British tea time meets American lunch time in this new take on the classic Victoria Sponge cake with peanut butter and jelly filling.
The British Victoria Sponge (aka sandwich) Cake
I first learned about Victoria sponge/sandwich cake even before moving to the United Kingdom when I started watching The Great British Bake Off.
For those of you who are not familiar with the show, it is the culmination of cooking competition, British politeness and home baking. The show takes place over the summer with British home -bakers attempting to show off their baking expertise and to ultimately be crowned the winner of the competition.
As opposed to cook-offs that I used to watch on Food Network in America, the contestants are always encouraging each other and helping each other out when they get in a pinch (how sweet!). The first few seasons featured all British bakes but has since branched out to different cultures, techniques and even diets (shout out to the vegan week and making meringues with aquafaba!).
Anyway, Victoria Sponge Cake is the quinessential British tea time classic. It consists of two layers of airy vanilla cakes filled with a layer of jam and whipped cream. It is also called a “Victoria Sandwich” cake and is served by being cut into smaller sandwiches.
As for the “Victoria” part of the name it is a homage to Queen Victoria who is credited with creating the mid-aternoon tea time with different sandwiches, teas and cakes (especially this one).
The American Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich
Of course, I had to marry the British classic with an equally American one which is where the peanut butter and jelly comes in. When I first heard of the Victoria Spong being referred a “sandwich cake”, my mind immediately thought to my childhood and the most American lunchtime sandwich of all – peanut butter and jelly!
According to the National Peanut Board, the peanut butter and jelly sandwich was introduced in 1901 in the Boston Cooking School Magazine of Culinary Science and Domestic Economics written by Julia Davis Chandler. However, the sandwich didn’t gain its nationwide fame until after World War Two when it was included in the U.S. Military’s ration menu. When the troops came home, peanut butter and jelly sales soared and the marriage of peanut butter, jelly and sliced bread became ubiquitous in American culture.
Despite it’s popularity in the U.S., the pb&j sandwich failed to catch on in the U.K. and most of my British friends cannot wrap their head around it. “Why in the world would you put jelly and peanut butter together?” This probably stems from the fact that jelly to them is more like jell-o and peanut butter isn’t as popular as in the U.K. Americans spend nearly five times more on peanut butter than Brits do!
Whatever their reasoning for their disapproval for this flavour combo, this recipe is an attempt to meet in the middle and show everyone what they are missing!
peanut butter & jelly victoria sandwich cake
Equipment
- mixer
Ingredients
Cake:
- 200 grams vegan butter
- 250 grams sugar
- 200 grams dairy-free yoghurt
- 200 ml non-dairy milk
- 15 ml vanilla extract
- 400 grams flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
Peanut Butter Buttercream & Filling
- 200 grams vegan butter
- 200 grams creamy peanut butter
- 300 grams powdered sugar
- 5-10 ml non-dairy milk
- 5 ml vanilla extract
- 400 grams strawberry jam
Instructions
Cake:
- Preheat the oven to 160°C (350°F). Prepare two 19-20cm (7.5-8inch) round cake tins by buttering the sides and lining the bottom with parchmant paper.
- Cream together the butter and sugar with an electric mixer for a four to five minutes until light and fluffy.
- Slowly pour in the yoghurt, milk & vanilla extract until completely combined. (If the mixture looks “curdled” don’t worry, it will come together with the flour).
- Slowly add in flour, baking soda and powder until it forms a smooth batter. Take care not to overbeet.
- Divide the batter between the two tins (approximately 600 grams per tin).
- Bake for 25-35 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Leave the cakes to cool completely for atleast an hour or two. To speed up this process you can pop them in the fridge after they have been out of the oven for 10-15 minutes.
Frosting:
- Meanwhile, make the buttercream by placing the butter, peanut butter and vanilla extract ina bowl and beat for three to four minutes until light and creamly. Slowly add in powdered sugar and continue to whisk until smooth and fluffy, adding bits of milk if necessary to loosen up the mixture.
Assembly:
- Transfer most of the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a large round nozzle.
- Place one of the cake layers on a serving plate and spread one layer of the buttercream over the bottom layer of the cake. Then pipe around the perimeter of the cake to create a kind of dam for the jelly to sit in. Then spoon the jam in the middle and spread evenly.
- Add the second layer on top and add another layer of buttercream and jam.
- Frost the sides if desired.
