Rose and Strawberry Victoria Sponge Cake
A beautifully light sponge cake subtly flavoured with rose and filled with strawberries and buttercream. This rose and strawberry Victoria sponge cake is steamed in the oven which accounts for it’s fabulous texture.
Initially, I thought I might have to make my own birthday cake for my big tea party. But as it happened, one of my splendid aunts stepped in and made a scrumptious brandy soaked chocolate cake. However, as I already had something in mind, I thought I’d go ahead and make a cake anyway. You can never have too much cake – in my humble opinion.
A Very British Bake
Last month, I made rose syrup and rose sugar so I was keen to utilise them. The sugar smells divine. A natural progression, it seemed to me, was to use them in a Victoria sponge, one filled with cream and strawberries.
At about this time I was asked if I’d like to participate in a British baking competition with Baking Mad. This consisted of baking something from the street party recipes section of the website, using primarily British ingredients. I was sent some of the required ingredients.
Amazingly, Victoria sponge filled with cream and strawberries was one of the recipes offered. Unusually for me, I had made the rose sugar (fragrant rose petals left in a jar of caster sugar) with Silver Spoon sugar, so I had just what was needed. The great thing about this sugar is that it it is made from British grown sugar beet, thereby not only being relatively local, but also supporting British growers and British manufacturing.
In addition to the British sugar and British flour I was sent, I also used British icing sugar, butter, duck eggs, cream and roses. In fact, it was only the white chocolate that wasn’t British. Does this mean I might be in with a chance of winning the prize of a hamper of British produce? Probably not, but it’s all good fun.
Rose and Strawberry Victoria Sponge
My version of the recipe not only uses rose as a flavouring, rather than the suggested vanilla extract, but also white chocolate in the filling. I increased the quantities as I wanted a large cake and used my usual half wholemeal, half white flour mix. Intriguingly, the recipe uses steam to help the cake rise. I haven’t come across this method of making cake sponge before, so I was interested to see if it made any difference. It did.
The cake is wonderfully light, despite the wholemeal flour. I put this down to my muscle power with all that creaming. But I suspect it was more likely to have been the addition of steam in the oven. The rose flavour was subtle, but definitely present.
What To Use Instead Of Self Raising Flour
I’ve used self-raising flour for this rose and strawberry Victoria sponge. That’s unusual for me as I normally prefer to use plain flour and add my own baking powder. So, if, like me, you only have plain wholemeal and white flours, you’ll need to add two level teaspoons of baking powder to the mix.
Rose Flavouring
Rose is such a lovely flavour for summer bakes. It goes well with many fruits too, including strawberries. Every year, I make up a batch of rose syrup and it always disappears. It’s incredibly easy to make, but you do need access to unsprayed deep scented roses.
If you’re unable to make your own or purchase any, you can substitute it with rose water or rose extract. Both of these can be quite strong, so it’s best to be cautious. I’d try half a teaspoon of rose water in the buttercream and half in the icing. Taste both and add more if you think they need it. As for rose extract, add a drop at a time and taste.
Best Victoria Sponge Filling
Ideally I’d wanted to fill the cake with plain cream and strawberries. But as I had to make it all up the day before the party, I opted for a white chocolate and rose cream filling instead and just hoped the strawberries would survive.
As it turned out, I accidentally made butter from what was meant to be the cream, rose and white chocolate filling. So I had a rethink and went for a buttercream filling instead.
The rose and strawberry Victoria sponge was a little too sweet for my taste. I felt it really did need that unsweetened cream in the middle to offset the sugar. But it was pronounced thoroughly delicious by all who tried it and I was happy to accept that.
Other Sandwich Cakes You Might Like
- Chocolate Victoria sandwich with lime curd buttercream
- Gluten free sponge cake filled with jam and cream
- Passionfruit curd sponge cake
- Raspberry cream sponge cake with lemon verbena
- Spinach cake with lemon and ricotta
- Wholemeal Victoria sandwich
Keep in Touch
Thanks for visiting Tin and Thyme. If you make this rose and strawberry Victoria sponge, I’d love to hear about it in the comments below. And do please rate the recipe. Have you any top tips? Do share photos on social media too and use the hashtag #tinandthyme, so I can spot them.
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Choclette x
Rose and Strawberry Victoria Sponge. PIN IT.
Rose and Strawberry Victoria Sponge – The Recipe
Rose and Strawberry Victoria Sponge Cake
Ingredients
- 275 g unsalted butter softened
- 275 g golden caster sugar (I used rose sugar)
- 4 extra large eggs (I used duck eggs)
- 275 g self-raising flour half wholemeal, half white
- 2 tbsp milk
Rose White Chocolate Buttercream
- 50 g white chocolate
- 60 g unsalted butter softened
- 120 g icing sugar
- 1 tbsp double cream (heavy cream)
- 2 tbsp rose syrup
- 250 g strawberries thickly sliced
Icing
- 50 g icing sugar
- 1 tbsp double cream (heavy cream)
- 2 tbsp rose syrup
Instructions
- Turn the oven on to 180℃ (350℉, Gas 4).
- Cream the butter with the sugar until very light and fluffy.275 g unsalted butter, 275 g golden caster sugar
- Beat in the eggs, one by one.4 extra large eggs
- Sift in the flour and stir.275 g self-raising flour
- Add the milk to lighten the mix little and stir.2 tbsp milk
- Spoon into two 23 cm (9") silicone cake moulds or lined tins.
- Place a tin of water on the bottom of the warm oven floor and bake the cakes for 40 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Leave to cool for 15 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack.
Rose White Chocolate Buttercream
- Melt the white chocolate in a bowl suspended over a pan of hot, but not boiling water. Leave to cool a little.50 g white chocolate
- Cream the butter and icing sugar together until light and fluffy.60 g unsalted butter, 120 g icing sugar
- Beat in the chocolate and cream.1 tbsp double cream (heavy cream)
- Finally beat in the rose syrup.2 tbsp rose syrup
- Spread the buttercream over both cakes.
- Lay slices of strawberries over one cake and put the other (buttercream side down) on top, sandwiching the strawberries between the buttercream.250 g strawberries
Icing
- Mix the icing sugar with the double cream and rose syrup.50 g icing sugar, 1 tbsp double cream (heavy cream), 2 tbsp rose syrup
- Pour over the top of the cake.
- If you like, decorate with sprinkles. I used shimmer pearls and ladybirds.
Notes
Nutrition Estimate
Sharing
As this recipe uses both seasonal strawberries and roses, I am linking this up to Ren’s Simple & In Season challenge.
Gorgeous cake and I love how you’ve decorated it! I bought some rose tea recently and am trying to work out if I can incorporate it into a cake. I love baking with rose flavours – so aromatic and delicious!
Thanks Ros. Rose is one of my favourite flavours too. Will be interested to see how you use your rose tea.
I hope it’s not too late to wish you good luck in the Baking Mad competition! I love the way you’ve decorated the top, it looks really pretty 🙂
Thank you and never too late Xinmei. Having seen some of the competition I don’t think I’m in with much of a chance, but I can keep hoping!
stunning VS… looks so pretty and I love the added rose, bet it smelt heavenly and the raw cake batter must have been divine!
Thank you Dom. Raw cake better is usually divine I find. But yes this one tasted particularly good and smelt wonderful.
That looks absolutely beautiful! I can imagine how light and airy it is – lovely decoration too. Hope you had a super birthday. xx
Oh thank you Nic, you can visit again 🙂
I adore rose in cakes and have made a few myself. I’m going to bookmark this for the next time I have a tea party as I think it would be perfect. Good luck with the competition and thank you for entering Simple and in Season. X
Thank you Fleur – spreading the rose love has got to be a good thing 😉
Very belated happy birthday Choclette! It looks like a gorgeous cake – beautifully decorated, I’m sure it was very popular! Love those little ladybirds!
Thank you C. Yes, I just this minute got a card through the post waking lyrical about what a delicious cake it was – that’s put a smile on my face 😀
I love the way this cake looks! It’s a shame to cut into it but I know it must taste as lovely as it looks.
Thaks Debs – yes it’s always hard to spoil the look of good food, but it would be awfully sad not to eat it!
MY favourite combination! I LOVE rose and strawberry and what a FABULOUS cake too! GOOD LUCK with the contest, I picked a hard recipe…..silly moi, but, I am making it for a friend’s dinner party, and that’s what she wanted! JUST lovely! Karen xx
Thanks Karen, I was rather pleased with this one and it tastes delicious. Did you notice I used your shimmer pearls? But yours looks just fabulous and just perfect for a dinner party. I very nearly went for that one too.
That steam technique is interesting, I’ve never heard of that being used for a sponge before. And those shimmer pearls are beautiful!
Thanks Lucy, yes the steaming was a new one on me, but I think it worked. The sponge got lot of comments for being very light.
Divine! (although I am really taken with the brandy-soaked chocolate cake…) I am intrigued by the steam idea.
Thanks Alicia, the brandy soaked chocolate cake was wonderful. I shall have to try and wheedle the recipe.
Such a pretty pretty sponge with that decorative sugar frosting!
Thank you Angie. It always gives me such a thrill when words like pretty are used in relation to my bakes 🙂
This sounds like a perfect variation on the traditional Victoria sponge theme. I have lots of rose petald sitting in my cupboard and think at least some of them need to be made into rose flavoured sugar. I totally agree with the simple filling of unsweetened whipped cream & fresh strawberries. To me, the buttercream would be a step too far and sorry your cream to over whipped. I now never ever leave my cream but stand over it as I am amazed at just how quickly it turns into butter! Your sponges are perfect so I think the steam method must be a very wise move! xx
Thank you Laura. I think I’m a little in love with rose flavouring now and just wish I had more roses so I could make lots of rose sugar and syrup. The rose sugar smells absolutely fabulous.
Such a cute cake! Love the ladybirds! I hope you had a wonderful birthday, Choc! 🙂
Thank you Celia, I did indeed have a wonderful birthday. I became quite fond of those ladybirds and was sad to see then go 😉
What a beautiful cake! This is a perfect dessert for summer. I love the idea of rose syrup…I’m sure this was just delightful! Blessings, Catherine
Thank you Cathering. I’m beginning to wonder how I’ve managed until now without rose syrup. I’ve been using it in all sorts of things and it’s delightful.
I haven’t had rose in cake before… I think it would be a little too sweet for me too but the flavours sound wonderful.
Hi Hazel. Yes it was a bit too sweet, but the flavours were wonderful. Rose goes really well with lots of fruit.
Strawberries and roses go beautifully together as I found out for the first time this year! Your cake looks so pretty and I love the little ladybirds! Hope you enjoyed your birthday:)
Thank you Rachel. Glad you approve of the combination. I’ve used it before and it’s a good one. I had a fantastic birthday, thank you.
What a lovely sponge cake with amazing flavor that i LOVE! The sugar frosting was so gorgeous! Love it! Have a wonderful weekend 🙂
Thanks Kit. You have impeccable taste – the flavours were just fantastic.
Really beautiful cake!!!
Have a nice week end
Thank you Manu 🙂
I’ve made rose and white chocolate icing before and while it was delicious, I found the combination ever so slightly cloying, which it sounds like you did with the sweetness above. Nonetheless it sounds like an absolutely gorgeous cake and fitting for a birthday celebration! Sounds like you had a wonderful day 🙂
You are absolutely spot on. Cream with some rose syrup whipped in would have been much nicer, but still, it proved to be popular and was one of the best sponges I’ve made.
Looks delicious. You can never have too much cake. I love the subtle floral flavour of rose. Wonderful pairing with strawberries.
Thanks Katie. I’ve been using rose with quite a few different fruits recently and so far they’ve paired up wonderfully well.
The cake sure looks delicious and I love the decorations :D.
Thanks, I love the flavour of rose and was just sorry I didn’t have any rose petals to scatter over the top.
That’s a lovely Birthday cake and I like the decoration.
Thank you Cheah
I love Strawberry victoria Sponge and this look absolutely beautiful!!
Thanks Gloria – it’s even better flavoured with rose 🙂
This cake looks so pretty. Such a lovely presentation!
Thank you Ellen – sometimes I can pull it off and I think I managed it with this one!
It looks like the cake turned out beautifully, Choclette…I love how the sugar frosting set up on the cake – the pattern is so eye-catching.
Thank JW, it did have a bit of a helping hand 😉
That looks beautiful.your decoration is perfect!
Thank you – love it when people say that 😉
I love the look of this beautiful cake and also I like the ingredients you have used. Thumbs up!
Thanks Alida – this was a particularly good one.
That cake looks delicious…I’d happily have that as my birthday cake, rose is one of my favourite flavours of all time…lovely recipe! x
Thanks Sue, I had a feeling you might approve of this one 😀