Mini Victoria Sponge Cakes - Tea Time Treats July Challenge

The Tea Time Treats Challenge is brought to us by Kate of What Kate Baked and Karen of Lavender and Lovage. This month's theme is being hosted by Karen of Lavender and Lovage the theme is Cake Stall Cakes & Bakes 

My favourite spring/summer past-time is scoping out the cake stalls and competitions at Fetes and Fairs. To be honest I like comparing mine to theirs ~ in my mind, I always win!! :-)

What comes to mind when I think about these events are all the layer cakes with thick butter-cream centres. The most famous and traditional of which being the Victoria Sponge. I haven't made one of these before so I thought I'd give it a go. As you know I like small cakes, hence the name of my blog, so I made minis! 

Here's the recipe....

Recipe

150g self raising flour

150g butter - @ room temp

150g sugar

2 eggs

1 tsp baking powder

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup milk

1. Pre-heat oven to 170 deg/gas mark 4
2. Cream sugar & butter until light and fluffy.
3. Add eggs one at a time to stop separation.
4. Add vanilla extract.
5. Gently fold in half the flour & baking powder in until combined.
6. Fold in half the milk.
7. Repeat steps 5 and 6 until you get a smooth batter.

I used 3 baking tins to bake my cakes (I haven't got a swiss roll pan) make sure you spread the mixture about 1cm thick.

Bake for 20-25mins

Buttercream

100g butter - unsalted @ room temp

200g icing sugar

1/2 tsp vanilla extract

dash of milk

1. Whisk the butter until very light in colour.
2. Add the icing sugar in small batches until fully incorporated. 
3. Add vanilla extract and stir in slowly.
4. Mix in milk to loosen until you have your desired consistency.  

When the cakes are baked take them out of the oven and leave to cool for 5mins in the tin. When cooled slightly take cakes out of the tin and place on cooling rack to cool completely. 

When totally cooled pop your cakes on a chopping board, use a round cutter, of your choice, to cut out the sponges. When you cut make sure you wiggle the cutter around (if you just push down you won't get a clean edge). Take a look at my pic :-)

Assembly

I used raspberry jam for this recipe, just take it out of the fridge, spoon out the amount you want and mix it to loosen it for easy spreading.

1. Blob a teaspoon of jam onto your bottom sponge.
2. Refrigerate for 20-30mins.
3. I pipe on my buttercream to make a nice smooth finish. 
4. Pop on your cake top.
5. Dust with icing sugar.
6. Decorate with mini fondant flowers. 

My boys came home to a kitchen counter covered in cakes and loved it!! Even my 17 month old knew what they were and was very happy about the yummy cakes he could see from his high-chair. 

I hope you enjoy these as much as the boys did!

xx Kat xx

Chocolate Cinnamon Mini Cupcakes

YES THAT'S AN EGG CUP!! :-)

As you know January was the month of bite-sized treats.

I'm going to say these count as a January special (I made them yesterday) 

Yesterday Harvey was at pre-school so I got a-baking ~ whoop whoop

English Country Garden Mini Cupcakes

January, for me, means cuteness.

We've had the massive excess of December and in January we are looking for something a little lighter and smaller. Or, at least, we're supposed to be ;-)

Now my eldest has started pre-school, I have time on a Tuesday to do things I'd like to do.

BAKING!!!

Christmas Tree Mini Cupcakes

So the 12th of December was Harvey's toddler group Christmas party.

I don't go to toddler group anymore (boo hiss work!!) so my sister-in-law takes my brood over every Monday.

One Monday I came home and was promptly told I would be making the cupcakes for the Christmas Party. I was quite excited about it and had loads of ideas for tiny Christmassy cupcakes.

Then I remembered I don't have a Mini Muffin Tray 24 cup :-( BTW I don't think I'm getting one for Christmas, donations are greatly appreciated *wink-wink*

Also by the time I get home on Sunday night ~ after the weekly Sunday trip to Aunty P's house ~ it's too late to get the rugrats to bed and start baking.

Short-cut it is then.

For these little cuties you'll need 24 mini cupcakes, I bought mine from Tesco (yes it is the only store in my town!!)

You'll also need green buttercream, I used my vanilla buttercream and coloured it green with Sugarflair Paste Colour - Party Green. To decorate you'll need Polka Dots, Dr. Oetker Soft Silver Pearl and Dr. Oetker Soft Gold Pearls.

The kids were all over these, so I was told.

I hope you like them too.

Have a great Christmas Eve Eve

xx Kat xx