Salted caramel victoria sponge

This is a simplified mini version of a cake in the newest book to accompany the Great British bake off series.

I did not want a big cake for the two of us but I have to say a big one would be a hell of a lot easier to decorate! Mine are a little scratty but I am going to claim that I am going for the home baked rustic look!

In the book they have a salted caramel layer and a chocolate caramel layer. I did not want to even attempt to cut my little cakes into 3 and so I just made the salted caramel. Although I also coated the top of the cake I did not coat the sides, as I would a big cake, as the cake to caramel ratio would be not right.

Little salted caramel victoria sponges

makes 5

for the cakes


75g butter
75g caster sugar
tsp vanilla paste/extract
1 large egg
75g self raising flour

for the salted caramel

55g butter
110g light brown sugar
45 ml double cream
90g icing sugar
sea salt, to taste
dark chocolate for decoration

Preheat the oven to 180C/160C FAN. Lightly grease a mini victoria sponge tin with loose bottom (available Lakeland).

Cream the butter, sugar and vanilla together until very light and fluffy, it will lighten in colour, this will take about 5 minutes. Beat the egg and add about half to the creamed mixture, beat gently to incorporate. Add a tablespoon of the measured flour and mix until no longer visible  This will stabilise the mix and should prevent curdling when the rest of the egg is added. Add the remaining egg ad beat gently. Fold in the remaining flour by hand.

Divide the mix between the greased cake moulds and level the top. Bake i the preheated oven for 20-25 minutes until lightly golden and springy when lightly pressed. Transfer the cakes to a wire rack and leave to cool completely.

To make the caramel melt 40g of the butter, all the light brown sugar and the cream over a gentle heat until the butter is melted and the sugar dissolved. Bring to the boil with continuous stirring then turn down to a simmer for 5 minutes with frequent stirring.

Remove from the heat and transfer to a heatproof mixing bowl. Beat in the icing sugar a little at a time until the mix is light and fluffy and cool. Finally beat in the remaining g of butter and sea salt to personal taste. Leave to thicken for 10 minutes or so.

The top of the cakes will need levelling if they are not already (guess who gets to eat the off cuts!)

Divide the cakes into two, as level as you can, otherwise the cakes will slide a bit (yes talking from personal experience!).

Spread a good layer of the caramel onto the bottom layer then gently place the top layer of the cake on top. 

Spread more caramel on top of the cake. If you wish melt a little dark chocolate and pipe circles on top of the cake and then drag a cocktail stick through the circles, from the centre out, to decorate.

Maybe not quite the neatest work but these cakes are truly delicious  and have convinced me that it is definitely 100% worth making the full sized version next time I need a decadent celebration cake.