Victoria Sponge Cake

Ingredients for the cake

• 
  225g (8oz) butter or margarine
• 225g (8oz) caster sugar
• 4 medium size eggs
• 225g (8oz) self-raising flour - sieved
• 2 – 3 drops Dr. Oetker Natural Vanilla Extract

For the icing

• 1 x 325g tub Dr. Oetker EasyIce Vanilla Butter Icing
  4 tbsp strawberry jam

Or

• 75g (3oz) unsalted butter
• 175g (6oz) icing sugar
• a few drops of Dr. Oetker Natural Vanilla Extract
• milk or warm water
• 4 tbsp strawberry jam

To decorate

• sieved icing sugar

Method

1. Pre-heat oven to 180ºC/350ºF/Gas Mark 4. Grease and line two 20cm (8 inch) sandwich tins.
2. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Gradually beat in the eggs and Natural Vanilla Extract, if the mixture starts to curdle, add a little flour.
4. Fold in the remaining flour with a metal spoon.
5. Divide the mixture between the two tins and bake for approx. 25 minutes until golden brown and firm to the touch.
6. Remove from oven and leave to cool before turning out onto a cooling rack.
7. Spread the jam on one of the cakes and use the EasyIce Vanilla Butter Icing to sandwich the two cakes together.
8. Alternatively to make you own butter icing, place the butter in a bowl and beat until soft.
9. Gradually sift and beat in the icing sugar.
10. Mix in the Natural Vanilla Extract and enough milk / water to make the icing fluffy and spreadable and use as above.
11. Dust the top of the cake lightly with the sieved icing sugar.