Victoria Sponge Sweet Shop Cake

Heat the oven to 160 C fan. Line 2 x 20cm round baking tins. Add the butter and sugar to a large mixing and use an electric whisk to whip until very light and creamy. You can do this manually, but make sure you whisk until it’s super light!

Add the eggs, one at a time, beating with the electric whisk after each addition until fully combined. If it looks like it’s splitting at all, add a tbsp of the flour. Add the vanilla extract.

Mix the flour and baking powder together with a pinch of salt, then tip into the egg mixture and use a spatula to combine, you want to make sure it’s all combined but try not to beat out too much air.

Add the zest of the lemon, then tip into the baking tins. Bake for 20 - 25 mins, until risen. To check if they’re done, either poke one with a skewer- if it comes out clean, the cakes is done. Otherwise, very lightly press the top with your finger, it should spring back to shape when you remove it. Set aside to cool for 5 mins, then flip out onto a drying rack, remove the baking paper and allow to cool. It’s best to ice the underside of the cake as it’ll be flat!

Whilst the cake cools, make the swiss meringue buttercream. Bring a pan of water to a simmer. Add the egg whites to a metal or glass bowl and add the sugar. Whisk to combine then place the bowl over the simmering water.

Leave to sit, gently whisking every 30 seconds or so, until the sugar has dissolved completely. To check it, lift the whisk out and feel the mixture between your fingers, if it feels at all grainy, keep heating it.

Move the bowl to the side and use an electric whisk or stand mixer and whisk until thick and glossy, the bowl should be cool to touch. Add all of the soft butter and turn the whisk down to medium speed to whisk in, it’ll look split for a minute before it comes together to make silky butter cream! Add the vanilla extract and set aside.

Once the cake is cool, whip the double cream until thick and creamy- if you lift the whisk up, it should leave a little peak but not too firmly, you want it to be lightly whipped. Spread one of the cake with the raspberry jam, pushing it 2cm from the edge of the cake. Top with the double cream, again pushing it 2cm from the edge, then top with the other cake.

Ice the cake with the buttercream, pressing it around the sides and over the top of the cake. Top with the sweets and scatter with popping candy to serve!