23 candles and a Victoria Sponge score

Monday, May 17, I celebrated my 23rd birthday. That day seems very far already, just like my age. Everything always goes too fast. But I go with the flow, what else can we do? That day, there weren't many people in my little Brum' bubble : only my brother and my roommate. But tradition is tradition, especially when it comes to birthdays, and even if my parents were to arrive two days later, I needed a cake on my birthday to blow out my candles. With 23 it starts get crowdy on the crust, especially when I don't plan to cook for fifty guests, so I reduced the number to the half and that was good. And after the revelry with the Summer pudding, I reiterated with another recipe from the BBC. This time, it's the Victoria Sponge cake which blew its own trumpet. So let the music play!

I wanted to achieve as much as possible for this cake. As it's usually filled with red fruit jam, I told myself that I could try. Well, I think I should have added few sheets of gelatin, but it was fine in the texture of the cake. It was perfectly soft, like a soaked rum baba. 

I skipped over the cream, because it would have ruined my taste (and I could not afford that for my birthday), but obviously it's up to you. I know most people like some fluffy cream in it. 

I added a handful of white chocolate chips in the batter to give it a boost and extra softness. But besides these two elements, nothing's different. That's why I will direct you to the link to the BBC. It's really well explained, so you'll just well. 

If you want to make jam, here's my recipe : 

You will get two jars, that way you will have some leftovers for breakfast. 

Ingredients for the blackcurrant jam: 

500g currants rinsed and drained

2 branches of mint 

juice of one lemon

400g sugar 

2 jam jars 

Put the blackcurrants in a pan. Pour lemon juice and mint branches. Finally, add the sugar and stir it well until it's soaked with juice. Let stand a few hours. 

Boil 15 to 20 minutes, or when the blackcurrants are beginning to burst. 

Boil your jars and lids in a pot of boiling water and drop them on a surface covered with paper towels (to prevent from splashing). Spread the jam into jars, close them tightly and return them. Leave the jars to cool: it will ensure a better sterilization and preservation. Obviously, if you intend to gobble it up in a few days, the jam will preserve without having to be in sterilized jars. 

Now go pronto to the Victoria Sponge score. Just follow the G clef.

G


Detail from Sir David Wilkie's painting of The first council of Queen Victoria, 1838.