Victorian Sandwich Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees and place a rack in the center. Grease and line the bottoms of two 8-inch round cake pans with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in eggs, one at a time, until incorporated, then beat in milk, scraping down sides of the bowl as necessary. Mix in flour mixture until combined, then scrape into prepared cake pans, smoothing the top.
• Bake cakes until golden brown and springy, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes, then unmold them onto a wire rack to cool completely, flat side down.
• Transfer one cake (the less attractive one) to a serving platter, and spread jam evenly on top. In the bowl of an electric mixer, whip cream, confectioners' sugar and vanilla just until it holds stiff peaks. Dollop about half the cream on top of jam, then top with remaining cake. Dust with confectioners' sugar and serve immediately, with the extra whipped cream on the side.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 190C/170C fan/gas 5. Grease and flour two 20cm sandwich tins.
• Place 200g softened unsalted butter, 200g caster sugar and 1 tsp vanilla extract into a bowl and beat well to a creamy consistency.
• Slowly beat in 4 medium eggs, one by one, then fold in 200g self-raising flour and mix well.
• Divide the mix between the cake tins, place into the oven and bake for about 20 mins until risen and golden brown. The cakes should spring back when gently pushed in the middle.
• When ready, remove from the oven and allow to cool for 5 mins in the tin, before turning out onto a wire rack and cooling completely.
• Spread about 6 tbsp raspberry jam onto one cake and top with 250ml whipped double cream. Sandwich the cakes together and dust with icing sugar.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/ gas 4. Pour the oil into a small saucepan over a medium heat, add the shallot with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring frequently, for 5 mins until softened and beginning to caramelise.
• Tip in the wine, cook for a couple of mins until reduced by half, then pour in the stock. Leave to bubble for 15-20 mins until you have a thick gravy.
• Put the baguette in the oven for 5 mins to warm up and crisp, then cut in half lengthways. Spread one half with mustard and top with the roast beef.
• Add the parsley, capers and butter to the gravy, stirring until the butter has melted. Season to taste, then spoon the gravy over the other half of the baguette, scattering over some spinach leaves. Halve, divide between two plates, then eat straight away, with more gravy on the side.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Lightly oil 2 x 18cm sandwich cake tins (preferably loose-bottomed) and line the bases with baking parchment. Tip the flour, baking powder, caster sugar and ground almonds into a large mixing bowl, then make a well in the centre. Beat the eggs in a bowl, then stir in the yogurt and vanilla. Pour this mixture, along with the melted butter and oil, into the dry mixture (step 1) and stir briefly together with a large metal spoon until well combined.
• Divide the mixture evenly between the 2 tins (step 2) and level the tops. Bake both cakes, side by side, for 20 mins until risen and beginning to come away slightly from the edges of the tins.
• Remove the cakes from the oven and loosen the sides with a round-bladed knife. Let the cakes cool briefly in the tins, then turn them out. If the tins are loose-bottomed, an easy way is to sit the tin on an upturned jam jar and let the outer ring of the tin drop down (step 3). Peel off the lining paper and sit the cakes on a wire rack. Leave until completely cold.
• Put one of the cakes on a serving plate and spread over the conserve (step 4). Put the other cake on top and sift over the icing sugar, or make a pattern (see tip below).

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease two 8" round cake pans.
• In a medium-sized mixing bowl, beat together the butter and sugar until well combined and smooth.
• Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping the bottom and sides of the bowl after each addition.
• Add the extracts, if you're using them.
• Add the flour, beating gently just until well combined.
• Divide the stiff batter evenly between the cake pans; there'll be 11 to 12 ounces of batter in each, depending on the size eggs you used.
• Bake the cakes for about 20 minutes, or until they start to pull away from the edges of the pans. Remove them from the oven, cool for a couple of minutes, and turn out of the pans onto a rack to cool completely.
• When the cakes are cool, place one layer on a plate. Spread with the jam of your choice.
• Whip the cream - 2/3 cup cream makes a medium-thickness layer of filling; 3/4 cup cream, a thick layer. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, or to taste, as you whip the cream until it's quite stiff. Stir in the vanilla at the end.
• Spread the whipped cream over the jam. Top with the second layer of cake.
• Brush the top of the cake with syrup, and sprinkle with coarse white sparkling sugar, if desired. Or sprinkle with confectioners' sugar just before serving.
• Refrigerate the cake until you're ready to serve it. It'll be at its best within 12 hours; but is still quite good up to 2 or even 3 days later. The difference will be the whipped cream, which will gradually settle/compact.