Celebrate Midsummer with Our Delightful Victoria Sponge Cake

Midsummer is one of our favourite times of year—a joyful pause to enjoy warm evenings, longer days, and playful gatherings. It's the perfect moment to slow down, savour simple pleasures, and create memories with your children.

One of our beloved midsummer traditions is baking a classic Victoria sponge cake. Easy enough for young bakers to help with, and endlessly fun when it comes to decorating. Let’s get baking!

Ingredients

• 225g unsalted butter (room temperature)

• 225g caster sugar

• 4 large eggs

• 225g self-raising flour

• 1 generous tablespoon fresh lemon juice

• Blueberry jam (or your favourite jam)

• Whipped cream

• Fresh seasonal fruit (berries, peaches, cherries)

• Edible flowers (optional, but beautiful!)

Method

1. Preheat & Prepare: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease and line the bases of two 18cm cake tins with baking parchment. Dust lightly with flour and sugar, tapping out any excess.

2. Cream Butter & Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together butter and sugar until pale, fluffy, and airy—perfectly creamy and luscious.

3. Eggs: Gradually beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing gently but thoroughly after each addition.

4. Lemon Juice: Add the fresh lemon juice and gently stir through the mixture until combined.

5. Fold in Flour: Sift the self-raising flour into the butter and egg mixture and gently fold with a spatula. Aim for a smooth batter, being careful not to knock out the lovely air you've incorporated.

6. Bake: Divide the batter evenly between your two prepared tins, smoothing the surfaces. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden, springy, and a skewer comes out clean.

7. Cool & Assemble: Allow cakes to cool in their tins for 5 minutes, then gently transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, carefully slice each cake horizontally to create layers.

8. Fill & Layer: Spread a generous layer of blueberry jam and whipped cream between each cake layer. Stack gently to form a beautiful midsummer tower.

9. Decorate: Here's the fun bit—decorate your cake generously with fresh fruits and edible flowers. Let the children’s imaginations run wild and create something truly unique!

Enjoy your midsummer celebration cake with friends and family—it’s a delicious way to mark the longest and brightest days of the year.