If you are thinking about cakes to serve with an afternoon tea, Victoria sponge will be one of the first to come to mind. It is a classic that few people can refuse, but where did it originate and how did it make it to the top of the menu for so many of us?
Beating tiredness
Afternoon tea was created by the 7th Duchess of Bedford, Anne Russell, who noticed she was lagging mid-afternoon and couldn’t wait until dinner, or high tea, which was typically served between 8pm and 9pm. She started being served light food and tea to stave off the afternoon hunger and invited friends to join her, including Queen Victoria. The trend took off and the story of the Victoria sponge cake began.
Going back in time
Sponge cake originated around the 15th century, with the name referring to the sponge-like texture. It was one of the first cakes to be made without yeast. Victoria sponge, such as that found in tearooms and afternoon tea boxes today, came into its own when baking powder was invented and was renamed after Queen Victoria, took a liking to it as part of her afternoon tea.
Queen Victoria enjoyed the cake in its traditional form, as do many people who order afternoon tea boxes from companies such as www.afternoonteabox.com/. This cake, which has two layers sandwiched with jam and cream and the top dusted with icing sugar, is sometimes known as a Victoria sandwich.
The definitive Victoria sponge
Today, there is much debate about what makes the perfect Victoria sponge. There are discussions about whether you should use buttercream or fresh cream, and which flavour of jam is best.
What cannot be argued is how popular the cake continues to be, largely because of its versatility and the way it pairs so well with tea. Even during the Covid lockdowns, Victoria sponge was the fourth most searched-for cake on the internet as bored bakers took to the kitchen, giving the now famous banana bread a run for its money.