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  • February 23, 2019

Irish American Mom

Celebrating Our Irish Heritage Together

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Victoria Sponge Sandwich

September 9, 2016 by Irish American Mom 25 Comments

The Victoria Sandwich consists of two sponge cake layers sandwiched together with raspberry jam and cream, then dusted on top with confectioners’  sugar.

This teatime treat became popular in England and Ireland during the reign of Queen Victoria, whose name this cake now bears.  Originally caster sugar was sprinkled on top, but I prefer to use finer confectioner’s sugar.

Being a quintessential English cake you may ask why I am sharing this recipe on my Irish blog. Much of Ireland’s favorite cakes and recipes were first created in England, but cooked throughout Ireland in the days of regal homes and land holding gentry.

jam-and-cream-sponge-cake-using-an-english-or-irish-traditional-recipe

Remember Irish girls were the back bone of the work force in many grand English and Irish homes in days gone by. They cooked and baked with finesse in these busy kitchens, and when they visited their Irish relatives they brought these wonderful recipes home with them.

No surprise, based on this cake’s name, that it is said to have been Queen Victoria’s favorite cake, and has now become a baking classic.

However, this cake did not start off as an afternoon tea treat for English ladies and gentlemen. It was in fact invented for nursery tea time.

Afternoon tea cakes at the turn of the 19th century usually contained fruits and seeds. This, more easy to chew sponge, cake was created for safety reasons for little ones to enjoy. Less chance of choking on a plain old sponge.

Perhaps Queen Victoria first tasted this delight in the palace nursery – she did have a big family after all. Then, once the queen herself started enjoying this butter sponge, it became a classic Victorian era afternoon treat.

And remember this is a perfect party cake – full of spongy goodness. This recipe is my family’s go-to cake for birthday celebrations.

Traditionally it is served sandwiched with jam and fresh whipped cream, but buttercream frosting is a perfect pairing, opening up many possibilities for decorating.

This versatile cake also makes a super-simple, yet tasty wedding cake.

slice-of-jam-and-cream-sponge-sandwich-cake

Ingredients for a Victoria Sponge Sandwich:

 

Today, I’m going to share my basic traditional Victoria Sandwich Sponge recipe.  Previously I shared my recipe for an Irish Sponge Cake, which is a butter free and slightly lighter sponge cake, made with just eggs, sugar and flour.

Ingredients for a  traditional Victoria Sandwich are also simple and wholesome – eggs, flour, sugar, and butter.  When I baked with my mother as a child we would always decide our ingredient ratio like this….

8:8:4:8  

or

6:6:3:6

Depending on the size of the sandwich trays, that translated to 8 oz of butter, 8 oz of sugar, 4 eggs and 8 oz of flour, for a 7- or 8-inch round baking tray. For baking trays of 6 inch diameter or less, our recipe called for 6 oz butter, 6 oz of sugar, 3 eggs and 6 oz of flour.

I still remember the ratios to this very day, but my challenge in America is to convert this ratio to cups. Then, to confuse me even more, Ireland switched to the metric system and my straightforward 8:8:4:8 got turned upside down with all those grams and kilograms.

victoria-sponge-with-cream-and-raspberry-jam

But fear not, I’ve worked out my measurements for baking success in America and I’ve included both an American and European printable recipe at the bottom of this post.

In days gone by cooks would actually weigh the eggs they used. Since eggs were available straight from the chicken coop or hen house, they came in many sizes. The 8:8:4:8 ratio would call for 4 ounces of eggs, which might be 3 or 4 depending on how big the eggs were. In today’s modern grocery stores our eggs are pretty uniform in size so there’s no need to weigh them.

Now, for American bakers I highly recommend using cake flour for a Victoria sandwich.  It’s a far finer flour with less protein content than regular all-purpose flour. Cake flour is the answer for light and airy sponge cakes.

ingredients-for-a-victoria-sponge-sandwich-cake-irish-or-english-style

And so without further ado, here’s what you need for a Victoria sponge cake…

 

  • 1 cup of butter (2 sticks)
  • 1 and 1/8 cup of sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups of cake flour
  • 3 teaspoons of baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons of whole milk
  • 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
  • 3 tablespoons of confectioners’ sugar
  • 1/4 cup of raspberry jam

 

Directions for Baking a Victoria Sponge Sandwich Cake:

 

First things first, you’ll need to turn on the oven so that it’ll be nice and hot when you’re ready to pop your cakes in to bake. Preheat the oven to 375° F or 190° C.

preparing-baking-pans-for-a-sponge-cake

And always prepare your baking tins or pans before getting started. For any cake that needs to rise in the oven no time can be wasted between the time the wet ingredients meet the dry. So always have those pans ready and waiting.

My recipe calls for two 8-inch round baking pans. Grease the bottom and sides with butter, and then cut out a parchment paper circle to cover the bottom of the pans. I even add a little more butter on top of the parchment paper to ensure they easily lift of the baked cake surface.

If you don’t have any parchment paper, then dust the buttered pan with a little flour.

sifting-flour-for-a-victoria-sponge-sandwich-cake

Next, prepare the dry ingredients. Sift the cake flour, baking powder and pinch of salt together.   

In Ireland I use regular self rising flour, but in America I add baking powder to cake flour since I have never found self-rising cake flour in any f the states where I have lived.

Remember sifting the flour adds extra air and lightness to the finished sponge.

creaming-butter-and-sugar-together-until-light-and-fluffy

Cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and fluffy.

The butter will turn a much lighter shade of pale as you beat it and whip some air into it. Do not rush this step. It takes quite a bit of beating to achieve a light, fluffy texture.

When I was a school girl in Dublin learning home economics, we had no electric mixers in the classroom. We had to beat the butter and sugar together using a wooden spoon. Can’t you just hear me telling my kids about how tough it was in the “old days.”

Every time my teacher peered into my mixing bowl I would say a little prayer the butter was creamed enough. A shake of the head meant that butter needed a lot more beating and arm muscle aches were definitely in store.

adding-eggs-one-at-a-time-with-a-little-flour-for-a-victoria-sponge-cake-batter

Add the eggs one at a time with a spoonful of flour.

Mix on low speed to avoid curdling the eggs.

batter-for-an-english-victoria-sponge-cake

Next, add half of the flour with a tablespoon of milk and fold into the butter mixture with a spatula. 

Repeat with the remainder of the flour.

Be very gentle with the batter as you fold in the flour.

batter-in-two-baking-pans-for-a-victoria-sponge-sandwich-cake

Divide the batter between the two baking pans and smooth the surface with a spatula or the back of the spoon.

I always shape a little hollow in the center of the sponges, to prevent them from rising in a peak in the middle of the cake. Victoria sandwiches always have a flat upper surface.

victoria-sandwich-fresh-out-of-the-oven

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 18 to 20 minutes until the tops are golden brown.

Remove from the oven and cool for 5 minutes in the baking trays.

cooling-sponge-cake-halves-on-wire-trays

Next, turn the sponge cakes out onto wire racks to cool completely.

spreading-jam-on-one-half-of-a-sponge-sandwich-cake

When at room temperature place one half of the sponge, top-side-down, onto a serving plate.

Spread the raspberry jam over the surface.

adding-a-layer-of-cream-to-a-victoria-englis-sponge-sandwich-cake

Whip the heavy cream with two tablespoons of the confectioners’ sugar (or less if you don’t like sweet cream.) Spread the cream over the jam.

victoria-sponge-sandwich-cake-on-a-cake-stand

Place the second sponge layer on top of the cream. Dust the top with sifted confectioners’ sugar.

And voilà , there you have it, a deliciously light and luscious, jam and cream sponge sandwich cake.

victoria-sponge-sandwich-with-jam-and-cream-using-a-traditional-irish-or-english-recipe

Enjoy with your favorite cup of afternoon tea, a cup of joe, or as my kids like it, with a class of cold milk.

The printable recipes follow…

 

Victoria Sponge Sandwich Cake Printable Recipe Using American Cup Measurements:

 

Here’s my recipe for readers in the United States. Remember cake flour is the best for this cake, if you want an authentically Irish or English texture to your light and airy sponge cake.

Print
Yum
Victoria Sponge Sandwich Cake

Prep Time: 30 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

Yield: 8 to 10 servings

Serving Size: 1 slice

Victoria Sponge Sandwich Cake

A traditional English sponge recipe, this cake consists of two sponge layers sandwiched together with raspberry jam and cream and dusted on top with sugar.

Ingredients

  • 1 cup of butter (2 sticks)
  • 1 and 1/8 cups of sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 cups of cake flour
  • 3 teaspoons of baking powder
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 tablespoons of whole milk
  • 1 cup of heavy whipping cream
  • 3 tablespoons of confectioners' sugar
  • 1/4 cup of raspberry jam

Instructions

  1. Prepare two 8 inch round baking pans by greasing the surface with butter and lining the bottoms with parchment paper.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
  3. Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set aside.
  4. Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
  5. Add one egg at a time with a spoon of flour to the butter mixture and mix together on a low speed.
  6. Add half of the remaining flour with half the milk and gently mix the batter with a spatula. Repeat with the remainder of the flour.
  7. Divide the batter equally between the prepared baking pans. Smooth the top of the batter with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
  8. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes in the pre-heated oven until the cakes are risen and golden brown.
  9. Remove from the oven and set the baking trays to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. When slightly cooled turn each sponge out onto the wire rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment paper liners from the lower surface of the sponges.
  10. Whip the heavy cream with two tablespoons of confectioner's sugar until thickened.
  11. When the sponge cakes are cooled completely place one cake half on a cake dish. Spread the upper surface with raspberry jam.
  12. Cover the jam with the whipped cream and place the other cake half on top.
  13. Dust the top with the remainder of the confectioner's sugar.
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Printable Recipe For Victoria Sponge Sandwich Using Metric and Imperial Measurements:

 

For Irish and English readers and anyone who uses metric measurements when baking here’s a printabl recipe for you…

Victoria Sponge Sandwich

Print recipe
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Victoria Sponge Sandwich
Serves 8 -10
Prep time 30 minutes
Cook time 20 minutes
Total time 50 minutes
Allergy Egg, Milk, Wheat
Meal type Dessert
Misc Serve Cold
Occasion Birthday Party
Region British
A traditional English sponge recipe, this cake consists of two sponge layers sandwiched together with raspberry jam and cream and dusted on top with sugar.

Ingredients

  • 225g butter (8 ounces)
  • 225g caster sugar (8 ounces)
  • 4 Medium eggs
  • 225g self-rising flour (8 ounces)
  • pinch of salt
  • 150ml whipping cream
  • 3 tablespoons icing sugar
  • 2 to 3 tablespoons raspberry jam

Directions

Step 1 Prepare two 8 inch round baking pans by greasing the surface with butter and lining the bottoms with parchment paper.
Step 2 Preheat the oven to 190 degrees C.
Step 3 Sift the flour, baking powder and salt into a bowl and set aside.
Step 4 Cream the butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy.
Step 5 Add one egg at a time with a spoon of flour to the butter mixture and mix together on a low speed.
Step 6 Add half of the remaining flour with half the milk and gently mix the batter with a spatula. Repeat with the remainder of the flour.
Step 7 Divide the batter equally between the prepared baking pans. Smooth the top of the batter with a spatula or the back of a spoon.
Step 8 Bake for 18 to 20 minutes in the pre-heated oven until the cakes are risen and golden brown.
Step 9 Remove from the oven and set the baking trays to cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes. When slightly cooled turn each sponge out onto the wire rack to cool completely. Remove the parchment paper liners from the lower surface of the sponges.
Step 10 Whip the heavy cream with two tablespoons of confectioner's sugar until thickened.
Step 11 When the sponge cakes are cooled completely place one cake half on a cake dish. Spread the upper surface with raspberry jam.
Step 12 Cover the jam with the whipped cream and place the other cake half on top.
Step 13 Dust the top with the remainder of the confectioner's sugar.
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Happy baking everyone.

 

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

 

Irish American Mom

Filed Under: All Recipes, Cooking, Irish Cakes, Cookies And Desserts Tagged With: Birthday Cake, British Cooking, Cooking, English Recipes, Irish Cakes, Irish Desserts, Irish Food and Cooking, Irish Recipes, Jam or Jelly Recipes, Recipes with Heavy Cream, Sponge Cake, Victoria Sandwich

Chocolate Biscuit Cake

August 4, 2015 by Irish American Mom 19 Comments

Chocolate biscuit cake, also called tiffin cake, is a favorite in Irish coffee shops and restaurants.  Made with chocolate and crumbled digestive and rich tea biscuits, it’s a perfect cake for summer. No need to turn the oven on.

Chocolate Biscuit Cake made with graham crackers and animal crackers

Melting chocolate is all the “cooking” required, and it can be stored in the refrigerator to prevent chocolate melt down on hot summer days. I love no bake cakes.

One of my little boys LOVES chocolate biscuit cake. His nana introduced him to this delicious Irish treat in Dublin, and ever since we got back to Kentucky he has been asking me to make a chocolate biscuit cake.

Slices of chocolate biscuit cake

Digestive and rich tea biscuits are not easily available at my local grocery story. Sometimes they’re stocked at the British section in Meijers, but rather than search for specialty ingredients every time I need to make a chocolate biscuit cake, I decided to tweak my Irish recipe for cooking success in America.

My solution is to use graham crackers instead of digestive biscuits, and to substitute animal crackers for rich tea biscuits.

Remember in Ireland biscuits are cookies – an American biscuit is called a scone on the other side of the Atlantic.

And so here’s my Americanized version of chocolate biscuit cake, or perhaps I should call it chocolate cookie cake, or chocolate cracker cake.

Ingredients for Irish Chocolate Biscuit Cake

Ingredients:

 

  • 1 x 11.5 oz packet of milk chocolate chips (or a combination of milk and bittersweet chocolate chips)
  • 4 oz butter (1 stick diced)
  • 1 x 14 oz. tin of condensed milk
  • 2 tablespoons of golden syrup (optional)
  • 8 oz of graham crackers (1 sleeve)
  • 50 animal crackers

Note – some people add a little salt to their cake to counteract all the sweetness, but I find there’s plenty salt in the graham crackers so we can avoid the additional sodium. I also use salted rather than unsalted butter.

Lining a loaf pan with plastic wrap for chocolate cookie cake

Line a 9 x 5 inch loaf tin with plastic wrap.

Leave excess plastic wrap at each end of the pan. This will be used to wrap the cake before it gets refrigerated.

Broken biscuits or cookies for chocolate biscuit cake

Break the crackers or biscuits into small pieces in a mixing bowl.

For anyone making this cake in Ireland, I would use a 1/2 packet of digestive biscuits and a 1/2 packet of rich tea biscuits instead of the graham and animal crackers.

I have eaten biscuit cakes where the cookie bits are extremely small, but I like to leave the pieces fairly big. I break each graham cracker into 6 or 8 pieces and simply halve the animal crackers.

Melting chocolate chips, butter and golden syrup for biscuit cake

Place a heat proof bowl over a pot of simmering water.  Add the chocolate chips, butter, and golden syrup to melt. Stir the mixture frequently so that it melts evenly.

I use all milk chocolate chips, but feel free to use a combination of both dark bittersweet chocolate and milk chocolate chips.

Dark chocolate just isn’t my thing, even though I know it’s far healthier with 70% or more cocoa. I just can’t do it, no matter what the doctor might say.  I don’t think there are many doctor’s approving of chocolate biscuit cake anyway.

Adding condensed milk to melted chocolate for biscuit cake

Remove the chocolate from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Stir in the condensed milk.

Many chocolate biscuit cakes use much more golden syrup and omit the condensed milk, but I love the fudge like consistency when condensed milk is used.

If you cannot get golden syrup in the United States you can omit it or use corn syrup instead.

Here’s a quick tip for an adult version of this cake. Hold back on a little of the condensed milk and substitute a little Bailey’s Irish cream liqueur.  You’ll take this recipe over the top with a creamy taste of Ireland.

This time I made an alcohol free version for my little boy.

Blending biscuits and melted chocolate for biscuit cake or cookie cake

Combine the wet with the dry ingredients and mix well to ensure the cracker pieces are completely covered in chocolate.

Chocolate Biscuit Cake Mixture in a Loaf Pan

Pour into the lined loaf pan, pressing the mixture down with a spatula to prevent any “air locks” and smooth out the top.

You really need to press it into the pan to  squeeze out all the air. Even after all my pressing I still had a few air bubbles this time.

Plastic wrap or cling film covering a chocolate biscuit cake

Cover the cake with the excess plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours.

Fingers of Chocolate Biscuit Cake

Cut into small squares or fingers to serve.

This is a very rich cake, and a little goes a long way. I love picking on some biscuit cake fingers with a nice cuppa.

Inside of a chocolate biscuit cake

This cake can be covered in plastic wrap and stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.

Not even a morsel has survived in our house for more than a week, but my mother assures me it does keep well in the fridge. Simply wrap it well and put it in an airtight container.

Biscuit Cake Finger or Block Stack

I got a little carried away with my chocolate biscuit cake fingers. I started to build a tower. Chocolate biscuit cake Jenga anyone.

Here’s the printable recipe if you’d like to keep a copy on file.

Print
Yum
Chocolate Biscuit Cake

Chocolate Biscuit Cake

Ingredients

  • 1 x 11.5 oz packet of milk chocolate chips (or a combination of milk and bittersweet chocolate chips)
  • 4 oz butter (1 stick diced)
  • 1 x 14 oz. tin of condensed milk
  • 2 tablespoons of golden syrup (optional)
  • 8 oz of graham crackers (1 sleeve)
  • 50 animal crackers

Instructions

  1. Line a 9 x 5 inch loaf tin with plastic wrap.
  2. Break the crackers or biscuits into small pieces in a mixing bowl.
  3. Place a heat proof bowl over a pot of simmering water. Add the chocolate chips, butter, and golden syrup to melt. Stir the mixture frequently so that it melts evenly.
  4. Remove the chocolate from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Stir in the condensed milk.
  5. Combine the wet with the dry ingredients and mix well to ensure the cracker pieces are completely covered in chocolate.
  6. Pour into the lined loaf pan, pressing the mixture down with a spatula to prevent any “air locks” and smooth out the top.
  7. Cover the cake with the excess plastic wrap, then refrigerate for at least 3 hours.
  8. Cut into small squares or fingers to serve.
  9. This cake can be covered in plastic wrap and stored in the fridge for up to 2 weeks.
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I hope you all enjoy this Americanized version of one my all time favorite Irish treats.

This cake is loved in the United Kingdom also.  Prince William chose chocolate biscuit cake for his groom’s cake.  He has good taste in cakes.

Happy easy summer baking to all!

 

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Filed Under: All Recipes, Cooking, Irish Cakes, Cookies And Desserts Tagged With: Cakes, Chocolate, Easy baking, Easy Dessert Recipes, Irish Cakes, Irish Recipes, No bake cakes

Kerry Or Irish Apple Cake

March 1, 2013 by Irish American Mom 92 Comments

Kerry Apple Cake, also known as Irish Apple Cake, is a moist cake with a crunchy top, and can be served cold or warm with chilled cream or custard.

An Irish Apple Cake is technically not a cake at all.  Apple bread is a better description, but I suppose our ancestors assigned the title cake to any baked good with a little bit of precious sugar added.

Known as Kerry Apple Cake in many parts of Ireland, I thought it was high time to share my recipe, especially since we took a lovely photo tour of County Kerry in an earlier blog post this week.

This cake was traditionally cooked in a bastible, a black wrought iron cooking pot.  The bread was covered in the pot and hung over the fire to cook.

I remember my granny’s kitchen in County Cork, with a black iron kettle singing over the fire, or the bastible cooking potatoes or bread.  The day the open fire was replaced with a big range, complete with oven and cooktop, has left an indelible mark on my memory.  On that day I witnessed the end of an era. But that’s a story for another day.

Ingredients for Kerry Apple Cake:

 

  • 3 cups cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 4oz butter
  • 3/4 cups sugar
  • 3 or 4 large Granny Smith apples
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons sugar (to sprinkle on top of cake)

The apples I use are Granny Smiths.  If I was in Ireland I would use Bramley cooking apples, the best apples in the world for baking.  But alack and alas I can’t find my favorite cooking apple here in America.

But why are they better than an eating apple, you may ask?  When cooked they retain a lovely tangy flavor, and with heat develop a pefect ‘melt-in-the-mouth’ texture, since they contain more acid and less sugar than other apples.

Granny Smiths are my chosen substitute when baking this cake in America, because they are the tangiest of American apples I can find.

You’ll notice I stuck one small apple into my ingredient shot, just to prove every apple is not created equally.  They come in all the same shapes, but different sizes.  The amount of sliced apples used is key to apple cake success so really check your apple size. Three apples means three large Granny Smiths.  If you can only get small apples, then you will need to use at least six.

Directions for Kerry Apple Cake:

 

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.  Prepare a 9-inch round baking pan by spraying with oil or coating with butter. 

Sift the cake flour, baking powder, salt, cloves and nutmeg into a large mixing bowl.  Trust me – you need a big bowl, because once the sliced apples are added you’ll have a large amount of cake mix.

I like to prepare the flour and rub in the butter before I peel and slice my apples.  This avoids adding browning apple slices to the cake.

All-purpose flour works for this recipe, but I prefer cake flour.  This lighter flour produces a softer crusted cake, which better resembles an apple cake made in Ireland.

You’ll notice I don’t use any cinnamon.  I prefer to add a hint of cloves and nutmeg, spices more closely associated with apples in Ireland. If you can’t imagine cooked apples without cinnamon, feel free to toss some in.

When I first came to America I was overwhelmed by the amount of cinnamon used in so many breads and cakes.  It took many years for my taste buds to adjust to apple pie with cinnamon.   Irish apple pies or tarts are made without spice or with a hint of cloves.

Cut the butter into the flour and rub it in using your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. 

I confess I don’t own a pastry cutter.  Throughout my childhood I watched my mom and grannys rubbing butter into flour using their bare hands, so there’s no modernizing me at this stage.  You can’t teach an old horse new tricks.

If you use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour, I would increase the amount of butter to 6 ounces.  This helps keep the crust from getting too hard.

Next toss in the sugar and mix it through the flour.

Now it’s time to wash your hands and prepare the apples.  Use a minimum of 3 large apples, but in my opinion, it is hard to have too much apple in this cake, so feel free to add an additional one.

Peel and slice the apples into similar sized pieces. 

My apple slices are about 1/4 inch thick.  Lie each slice flat and cut them into triangular quarters.  The thinner rectangular side slices can be cut in half.

Some cooks like to dice the apples into smaller pieces and add walnuts.  I prefer larger apple slices and as my granny would have said – “It’s far from walnuts you were reared.”

Toss the apples into the flour mixture and combine them thoroughly.

My advice is to work quickly because apples turn brown pretty fast.  The faster they are covered in flour mixture the better.  You can see how my apples are beginning to go a little brown at the edges, but I did have to pause to take photos.

Beat the eggs and add a dash of milk.  Add to the apples and flour and combine well with a large spoon. 

Add more milk as needed to fully moisten the flour.  The result is a pretty sticky dough.

Transfer the dough into the prepared cake pan and flatten the top surface using the back of a large spoon.

I use a 9-inch round pan.  An 8-inch round pan will simply yield a taller cake.  However, moving up to a 10-inch round pan is not advised.  With these specific ingredient ratios, the cake would be way too flat.

Next comes the final touch for a crispy top layer.

Sprinkle two tablespoons of sugar over the top of the cake. 

In Ireland I recommend using caster sugar, but regular American sugar is just perfect.  Regular Irish sugar is far grainier than the American variety.

Bake the cake in the preheated 375 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes.  A toothpick or knife will come out clean when it is cooked and the top will be a lovely golden brown.

Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire wrack to finish cooling.

I love to see the slices of apple peeping through the top layer.  Just yummy!

My family love this cake served still slightly warm.  Lovely with butter melting on top, or a dollop of cream or smothered in custard, you’ll certainly be licking your fingers and asking for seconds.

Here’s the printable recipe ….

Kerry Apple Cake

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Kerry Apple Cake
Serves 10 - 12
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 50 minutes
Total time 1 hours, 10 minutes
Meal type Bread
Region Irish
Kerry Apple Cake, also known as Irish Apple Cake, is a moist cake with a crunchy top, and can be served cold or warm with chilled cream or custard.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups cake flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
  • 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 4oz butter
  • 3/4 cups sugar
  • 3 or 4 Large Granny Smith apples
  • 2 eggs
  • 1/4 cup milk
  • 2 tablespoons sugar (to sprinkle on top of cake)

Directions

Step 1 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Prepare a 9-inch round baking pan by spraying with oil or coating with butter.
Step 2 Sift the cake flour, baking powder, salt, cloves and nutmeg into a large mixing bowl.
Step 3 Cut the butter into the flour and rub it in using your fingers or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles fine bread crumbs.
Step 4 Toss in the sugar and combine it with the flour mixture.
Step 5 Peel and slice the apples into similar 1" to 2" sized pieces.
Step 6 Add the apples into the flour mixture and mix them thoroughly.
Step 7 Beat the eggs and add a dash of milk. Add to the apples and flour and combine well with a large spoon. Add more milk as needed to fully moisten the flour. The result is a pretty sticky mixture.
Step 8 Transfer the dough into the prepared cake pan and flatten the top surface using the back of a large spoon.
Step 9 Sprinkle two tablespoons of sugar over the top of the cake.
Step 10 Bake the cake in the preheated 375 degree oven for 45 to 50 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire wrack to finish cooling.
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Hope you all enjoy this little taste of rural Ireland.

Slán agus beannacht leat!

(Goodbye and blessings)

 

 

Irish American Mom

Filed Under: All Recipes, Bread, Muffins, Pancakes and Scones, Cooking, Irish Cakes, Cookies And Desserts Tagged With: Apple, Baking, Bread, Cake, Favorite Irish Foods, Irish Baking, Irish Cakes, Irish Recipes, Kerry

Irish Fruit & Cream Flan

August 21, 2012 by Irish American Mom 15 Comments

When I first came to America and ordered a “flan” for dessert at a restaurant I got a little shock when the waitress placed a molded, wobbly, sweet custard, delicacy in front of me.  Not wanting to display my ignorance I ate it all up, and licked my lips. It was delicious, but not what I envisioned when I read the word ‘flan’.

I had a completely different notion in my head.  You see, in Britain and Ireland, the term flan is used to describe an open pastry or sponge shell, filled with fruit and cream or some delicious savory filling.

 

Now that’s an Irish fruit flan.  See how confused I was.

I love to make both kinds of flans now that I have lived in America for over twenty years.  Today, let’s focus on the Irish sponge-cake version.

I like to use mandarin oranges and kiwis to decorate this cake, mimicking the colors of the Irish flag (perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any other Irish celebration).

 

My mom always made a flan using her trusted sponge cake recipe.  Here’s how she did it:

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cups cake flour (plus two tablespoons)
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 and 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar
  • Fruit to decorate (mandarin oranges and kiwis work great for Irish flag colors).

Instructions:

Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F, then prepare an 11-inch round fluted flan baking pan by spraying it with flour-infused oil.

If you don’t have this spray, just grease the pan thoroughly with soft butter and then dust it lightly with a coating of flour.

 

Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl and add the sugar.  Make sure the eggs are at room temperature before whipping them.  Cold eggs do not hold as much air.

 

Use an electric mixer to beat the eggs and sugar together until the egg mixture has thickened and turned a very pale yellow.  This will take anywhere from 5 to 10 minutes depending on how powerful your mixer is.  You can always beat the eggs with a whisk but you will need a very strong arm, and plenty of patience, to thicken the eggs and incorporate enough air.

 

Sift the flour and baking powder together.  Use a large spoon or spatula to fold one third of the flour into the egg mixture.  Do not beat it with a mixer at this stage.  Repeat with the rest of the flour in two more stages..

Make sure you lift the egg mixture from the bottom of the bowl, to fully incorporate the flour and to avoid pockets of trapped flour.

 

Pour the sponge mixture into the prepared flan dish.  Use a spatula to spread it evenly.

Place the baking dish into the pre-heated oven and bake for 25 minutes, until the top is golden brown.  The center of the cake should feel spongy when lightly pressed (be careful not to burn your fingertips).

Let the cake rest for 2 minutes, before turning it out on a wire rack to cool.

Cool it completely before decorating.  The sponge can be a little dry, so I use the juice from the mandarin oranges to moisten it.  I avoid buying oranges that come in heavy syrup, since this is too sweet.  Just drain the oranges, reserving the juice. Spoon it evenly over the sponge base.

Fill the shell with whipped cream that has been sweetened to taste with confectioner’s sugar.

Decorate with the mandarin oranges and kiwis or any other fruit assortment you may like.

Here is one I made using strawberries and blueberries for a patriotic look on the 4th of July.  Since I did not have mandarin orange juice to moisten the base, I added a layer of jam beneath the cream.

Here is the printable recipe:

Irish Fruit And Cream Flan

Print recipe
  • Print with main photo
  • Print text only
Irish Fruit And Cream Flan
Serves 8 - 10
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 25 minutes
Total time 45 minutes
Meal type Dessert
Region Irish
In Britain and Ireland, the term flan is used to describe an open pastry or sponge shell, filled with fruit and cream. This sponge is made without eggs, sugar and flour, with no added butter.

Ingredients

  • 4 eggs
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cups cake flour (plus 2 tablespoons)
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 and 1/2 cup heavy whipping cream (to decorate)
  • 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar (to decorate)
  • 2 cups fresh or canned fruit (to decorate)

Directions

Step 1 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare an 11-inch round fluted flan baking pan by spraying it with flour-infused oil.
Step 2 Break the eggs into a large mixing bowl and add the sugar. Use an electric mixer to beat the eggs and sugar together until the egg mixture has become very thick and turned a very pale yellow.
Step 3 Sift the flour and baking powder together. Use a large spoon or spatula to fold the flour into the egg mixture, one third at a time.
Step 4 Pour the sponge mixture into the prepared flan dish. Use a spatula to spread it evenly.
Step 5 Bake in the pre-heated oven for 25 minutes until the top is golden brown.
Step 6 Cool for 2 minutes before inverting on a wire tray to cool completely.
Step 7 Decorate with freshly whipped cream and fruit of choice.
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Hope you enjoy this little taste of Ireland.

 

Slán agus beannacht leat!

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

 

 

Filed Under: All Recipes, Cooking, Irish Cakes, Cookies And Desserts Tagged With: All Recipes, Cooking, Cream, Fruit, Irish Baking, Irish Cakes, Irish Desserts, Irish Recipes, Sponge Flan

Irish Sponge Cake

June 11, 2012 by Irish American Mom 73 Comments

Irish sponge cake is a light and delicate egg sponge filled with a layer of jam and lots of luscious cream, with a light dusting of confectioners’ sugar on top.  I loved this cake when I was growing up in Ireland.

Irish Sponge cake - no butter recipe

This cake recipe requires no butter.  That’s right! A butter free cake! You may have heard of a Victoria Sponge Sandwich Cake which is similar to this cake, but it contains quite a bit of butter.

For butter free cake or sponge this is the recipe you need.

This is my Mom’s go-to recipe whenever she wants to make a quick, inexpensive cake that is relatively good for you.  The recipe calls for four eggs, resulting in a protein-rich treat, disguised as cake.

I confess I was easy to please as a child.  When my mom asked what kind of cake I wanted for my birthday I always requested this sponge cake.  No frosting frenzy required for me.  Just a simple dusting of confectioners’ sugar on this cream-filled delight, and I was as happy as a bee.

 

Ingredients for an Irish sponge cake

Ingredients

  • 4 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cups cake flour (plus two tablespoons)
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup strawberry or raspberry jam
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons confectioners’ sugar

Optional

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

I loved to bake cakes when I was a teenager in Ireland.  My Mom’s sponge cake recipe was easy to remember – 4 eggs, 4 ounces of sugar and 4 ounces of flour.  4-4-4 made it ever so simple.

Not so simple when I came to America, and tried to replicate my Irish cake baking successes.  My first attempts were a complete failure.  I used 4 eggs and 1/2 cup of both sugar and flour.  It took me a while to realize that 4 ounces of sugar is a half cup, but that flour is significantly lighter than sugar.  I needed 3/4 cups of flour, plus an additional 2 tablespoons to achieve the exact same ratios as in my mother’s recipe.

 

Beating eggs and sugar for a sponge

Sponge cake success is dependent upon beating as much air as possible into an egg and sugar mixture to ensure the cake rises when it hits the heat of the oven.  Make sure your eggs are at room temperature before beating them.  Cold eggs do not hold as much air.

Add the eggs and sugar to the bowl of an electric mixer.  Turn onto high and let the mixer perform its magic.

Preparing baking tins for a sponge cake

While the mixer is busy beating up those eggs and sugar, prepare two 9-inch round baking pans by spraying them with non-stick spray infused with flour.

I love this stuff!  It is so much easier than the old fashioned way.  We used to grease the pans with an old butter wrapper, then add flour and tap it around the pan to completely coat the buttery surface in a thin white layer of flour.  Now that awkward job has been transformed into a few quick spritzes with this miraculous floury spray.  Hats off to whoever invented this stuff!  You have my eternal gratitude.

Sifting flour for a sponge cake

Next prepare the flour by sifting it with the baking powder.  My mom does not use any baking powder at all, but I find that just 1/8 of a teaspoon helps when using American flour.

Always sift the flour.  The process adds air to the flour mixture, helping create a lighter sponge cake.

Beating eggs and sugar until thick

The egg and sugar mixture will increase in volume many times over as it gets whipped up with air.  It takes anywhere from 6 to 8 minutes depending on the power of your mixer to achieve a thickened, glossy consistency.  When the egg mixture is ready the beater will be leaving markings on the mixture as it turns, and the mixture’s color will be a very, very pale yellow.

Folding flour into a sponge mixture

Spoon half the flour into the egg mixture.  Using a spatula, gently fold in the flour.  Do not use the electric mixer to add the flour, since this would deflate all the lovely air pockets that will help the cake to rise.

Add the vanilla essence at this point if you like the flavor.  I never add vanilla – it is not a sponge cake flavor I grew up with.

Add the second half of the flour and again fold it in gently.  Make sure to lift the mixture from the very bottom of the bowl as you fold in the flour.  This will release air pockets of trapped flour like the one pictured above.

Pouring sponge cake batter into a baking pan

When the flour is fully incorporated pour half the mixture into each of the prepared baking pans.

Sponge cake batter in pan

Spread it out evenly using the spatula.  Place the cake pans in the pre-heated oven and bake for 15 minutes at 375 degrees and then reduce to 350 degrees for a final 10 minutes.

Cooked no butter sponge

When cooked the cakes will be a light golden color and will be slightly springy to the touch.  When touched with a finger tip, no indentation will remain.

Cooling sponge cake on a wire rack

Use a knife to loosen the edges of the sponge layer from the side of the cake pan if necessary.  Turn the cakes onto a wire rack to cool.

Spreading jam on a sponge cake

Spread a 1/4 cup of jam on the inner aspect of each sponge layer.

Beat the heavy whipping cream in a mixing bowl using an electric mixer, until the cream is thick and easy to spread.  Add 1 tablespoon of confectioners’ sugar to the cream if a sweeter taste is desired.

Layer of cream in a sponge cake

Place the lower layer of the sponge on a serving plate.  Cover the jam with a thick layer of cream.

Jam and cream sponge

Place the top sponge layer on top of the cream, to create a jam and cream sandwich.

Decorate the cake with a light coating of confectioners’ sugar sifted on top.

Slice of Irish sponge cake

Slice and enjoy this light, delicate cake with jam and luscious cream.  My little girl announced tonight, that sponge cake is her favorite cake in the whole wide world.  It’s her Mommy’s favorite cake too.

Here is the printable recipe.

Irish Sponge Cake

Print recipe
  • Print with main photo
  • Print text only
Irish Sponge Cake
Serves 8
Prep time 20 minutes
Cook time 25 minutes
Total time 45 minutes
Meal type Dessert
Region Irish
An Irish Sponge Cake is a light and delicate egg sponge filled with a layer of jam and lots of luscious cream, with a light dusting of confectioners' sugar on top.

Ingredients

  • 4 Large eggs
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 3/4 cups cake flour (plus two tablespoons)
  • 1/8 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 cup strawberry or raspberry jam
  • 1 cup heavy whipping cream
  • 2 tablespoons confectioners' sugar

Optional

  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

Step 1 Preheat the oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Spray two 9-inch round baking pans with non-stick spray infused with flour, or grease with butter and dust with a light coating of flour.
Step 2 Add the eggs and sugar to a large mixing bowl. Using an electric mixer, beat the eggs and sugar for 6 to 8 minutes until the mixture has increased in volume and thickened to a consistency of whipped heavy cream.
Step 3 In a separate bowl sift the flour and baking powder together. Spoon half the flour into the egg mixture and gently fold it in using a spatula. Repeat with the second half of the flour, folding gently to fully incorporate the flour. Add the vanilla essence with the flour if desired.
Step 4 Pour half of the cake mixture into each of the prepared baking pans. Bake in the preheated oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 10 minutes. The sponges will be golden brown, with a slight spring to the touch when cooked.
Step 5 Remove the sponges from the oven and cool on a wire tray.
Step 6 Whip the heavy cream using an electric beater until thick. Add one tablespoon of confectioners' sugar to sweeten if desired. Spread jam on the inner surface of each sponge. Place one layer on a plate, spreading the cream over the jam. Sandwich the cream with the upper sponge layer.
Step 7 Decorate by sifting a fine layer of confectioners' sugar on top. Slice to serve.
Powered by GetMeCooking

Happy baking!

Slán agus beannacht,

(Goodbye and blessings)

Irish American Mom

Filed Under: All Recipes, Cooking, Irish Cakes, Cookies And Desserts Tagged With: All Recipes, British Desserts, Cooking, Cream Sponge, Egg Sponge, Irish Cakes, irish cooking, Irish Desserts, Irish Recipes, Irish Sponge, Jam Sponge, No butter sponge cake

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