber, smoked salmon, egg salad, or thinly sliced ham or turkey
- Cookies – Cherry Blossom Shortbread, Rose Shortbread Cookies, Cookies with Sage and Candied Oranges
- Additional Cakes – Orange and Currant Loaf Cake, Blueberry Orange Bundt Cake, Lemon & Rosewater Loaf Cake
Mini Victoria Sponge Cakes
Equipment
- Muffin Pan
Ingredients
For the Mini Victoria Sponge Cakes
- ½ cup butter, room temperature (if using unsalted butter, add ½tsp salt)
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- raspberry jam or any jam of your choice
- powdered sugar for dusting
- 10 fresh strawberries, halved (for garnish)
For Lemon Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- zest of one medium lemon
Instructions
For the Sponge Cakes
- Butter the muffin pan and preheat oven to 350°.
- In a bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.
- Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. Add eggs and vanilla , mixing until combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Divide the batter between 10 muffin wells and and smooth the tops. Bake for 15–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes, then transfer cakes on the wire rack to cool completely.
Lemon Whipped Cream
- Beat the heavy cream using an electric mixer.
- Add sugar and lemon zest and continue whipping until soft peaks form. Refrigerate until ready to assemble.
Cake Assembly
- Slice each cake horizontally and spread 1 tablespoon jam on bottom half of each cake. Add a dollop of whipped cream, then place the top layer on.
- Dust with powdered sugar. Finish with an additional dollop of whipped cream on top and garnish with strawberry halves.