How do you celebrate a Platinum Jubilee? With cake, of course! And lots of it. We asked @all.thats.pretty to share her favourite Victoria sponge recipe and her top recommendations to decorate and set the table from our Jubilee Collection…
“It’s only the blooming PLATINUM JUBILEE! I am beyond excited to celebrate, and as far as excuses go for a themed party, this is definitely a big one! The Queen has been glamorously rocking her crown for 70 years, and I’ve been searching for a way to honour that vintage feel of the fifties when she first wore it. Where else to go but my one-stop-shop for British-inspired flair – Joules! They do a fabulous line in creating country looks with a contemporary twist and have partnered with a whole host of other wonderful UK businesses on Friends of Joules.
But first thing’s first – CAKE. Clearly, no party is complete without one, and what could be more quintessentially English than a Victoria Sponge?! Super easy to do, and the ubiquitous Union Jack decoration was simple – mixed berries in red and blue, with the white being supplied by a generous slather of cream. Yum-my. For the sponge, we used this recipe from BBC Good Food. George adored making this with me – and sneaking in a few blueberries on the way…”
Laura-Ann of @all.thats.pretty
Laura Ann’s Jubilant Jubilee Victoria Sponge
You’ll need:
For the sponge:
200g caster sugar
200g softened butter
4 eggs, beaten
200g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
2 tbsp milk
For the filling:
100g butter, softened
140g icing sugar, sifted
drop vanilla extract (optional)
half a 340g jar good quality strawberry jam
For the topping:
We used double cream with blueberries and strawberries, but raspberries would be perfect too.
Instructions
Step One. Heat oven to 190C/fan 170C/gas 5. Butter two 20cm sandwich tins and line with non-stick baking paper.
Step Two. In a large bowl, beat caster sugar, softened butter, beaten eggs, self-raising flour, 1 tsp baking powder and 2 tbsp milk together until you have a smooth, soft batter.
Step Three. Divide mixture between the tins, smooth surface with a spatula or back of a spoon.
Step Four. Bake for about 20 mins until golden and the cake springs back when pressed.
Step Five. Turn onto a cooling rack and leave to cool completely.
Step Six. To make filling, beat 100g softened butter until smooth and creamy, then gradually beat in 140g sifted icing sugar and a drop of vanilla extract (if you’re using it).
Step Seven. Spread buttercream over the bottom of one of the sponges. Top it with 170g strawberry jam and sandwich the second sponge on top.
Step Eight. Heap on generous dollops of cream and decorate with your best berried Union Jack effort! Keep in an airtight container and eat within 2 days.
“Friends of Joules have the most amazing selection of themed tableware, bunting, personalised mugs and even scrummy jubilee biscuits in their Jubilee Collection! The pièce de résistance had to be the cake stand – we loved decorating it with all the fab goodies. The notorious British weather is always unpredictable, so we added a little tipi to ward off the sun (fingers crossed for June!) or to provide shelter from any spots of rain. Let’s be honest, it’s also an excuse for attaching more theming – it held up the bunting beautifully!
Our outfits were a treat too; Barney had gorgeous soft baby clothes – so many to choose from – while the bigger two had smart, boy-proof shorts and polo shirts that look great and wear well. I had the perfect summer dress, light and airy, and of course everything was themed with red, white and blue! It was all so lovely I can’t wait to do it again for the Jubilee weekend!”
Thank you Laura-Ann for sharing these amazing ideas with us!
All the lovely things you’ve seen here (and more!) can be found in our Friends of Joules Jubilee Collection.
Nicola Suzanne Preston
21.05.2022 at 14:34The cake and all the decorations look great!
The ponies look lovely with their tiaras….sooo cute!!! 🌺🌸❤️💙