Victorian sponge cake

My first food-related post on this blog... something I made a while ago. Even though my friends I are but college students, I like our gatherings to be an excuse to dress up. I hosted a little "afternoon tea" because I love going to those Asian cafes. The ones I have been to have really decadent teatimes with different kinds of beverages and a set of pastries. In our usual potluck style, I was responsible for dessert. I wanted something tradition teatime-y, but also something that would make an attractive centerpiece. I settled on a traditional Victorian sponge cake, and since strawberries were in season, filled with strawberries and fresh whipped cream.

I adapted a few recipes I had found online to create this. It was a bit experimental ^^ But it was light and airy like a classic sponge, the strawberries were fresh, and the whipped cream was of course delicious... everyone raved about it, so I was satisfied with the results!

Victorian Sponge Cake
Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 cup confectioners' sugar
• 1 cup butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup milk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons confectioner's sugar (more for garnish)
  
• strawberries
  

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease two cake pans and set aside.
2. Sift the flour and baking powder into a bowl. Set aside.
3. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer in another bowl. Add the eggs, one at a time, incorporating fully. Mix well.
4. Stir the flour mixture into the wet mixture. Beat in the milk and vanilla until the batter is smooth. Pour the batter into the baking pans.
5. Bake for 20 minutes or until the toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely and unmold.
6. Whip cream with electric mixer. When peaks start to form, add in vanilla extract and sugar. Beat for a little while longer, but make sure not to overbeat.
7. Spread a layer of halved strawberries on the cake. Cover with whipped cream. Garnish cake as you like with more whipped cream, strawberries, and confectioner's sugar.