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Victoria sponge with tea-scented plum jam


Serves: 10
timePrep time: 55 mins
timeTotal time:
Victoria sponge with tea-scented plum jam
Recipe photograph by Maja Smend

Victoria sponge with tea-scented plum jam

Sandwiched with a smoky lapsang souchong-infused plum jam, this twist on a Great British classic makes for the perfect teatime slice. The jam would work brilliantly on scones, too

Serves: 10
timePrep time: 55 mins
timeTotal time:

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Nutritional information (per serving)
Calories
523Kcal
Fat
28gr
Saturates
17gr
Carbs
64gr
Sugars
49gr
Fibre
1gr
Protein
6gr
Salt
1gr

Abigail Spooner

Abigail Spooner

Abi is our former Junior Food Editor. An obsessive foodie with a sweet tooth, she is happiest when baking and is a firm believer that there is always room for dessert (preferably following a big bowl of pasta)
See more of Abigail Spooner’s recipes
Abigail Spooner

Abigail Spooner

Abi is our former Junior Food Editor. An obsessive foodie with a sweet tooth, she is happiest when baking and is a firm believer that there is always room for dessert (preferably following a big bowl of pasta)
See more of Abigail Spooner’s recipes

Ingredients

  • 200g soft butter, plus extra to grease
  • 200g caster sugar
  • 4 large eggs, beaten
  • 200g self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tbsp milk
For the buttercream
  • 100g soft butter
  • 140g icing sugar, sifted, plus extra to dust
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1⁄2 tbsp milk
For the jam (makes 1.5kg)
  • 8 lapsang souchong tea bags
  • 1kg plums, stones removed, chopped
  • 1 cinnamon stick
  • 1kg jam sugar (or granulated)
  • juice of 1 lemon

Step by step

Get ahead
The jam keeps for 6 months, unopened; store in the fridge after opening for up to 1 month. The sponge layers can be frozen. Leftovers of the assembled cake will keep for 2-3 days.
  1. For the jam, put a few small plates or saucers in the freezer ready to test the set.
  2. Take a square of muslin (or a clean J-cloth that has been sterilised in boiling water) and snip open the tea bags, emptying the tea leaves onto the material. Bring the corners together to make a loose pouch and tie tightly with string. Put in a large heavy-based pan with the plums, 150ml water and the cinnamon. Bring up to the boil, reduce the heat and simmer, uncovered, for 40-45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the plums are very soft and pulpy and the liquid has reduced.
  3. Add the sugar and stir over a low heat until it has dissolved. Add the lemon juice, bring to a rolling boil and boil rapidly for 5-7 minutes. Remove from the heat, put a spoonful of the jam on the frozen plate and test for the setting point by gently pushing the jam with your finger. If it wrinkles on the surface, it is ready. If not, boil for a further 2 minutes and test again. Discard the tea and cinnamon and pour the jam into hot, sterilised jars, seal and leave to cool.
  4. For the cakes, preheat the oven to 190°C, fan 170°C, gas 5. Grease and base-line two 20cm sandwich tins.
  5. Beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, self-raising flour, baking powder and milk until you have a smooth batter. Divide the mixture evenly between the tins, using a spatula to level out the surface.
  6. Bake for 20-22 minutes until springy to the touch. Cool in the tins for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
  7. For the buttercream, beat the butter until creamy then gradually add the icing sugar. Finally, beat in the vanilla extract and milk.
  8. Spread the buttercream over one sponge then spread over about 225g of the plum jam. Take care not to spread too far to the edges. Sandwich the second sponge on top and finish with a dusting of icing sugar.

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