August 28, 2017
Mini Victoria Sponge Cakes!
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Lovely light mini vanilla sponges, vanilla buttercream, jam, and even more delicious making the perfect mini Victoria sponge cakes!
Mini Victoria sponge cakes
So I bought a 12-hole mini sandwich tin a few months ago, shoved it to the back of my baking cupboard, and then completely forgot about it. When I was attempting to find a different tin (which I still can’t find) I rediscovered this beauty and knew I had to use it! I was going to bake something for a little surprise Afternoon Tea for a friend, and thought this would be the perfect thing! They are basically glorified cupcakes, but they just look so good!
You can of course just bake the cakes into cupcake cases, peel of the cases, and then follow the method etc. however, (As you can see in some of my pictures where I have demonstrated this) they just don’t look nearly as neat! I underestimated how good the tin would be, and I genuinely can’t wait to use it again!
Recipe
I used a regular easy vanilla cupcakes recipe, but increased the quantities ever so slightly to make sure the cupcake mixture was enough to rise a tad more than my usual cupcake mixture does. Simple swapping the eggs from medium to large, and increase everything else by 25g (to compensate for the egg increase) makes such a difference!
I will be adventuring into different flavours with this tin now I have rediscovered it.. so don’t worry about that! However, for now these are DELICIOUS. In my mind, they need slightly less time in the oven then some cupcake cases can as they’re in a metal case essentially.
Decoration
For decorating, I simply snipped off the end of a large disposable piping bag and then piped on little circles of buttercream. I then drizzled almost the jam so that you can see a little bit on the cakes, but you can easily just spoon a little on!
The decoration of the white chocolate is completely optional, and I realise its quite a way from the more ‘traditional’ attempts at a Victoria, but I wanted to decorate these as plain cupcakes often look a little boring to me! Sprinkling over some freeze dried berries is just pretty, and adds an extra little fruity taste. Everything is completely optional, but to be honest… I love them how they are in the pictures. SO cute and so so tasty! I hope you love these as much as I do! Enjoy! x
Mini Victoria Sponge Cakes!
Ingredients
Mini Cakes
- 175 g unsalted butter
- 175 g caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 175 g self raising flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Buttercream Frosting
- 125 g unsalted butter (room temp)
- 250 g icing sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Decoration
- Raspberry/strawberry jam
- Freeze dried raspberries/strawberries
- 50 g white chocolate (melted)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 170C/160CFan and grease and flour, or cut mini circles and line the bottoms of your cups in your 12-hole mini sandwich tin!
- Cream together the butter and caster sugar with an electric beater until smooth – add in the beaten eggs, flour, and vanilla and beat again for about about 20-30 seconds on a medium speed – it really doesn’t take too long, you don’t want to overheat it!
- Spoon into your tin evenly per cup and bake in the oven for 16-18 minutes or until cooked through! Leave to cool on a wire rack.
- Once the cakes are cool, make the frosting – beat the softened butter until smooth – this can take a couple of minutes. Add in the icing sugar 1/3 at a time, making sure the sugar is fully incorporated each time until moving on!
- I use my KitchenAid for frostings as the machine can make it so much lighter and fluffier!
- Once all of the sugar is in the frosting mix, keep on beating the frosting but add the vanilla, and then add 1 tbsp of boiling water at a time till you reach your desired consistency! I usually use about 3 spoonfuls!
- Cut each cake in half carefully – using a piping bag, pipe on some buttercream for each cake. Spoon on some raspberry or strawberry jam, and then add the other half of each mini cake on top!
- Decorate your cupcakes how you like – I melted over some white chocolate, and then sprinkled on some freeze dried raspberries/strawberries! – and ENJOY!
Notes
- I use this 12-hole mini sandwich tin tin for this recipe!
- I buy my freeze dried raspberries from here – but they are usually available in Lakeland stores, online, or even some Sainsburys and Waitrose!
- You don’t have to use jam at all, or you can swap up the flavours! My favourite jams for these particular cakes are strawberry or raspberry!
- These mini cakes will last in an airtight container for 2-3 days!
ENJOY!
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J x
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Hi Jane! I am going to make these for my birthday afternoon tea, I was just wondering if there was any way I can make dairy,soya and egg free!! What would you suggest?
What would cause these to have visible holes on the top? Evenly distributed like an American pancake when it’s cooking?
Over mixing can do this because of air!
Can these be frozen before cutting them to add the filling please?
Yes, they can!
Hi Jane! Love this recipe! Just wondering, could you do this recipe but with carrot cake instead? x
Yes indeed you can!
What would recipe be
Hi, how would you make a lemon version of these? just wondering how much zest/juice to add to the sponge mix and the buttercream. Looking forward to trying out my new mini sandwich pan!
Hiya! I would just add 1 tsp lemon extract. Hope this helps! x
Yummy light cakes 😋 Bit too much batter for my tin so I did some trimming. We don’t like American butter cream, so we had fresh whipped cream instead 🤤
Would these work with gluten free self raising flour?
Hiya! Yes this should be fine! If your flour doesn’t already contain xanthan gum, add 1/3 tsp! Hope this helps! x
Hi. I love your recipes. I have tried this recipe and cooked at 155 on a fan oven however i still seem to get volcanoes rather than the flat looking cakes you get. Any tips to stop this, should I lower the temperature even more. My oven is on a forced oven setting should I try a different setting for these.
I have tried loads of your recipes and you are my go to site as everything turns out lovely.
Hiya! Try baking at 140ºc Fan, for 40-45 minutes. Hope this helps! x
I have a family member with cocoa intolerance so your milk and dark chocolate recipes are not always appreciated but these little cakes were polished off in no time. Thank you for this and all of your excellent recipes. I’m determined to make them all and am getting through them. Have your recipe book on pre-order and can’t wait. Great work Jane keep going you have a loyal following.
Hey Jane. These look fabulous! Can you tell me, if I use dairy free block butter to make the buttercream, would it remain the same quantities of 125/250 icing sugar? Can you still add the vanilla too? Thanks so much x
Hey, yes you would but naturally its softer so don’t add any extra liquid xx
Does it have to be loose bottom tin or will just non stick be ok? Or will cupcake cases work better if I can not get loose bottom? Do you have any videos or photos of them in cupcake cases
Hey! Either will work but they won’t be as easy as it would be with a loose bottom xx
Hi, if i want to use all purpose flour how much baking powder i need? And i gonna use 4 med eggs, 200gr butter/sugar/flour.
Hey, I use 1 level teaspoon per 150g of flour whisked in well before using xx
I always seem to get a slightly crusty top when making these, am I over filling the tins or is am I doing something wrong whilst mixing/baking? The inside is always light and fluffy, it’s just the top 🙁
It could just be your oven is cooking the top more than it should be so it’s worth lowering the temp and baking for a bit longer! x
Hi Jane
They look amazing. I would like to make these with out the eggs as I making them for someone that is allergic to egg. Can I substitute the egg for anything or do you have a vegan recipe in this version? Thank you.x
Try using apple puree instead of egg. It sounds bonkers but can work really well. Approx 1 tablespoon puree = 1.5 eggs.
HI Tried this recipe and turned out great. I am going to try the chocolate one next for sure, but was wondering if you had a lemon version for the mini sandwich cake tins?
Hello! So glad you enjoyed it. I do not but you could just add lemon to the Victoria sponge ones x
Hi Jane,
I love your recipes and your website is my go to whenever I bake.
I am just really struggling with making a smooth buttercream. Every buttercream I seem to make is always really grainy or with the Cadbury cupcakes it looks somewhat slimy.
Do you have any suggestions to prevent this?
What butter do you use and what mixer do you use? x
Absolutely delicious, and probably the best sponge I’ve made – thank you! Love your recipes. My mum is coeliac so I used gluten free self-raising flour instead (and added a splash of milk as gf often makes the cake drier) and it was still super light and fluffy. Drizzling the white chocolate was surprisingly tricky though so they were a bit messy! Do you use a spoon or pipe it?
I use a piping bag to drizzle usually as its much easier! x
Hi Jane, I absolutely love your recipes I just wanted to know if you used stork for the sponge in these miniature cakes
Yes stork works!
Hi Jane how would I change this recipe if I had medium eggs? Also the same for your chocolate sponge one please? X
You can use 3 medium and 150g sugar/butter/flour (or 4 medium and 200g butter/sugar/flour – just makes them a smidge bigger) and for the cocoa powder the dry wants to total the same weight so just proportion it up or down) x
How do i get them out of the tray? I tried upside down on a cooling rack bit its left lines.
You just need to pop them out of the tray and then cool the correct side up x
Hi Jane, I can’t get hold of the tin you use but have a mini loaf tin with 8 sections. Could I use this and bake for a little longer?
Love your website!!
Yes I’m sure that’ll work! And thank you!
Hi Jane
Just made some of these beauties. Purchased a mini sandwich tin and can’t wait to use again. I added double cream in place of the water in the buttercream. Delicious. My family think I’m a domestic goddess since trying these. Thanks very much for the recipe Jane.
Stay safe
Suzanne
Hi Jane
Your recipes are always so good that I never use anyone else’s now!
I’m planning on making these as part of an Afternoon Tea for my family, along with your Cheese Scones, Fruit Scones, Biscoff Brownies and Millionaires Shortbread! I’ll be baking the scones on the day but I know I’m not going to have enough time to make everything else then so will have to do them a few days beforehand. Do you think these Mini Victoria Sponges would freeze ok or am I better off baking the brownies in advance and freezing them? I’ve made all the recipes separately before but never all together for a special occasion so any help or tips would be amazing! x
I would personally try and bake the brownies in advance and freeze as I always prefer a fresher cake sponge if I can – but if you need to they will freeze! x
Thank you. x
My dad is not a fan of buttercream so these were the perfects cake for him, plus these are great to have as part of afternoon tea, so delicious
Hi I have just started baking, and absolutely love your recipes. I have bought a mini sponge cake tin but it’s only makes 6 and not 12.
Would you just half the recipe and how many eggs Would you use
Unfortunately you can’t half the eggs so you’d need to make enough batter for four (1 egg) or for 8 (2 eggs) and maybe have two leftover!
hi would like to ask if I could use a 4inch round cake tin instead of 12 hole tin and then divide my batter in these tins
HI, is it possible to make these gluten free if I just use gluten free self raising flour? Thanks!
Hey! You can do yes, but I would suggest using xantham gum as well to help with the texture!
Hi, i followed this recipe to a tee but the outside of my cakes became hard and the middle wasnt as fluffy as i would have liked- what can i do to change this?
That just sounds like they’re over baked slightly! x
Hi Jane,
I adore these mini victoria sponge cupcakes. Just wondering.. if I was to use real cream with a bit of icing sugar instead of buttercream, how much real cream should I use for 12 cupcakes?
thanks, P x
Hey! I would say about 300ml? x
Hi Jane, i just attempted this recipe, they came out well not as good as what ur images look like. They were a little crumbly and crisp on the outside and light on the inside. They also didn’t rise as well as your! 😫 I don’t know what i’m doing wrong. Btw does it make a difference if u beat the butter egg and sugar together for long or would u recommend to just beat the sugar and butter and then add the egg with the flour, does it make a difference beating the eggs for longer? Thanks
Hey – it can make a difference with how you beat them – I do exactly what I say and they turn out lovely. This could be down to how you mix it, your oven being too hot, and so on!
How long would you say u beat the sugar and butter for roughly? Do u need to beat it for long as it only takes a couple minutes for it to look fluffy. Thanms
I always beat it for about 1-2 minutes!
Hi jane, i have attempted a few of your recipes recently and they have all come out great! This will be the next recipe i try for Eid celebrations! Just wondering could i use fresh cream instead of buttercream? If so, how would you make the fresh cream?
Hey! Yes so you can use fresh cream – simply whip up some whipping/double cream with a little icing sugar and it’ll be wonderful!
Amazing, so cute and light. Worked perfectly in a muffin tin and buttercream was best I’ve ever made
Hi how much mixture goes in one hole? I use a spoon. So should it be full half full?x
You split it evenly between the 12!
Hi Jane, hope you’re well! Love recreating your recipes! Im sure i bought the same 12 hole pan as you but the cakes didn’t come as uniform as yours. did you even the top yourself ?
Mine were narrow at the bottom but wider at the top!
Thank you
Oh really?! Mine were straight up and down!
I made these as part of a homemade afternoon tea I made and they went down an absolute treat! I love baking using your recipes, they are fantastic so thank you so much! X
Hi Jane!
Can I add white chocolate into the sponge?
If so how much do you recommend using?
Thanks
Amazing! But 1 question! How do you get your buttercream so white? Mine always looks creamy instead x
I just use supermarket own unsalted butter (never a spread), and beat it on high in my mixer for a few minutes on its own – it gets it really supple and smooth, and naturally whitens it!
I love your recipes Jane and they come out really well with using gluten free flours for me. With this recipe how much baking powder would you suggest if using plain flours rather than self-raising? Thanks
Hiya! Ahh that’s amazing! Probably 1.5tsps maybe? It’s not loads of flower, but usually I’d add the same if I was using regular plain flour if I had run out of Self Raising, so I’m sure it’ll be the same for GF! X
Hi would this work with an 18 hole mini tin?
Would you cook for the same length of time?
I’m not 100% on the tin you are talking about but I would assume it would still work. If the cakes are smaller than a 12 hole one, I would say it would take slightly less time.
Will these work in a muffin tin? Only one I can find in the shop and wanting to make them tonight. Also, are they easy to get out of the tin? Thanks Jane
They won’t be quite the same shape, but it will still work. They will just be slightly shorter and fatter from a muffin tin. And I’d advise greasing the tin however with butter and flour to help get them out.
Aww, love these mini versions of a classic sponge cake!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
These look delicious! Do you use the same amount of mixture per cake (ice cream scoop) or a little more? Thank you x
I split them equally – I use a scoop, and if theres a little left over I split that little bit between them all as well.
These look adorable Jane! Especially with the berries to lift it. Makes me think of Wimbledon?
I would probably pipe in an alternating mix of whipped cream and mango purée for a summery Solero style sponge. Or I’ve yet to try chocolate sponge with a smooth pistachio flavour buttercream. Lovely photography too. ~ P ~