Victoria Sponge Cake in the Air Fryer
A light and airy British butter cake made from equal parts butter, sugar, eggs and flour, sandwiched together with strawberry jam and soft vanilla buttercream. The cake is named after Queen Victoria and is a classic for afternoon tea.
Equipment
- 1 Air fryer
- 1 Small springform pan 16 cm
- 1 Parchment paper
- 1 Kitchen scale
- 1 Mixing bowl
- 1 Electric mixer
- 1 Sifter
- 1 Dough scraper
- 1 Aluminum foil
- 1 Toothpick
- 1 Cooling rack
- 1 Bread knife
- 1 Bowl
- 1 Offset spatula
Ingredients
120 g butter Softened, plus a little extra for greasing the tin
120 g sugar
2 pcs eggs Medium/large, at room temperature
120 g plain flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp vanilla sugar
1 tbsp milk
Buttercream
- 50 g butter Softened
100 g icing sugar Sifted- 1 tsp vanilla sugar
- 1 tsp milk
Filling and topping
- 75 g strawberry jam
- 1 tbsp sugar For sprinkling on top
Instructions
Preparation
- Grease a small springform tin of about 16 cm with a little butter, and line the base with baking paper. Check that the tin will fit in the air fryer basket.
- Beat 120 g butter and 120 g sugar with an electric whisk for 3-4 minutes until pale and fluffy. The butter must be soft so that the mixture becomes creamy.
- Add 2 pcs eggs one at a time, beating well after each egg. Beat in 1 tsp vanilla sugar together with the last egg.
- Sift 120 g plain flour and 1 tsp baking powder into the bowl. Gently fold in the flour together with 1 tbsp milk using a dough scraper, just until the batter has come together.
- Spoon the batter into the springform tin and smooth the surface. Make a slight dip in the centre so that the cake rises more evenly.
Baking in the air fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 160 °C fan.
- Place the springform tin in the air fryer basket and bake the cake at 160 °C for 20 minutes without opening the air fryer in between.
- Turn the tin half a turn. If the top is already golden brown, cover the tin loosely with aluminium foil and press the foil firmly around the edge so that it does not blow up against the heating element. Continue baking at 160 °C for 10 minutes.
- Check the cake by inserting a toothpick in the centre. It is done when the toothpick comes out clean and the cake springs back lightly when pressed. If batter clings to the toothpick, bake the cake for another 3-5 minutes at 160 °C.
Cooling and assembly
- Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Release the side of the springform tin, place the cake on a wire rack and leave it to cool completely for about 50 minutes.
- Beat 50 g butter, 100 g icing sugar, 1 tsp vanilla sugar and 1 tsp milk together in a bowl for 2-3 minutes until you have a pale, fluffy buttercream.
- Use a bread knife to cut the cooled cake horizontally into two layers of equal thickness.
- Spread 75 g strawberry jam over the bottom layer, and use a palette knife to cover the cut side of the top layer with the buttercream.
- Put the top layer on with the buttercream facing down, and press it lightly into place.
- Sprinkle 1 tbsp sugar over the top, and serve the cake with a cup of tea.
Notes
Tips for a perfect result:
The classic method is to weigh the eggs in their shells and use the same weight of butter, sugar and flour – two medium/large eggs weigh about 120 g. Let the butter, eggs and milk come to room temperature so that the batter does not curdle. Do not open the air fryer during the first 20 minutes, otherwise the cake may collapse. Air fryers bake differently, so keep an eye on the colour the first time, and cover with aluminium foil if the top gets dark before the middle is baked. The cake must be completely cold before it is cut in half – otherwise it will crumble, and the buttercream will melt. About the flour:
The traditional British recipe is made with self-raising flour. Here it is replaced with plain flour and baking powder, which gives the same light, airy crumb. Variation:
Swap the strawberry jam for raspberry jam, or use lightly whipped cream instead of buttercream if the cake is eaten the same day. In summer you can place sliced fresh strawberries between the layers. The top can also be dusted with icing sugar instead of sugar. Serving:
Serve the cake at room temperature for afternoon tea, ideally with a cup of strong black tea with milk, just as it is traditionally enjoyed in Britain. Portion size:
The cake makes 4 large or 8 small slices. In an 18 cm springform tin the layers will be slightly thinner, and the cake is typically done after 22-25 minutes. For a larger cake you can use 3 eggs and 180 g butter, sugar and flour in an 18 cm tin – allow 8-10 minutes more baking time.
The classic method is to weigh the eggs in their shells and use the same weight of butter, sugar and flour – two medium/large eggs weigh about 120 g. Let the butter, eggs and milk come to room temperature so that the batter does not curdle. Do not open the air fryer during the first 20 minutes, otherwise the cake may collapse. Air fryers bake differently, so keep an eye on the colour the first time, and cover with aluminium foil if the top gets dark before the middle is baked. The cake must be completely cold before it is cut in half – otherwise it will crumble, and the buttercream will melt. About the flour:
The traditional British recipe is made with self-raising flour. Here it is replaced with plain flour and baking powder, which gives the same light, airy crumb. Variation:
Swap the strawberry jam for raspberry jam, or use lightly whipped cream instead of buttercream if the cake is eaten the same day. In summer you can place sliced fresh strawberries between the layers. The top can also be dusted with icing sugar instead of sugar. Serving:
Serve the cake at room temperature for afternoon tea, ideally with a cup of strong black tea with milk, just as it is traditionally enjoyed in Britain. Portion size:
The cake makes 4 large or 8 small slices. In an 18 cm springform tin the layers will be slightly thinner, and the cake is typically done after 22-25 minutes. For a larger cake you can use 3 eggs and 180 g butter, sugar and flour in an 18 cm tin – allow 8-10 minutes more baking time.
Nutrition
Calories: 735kcalCarbohydrates: 92gProtein: 7gFat: 38gSaturated fat: 23gPolyunsaturated fat: 2gMonounsaturated fat: 10gTrans fat: 1.4gCholesterol: 195mgSodium: 360mgPotassium: 100mgFiber: 1gSugar: 69gVitamin A: 1200IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 40mgIron: 0.9mgNet carbohydrates: 91g
