Cakes can be cooked on most settings on your Britannia/Ilve range but to create the lightest most evenly cooked sponge We feel the baking setting is the best. When using the baking oven it uses the fan element to give circulation of air in the oven cavity. If cooking one cake place on the mid shelf with an empy tin on the shelf below as this encorouges the air flow around the cavity. If as in our case we have 2 sandwich tins, place one on the mid shelf and one directly below, not both on the same shelf( a mistake many make) as this will cause the right cake to cook faster than the left resulting in uneven rising of the two sponges. On this setting the cake can be cooked from a cold oven but my timings were for a preheated oven, just add a few extra minutes if cooking from cold.
When using this setting if the oven door is opened during cooking the cake will not sink as the regain heat is very quick due to it being a fan oven.
If cooking a Victoria Sandwich for a baking competition there may be strict rules to follow,what flavour or jam you can use, can I add buttercream?, dust the top?, but I have made it how I like it, Strawberry Jam and Butter cream, no buts has to be butter and a light dredging of icing sugar. Nothing better with a cup of tea in the afternoon.Ingredients
6 oz soft margarine
6oz caster sugar
6oz self raising flour
1 teasp baking powder
3 medium eggs
Strawberry jam
Butter cream
(4 oz butter softened with 6 oz sieved icing sugar)
Oven Temperature
175degrees on baking setting
Grease and line two 7″ sandwich tins.
Weigh out all the ingredients for the cake,put in a bowl and cream together well, I find a hand whisk is the best, until light in colour and smooth.
Divide mixture between the two sandwich tins and smooth over.