Victoria Sponge Cake
Victoria sponge cake was a favorite layer cake of Queen Victoria and has become a classic British cake served at afternoon tea and other celebrations. It's filled with strawberry jam and vanilla whipped cream. Dust powdered sugar over the top if you'd like.
baking spray
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all-purpose flour (such as Gold Medal)
1 ½
cups
baking powder
1 ½
teaspoons
cornstarch
1
tablespoon
kosher salt
¾
teaspoon
granulated sugar
1
cup
unsalted butter or margarine, softened
½
cup
eggs, room temperature
2
large
vanilla extract
2
teaspoon
whole milk, room temperature
½
cup
strawberry or raspberry preserves
½
cup
heavy whipping cream
¾
cup
powdered sugar, plus more for dusting
2
tablespoons
vanilla extract
1
teaspoon
fresh strawberries, for garnish (Optional)
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 Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (160 degrees C). Grease two 8-inch round cake pans with baking spray; line bottoms with parchment paper. Lightly spray parchment paper with baking spray.
  Sift flour, cornstarch, and baking powder into a medium bowl; whisk in salt and set aside.
  Beat sugar and butter with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 to 4 minutes, stopping to scrape down sides as needed. (The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color.)
  Beat in eggs, one at a time, on medium speed, allowing each egg to blend into butter mixture before adding the next, 1 to 2 minutes total. Beat in 2 teaspoons vanilla. With mixer on medium-low speed, add flour mixture in 3 batches, alternating with milk, beating until just combined after each addition.
  Bake in the preheated oven until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 18 to 22 minutes. Cool cakes in the pans for 10 minutes, then turn the cakes out onto a wire rack. Let stand, parchment side down, on wire racks until cooled completely, about 1 hour.
  Remove and discard parchment paper. Place 1 cake layer on a serving plate. Stir preserves in a small bowl until mostly smooth; spread in an even layer over cake.
  To make vanilla whipped cream: Whisk heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract by hand in a large bowl until stiff peaks form, about 2 minutes. Dollop over jam, then spread into an even layer.
  Top with remaining cake layer. Dust with powdered sugar and garnish with strawberries (if using).
