Victoria sponge sides crumbly - how to get perfect sides for village show cake (1 Viewer)

[wiltshiregaschick]

Hi, I’m still trying to perfect a winning Victoria sponge for my village show after many years of trying. This year, both attempt 1 and two had crumbly sides, which sloped in slightly not lovely straight ones with perfect edges as shown in your picture. Attempt 1 went to work last night, and I am waiting for attempt 2 to be judged!!! Advice needed for next year…

Show specifies a 3 egg sponge, and I use the equal weight method using large eggs weighing them out and using equal quantities of stork and golden caster sugar. The cakes were weighed equally in tins, and flour double sifted. 18cm tin used. Tin sides were well greased using stork, and parchment in bottom. 160o fan oven for about 25 mins (we have a newish AEG one that runs hot). Cakes rose well, and were cooled for 10 mins prior to turning out. I ran a table knife round the inside to free cakes prior to taking them out. Tins had loose bottoms. Your tins seem very sturdy and look new.
Sadly, sides seemed crumbly on both attempts, unlike yours in the picture. Cake collapsed back a bit after cooling.

Do you think I need to put parchment down the sides as well? How do you get those perfect non crumbly sides? My cake is the one in the middle on the white plate with brown border!!!

 

[Angie]

Hi @wiltshiregaschick

Welcome to the site.

I've just typed you a long response to your question and then re-read your post. I will post all the helpful hints shortly, but firstly, I just need to know the following, please.

For the competition, do you have to make a Victoria Sponge using Sandwich tins, or are you allowed to use a deep cake tin in the competition? I make both Victoria Sandwich and a Victoria Sponge, and from the comments you've made, I'm assuming you're talking about the 7 x 3 inch Victoria Sponge Cake that I made use my PME anodised tins.

Thread 'How to make a 7 x 3 inch deep Victoria Sponge Cake'

Jun 24, 2019

Here is a recipe and guide teaching you how to make your very own 7 x 3 inch Victoria Sponge Cake.

Equipment​

7 x 3 Inch Cake Tin
Baking Paper (For lining your Tin)
Scales
Hand whisk/Stand Mixer
Mixing Bowl
Small Bowl
Spatula
Cake Greaser Spray
Tinfoil (Optional)
Wire Rack

Ingredients​

200 Grams or 7oz Margarine
200 Grams or 7oz Granulated Sugar
4 Medium Eggs (At room temperature)
200 Grams or 7oz Self Raising Flour

Preheat your...​

• Angie
• 7inch round cakes victoria sponge
• Replies: 6
• Forum: Recipes and Guides

The cakes in the 7 x 3 inch tin have no ridges, straight edges and I only use parchment on the base. To cut the cake down the centre I would use a cake leveller to give me even layers on the cake and then fill it. If you are looking for a perfect sponge then making a full cake and cutting it down the middle would give you the symmetry you need but looking at the pictures from the table I think everyone may have used sandwich tins or made two cakes.

The only other way of getting straighter edges would be to use two deep tins but weigh the ingredients in each like you have done and then you should get two cakes that are the same size.

When making a deep cake I don't use parchment up the sides only on the base and use cake release spray so that the cakes slide out easily. I also place them on a wire rack when baked that has a wet tea towel on it so that the tins contract and that the cake release faster while I leave them to cool after they come out of the oven.

 

[wiltshiregaschick]

Thanks very much. Just got back. Cake not placed, but got cut this year. You know it’s bad if it doesn’t even get cut or tasted!! Our judges leave little comments on post it notes next to the entries. Mine was as shown, with the cut cake. It had a good length of time in the oven, and I think the perceived ‘underbaking’ was the rise falling back down. I use two tins, as had everyone else.
Came second in cheese scones and cherry cake. Over-all, not my best year!!!

 

[wiltshiregaschick]

How do you get your cake out of the PME tins if they have no loose bottom? Do you fear cake getting stuck behind?

 

[Angie]

I spray them with Cake Release spray then place a piece of baking parchment on the base then pour the batter in. Once baked, I place the tin on the wire rack that has a damp tea towel on it then leave it for ten minutes. I then get a new wire rack turn the cake upside down and let gravity take its course and usually after about 5 mins it slides straight out.

I've used different types of cake release spray and as long as you cover the tin properly with a light coating they slip straight out.

Scroll down on the following tutorial and you'll see each step with how I spray the tin.

Thread 'Madeira Golden Wholegrain Half and Half Cake'

Mar 22, 2024

Sticking with the healthier bakes again, I have opted to use Marriage's Golden Wholegrain Flour this time to see how it fared against the Allinson's Wholemeal Flour I have been experimenting with.



Upon opening the golden flour, I noticed it had a crumblier texture to that of the whole grain. So, with that in mind, I decided to make a Madeira cake, which is my go-to when making celebration birthday cakes. (I was hoping I could create a healthier version).

Again, using my half-and-half technique, I got to work with the recipe. However, what I didn't realise was that I...

• Angie
• healthier wholemeal
• Replies: 0
• Forum: Healthier Wholemeal Bakes

 

[Angie]

Here's all the other possibilities I had for you...you may want a brew to read them!

Looking at the cake, the middle has dipped/sunk slightly, which can be caused by multiple factors. As an overview, I think there may be a few factors that are causing issues with your sponge.

Baking is a science so if the cake ratios are off, the culprits can be too much fat/liquid or sugar. This can often weaken the structure of the cake allowing it to sink/dip if the proportions aren't correct. The sugar is the cause of the crumbling effect because it sweetens and tenderises the cake as it bakes. However, looking at the depth of your cake and the size tin you mentioned (7 inch) the tin (depending on the depth size) may be too small for the amount of ingredients/batter you are using which can also cause it to collapse on itself too.

Other factors include overbeating and oven temperature issues. You mentioned that your oven runs hot, so I would suggest getting an oven thermometer for this. (I always use an oven thermometer to check what my oven says because I once had a Smeg oven that was running 20° degrees hotter than what the temp gauge actually said). That way, you can be sure you are at the right temperature for baking. Another option is to ensure that you never open the oven door during baking, allowing cold air to fluctuate the temperature in the oven, causing a knock-on effect when baking. (That's if you've turned them around while they were baking).

You mentioned that you use loose-bottomed tins for the Victoria Sponge. Personally, I don't. I only ever use them for tarts. I think that a full tin holds the batter better and helps with the structure of my cake because everything is sealed in. (But you do what works for you.)

Ensure when you do bake that all your ingredients are at room temperature and that includes the eggs.

As rule I never ever weigh my eggs (this has caused multiple issues with my other members so I've told them to stop doing it) and when I make a Victoria sponge I use medium eggs not large unless I have to. I always use cake release spray in my tins, too. But I don't use parchment for my sandwich tins, I just use it for my bigger, deeper cake tins on the base.

When the Victoria is baked press your finger very quickly into the top of the sponge. If your fingerprint disappears and springs back the cake is baked, if your fingerprint remains then the cake needs more time in the oven. They should also shrink back from the tin when you place them on a wire rack to cool.

If the dip arises after baking then the cake hasn't fully baked and once the cold hair hits it, it deflates because the centre can be underdone.

I know you mentioned using 160° as your oven runs hot, but I think that may too low for a 7-inch sponge (although, from your picture, it looks much bigger than that). I bake my Victoria Sandwich on 170°/175° Fan Assisted for about 20 minutes. I use 150 grams of marg/granulated sugar/self-flour and 3 medium eggs, but if I have to substitute, I use two large instead of three medium. (My sandwich tin sizes are 8 Inch x 1 Inch deep or to make the Victoria Sponge cake I use a 6 x 3 inch deep tin using the same ingredients but I bake this on the bottom shelf of my oven at 150°C fan assisted for about 50 mins.)

However, because yours looks very deep, you actually need to bake it for longer. If you're happy that the temp works for you, you could place it on a lower shelf in the oven. I have a large capacity oven so sometimes I have to bake cakes on the bottom shelves as per my oven manual. I used to bake everything on the middle shelf, but please check or download your new oven manual and see which shelf it tells you best to bake on. I've had to adapt to different shelves with my new oven because everything doesn't bake perfectly on the middle shelf. If you're doing yours on the middle shelf, it's baking at a hot temp and then deflating as soon as the cold air hits it on the side so it probably needs baking slower for longer.

Check if the recipe you are using is tried and tested, whereby you or other people have had successful outcomes before.

Are you using the creaming method or all-in-one method when you mix your batter? I use the creaming method to introduce as much air into the sugar crystals as I can. (The paler the batter, the better, as there is more air in the batter, helping it rise more.) But I don't sieve the flour in my Victoria Sponge.

I'm not sure if I've now overloaded you with info but I'm just trying to cover all the bases to help you make a cake you're really proud of.

If you need anything else, please let me know.

Best wishes


Angie

 

[Angie]

Thanks very much. Just got back. Cake not placed, but got cut this year. You know it’s bad if it doesn’t even get cut or tasted!! Our judges leave little comments on post it notes next to the entries. Mine was as shown, with the cut cake. It had a good length of time in the oven, and I think the perceived ‘underbaking’ was the rise falling back down. I use two tins, as had everyone else.
Came second in cheese scones and cherry cake. Over-all, not my best year!!!

I'm sorry to hear that your cake got cut but the main thing is you entered, it would be better if they gave you more feedback though as that would be helpful in what they are looking for going forward.

Congratulations on the second place with the scones and cherry cake though, that's really good.

 

[wiltshiregaschick]

No, cut is good!!!! It means that the judges actually want to see what it looks like in the middle/taste it. Those with icing sugar or granulated sugar on top/no sugar never got cut! There was then a general comment about the use of caster sugar and raspberry jam only in the middle

Here's all the other possibilities I had for you...you may want a brew to read them!

Looking at the cake, the middle has dipped/sunk slightly, which can be caused by multiple factors. As an overview, I think there may be a few factors that are causing issues with your sponge.

Baking is a science so if the cake ratios are off, the culprits can be too much fat/liquid or sugar. This can often weaken the structure of the cake allowing it to sink/dip if the proportions aren't correct. The sugar is the cause of the crumbling effect because it sweetens and tenderises the cake as it bakes. However, looking at the depth of your cake and the size tin you mentioned (7 inch) the tin (depending on the depth size) may be too small for the amount of ingredients/batter you are using which can also cause it to collapse on itself too.

Other factors include overbeating and oven temperature issues. You mentioned that your oven runs hot, so I would suggest getting an oven thermometer for this. (I always use an oven thermometer to check what my oven says because I once had a Smeg oven that was running 20° degrees hotter than what the temp gauge actually said). That way, you can be sure you are at the right temperature for baking. Another option is to ensure that you never open the oven door during baking, allowing cold air to fluctuate the temperature in the oven, causing a knock-on effect when baking. (That's if you've turned them around while they were baking).

You mentioned that you use loose-bottomed tins for the Victoria Sponge. Personally, I don't. I only ever use them for tarts. I think that a full tin holds the batter better and helps with the structure of my cake because everything is sealed in. (But you do what works for you.)

Ensure when you do bake that all your ingredients are at room temperature and that includes the eggs.

As rule I never ever weigh my eggs (this has caused multiple issues with my other members so I've told them to stop doing it) and when I make a Victoria sponge I use medium eggs not large unless I have to. I always use cake release spray in my tins, too. But I don't use parchment for my sandwich tins, I just use it for my bigger, deeper cake tins on the base.

When the Victoria is baked press your finger very quickly into the top of the sponge. If your fingerprint disappears and springs back the cake is baked, if your fingerprint remains then the cake needs more time in the oven. They should also shrink back from the tin when you place them on a wire rack to cool.

If the dip arises after baking then the cake hasn't fully baked and once the cold hair hits it, it deflates because the centre can be underdone.

I know you mentioned using 160° as your oven runs hot, but I think that may too low for a 7-inch sponge (although, from your picture, it looks much bigger than that). I bake my Victoria Sandwich on 170°/175° Fan Assisted for about 20 minutes. I use 150 grams of marg/granulated sugar/self-flour and 3 medium eggs, but if I have to substitute, I use two large instead of three medium. (My sandwich tin sizes are 8 Inch x 1 Inch deep or to make the Victoria Sponge cake I use a 6 x 3 inch deep tin using the same ingredients but I bake this on the bottom shelf of my oven at 150°C fan assisted for about 50 mins.)

However, because yours looks very deep, you actually need to bake it for longer. If you're happy that the temp works for you, you could place it on a lower shelf in the oven. I have a large capacity oven so sometimes I have to bake cakes on the bottom shelves as per my oven manual. I used to bake everything on the middle shelf, but please check or download your new oven manual and see which shelf it tells you best to bake on. I've had to adapt to different shelves with my new oven because everything doesn't bake perfectly on the middle shelf. If you're doing yours on the middle shelf, it's baking at a hot temp and then deflating as soon as the cold air hits it on the side so it probably needs baking slower for longer.

Check if the recipe you are using is tried and tested, whereby you or other people have had successful outcomes before.

Are you using the creaming method or all-in-one method when you mix your batter? I use the creaming method to introduce as much air into the sugar crystals as I can. (The paler the batter, the better, as there is more air in the batter, helping it rise more.) But I don't sieve the flour in my Victoria Sponge.

I'm not sure if I've now overloaded you with info but I'm just trying to cover all the bases to help you make a cake you're really proud of.

If you need anything else, please let me know.

Best wishes


Angie

no not overloaded. Yet… I am an anaesthetic doctor so I love the science part of baking. As well as 3 large eggs, I put in some milk… and a teaspoon of baking powder. I have remembered now that although I greased an 18cm tin, when I looked at the volumes of cake batter, it looked too small so I ended up using two Judge 20cm loose bottomed tins. The cakes lost volume after cooking. We have an oven thermometer. Do you then recommend always cooking a Victoria sponge at 170 fan (accurate temp on thermometer)?

 

[wiltshiregaschick]

Here's all the other possibilities I had for you...you may want a brew to read them!

Looking at the cake, the middle has dipped/sunk slightly, which can be caused by multiple factors. As an overview, I think there may be a few factors that are causing issues with your sponge.

Baking is a science so if the cake ratios are off, the culprits can be too much fat/liquid or sugar. This can often weaken the structure of the cake allowing it to sink/dip if the proportions aren't correct. The sugar is the cause of the crumbling effect because it sweetens and tenderises the cake as it bakes. However, looking at the depth of your cake and the size tin you mentioned (7 inch) the tin (depending on the depth size) may be too small for the amount of ingredients/batter you are using which can also cause it to collapse on itself too.

Other factors include overbeating and oven temperature issues. You mentioned that your oven runs hot, so I would suggest getting an oven thermometer for this. (I always use an oven thermometer to check what my oven says because I once had a Smeg oven that was running 20° degrees hotter than what the temp gauge actually said). That way, you can be sure you are at the right temperature for baking. Another option is to ensure that you never open the oven door during baking, allowing cold air to fluctuate the temperature in the oven, causing a knock-on effect when baking. (That's if you've turned them around while they were baking).

You mentioned that you use loose-bottomed tins for the Victoria Sponge. Personally, I don't. I only ever use them for tarts. I think that a full tin holds the batter better and helps with the structure of my cake because everything is sealed in. (But you do what works for you.)

Ensure when you do bake that all your ingredients are at room temperature and that includes the eggs.

As rule I never ever weigh my eggs (this has caused multiple issues with my other members so I've told them to stop doing it) and when I make a Victoria sponge I use medium eggs not large unless I have to. I always use cake release spray in my tins, too. But I don't use parchment for my sandwich tins, I just use it for my bigger, deeper cake tins on the base.

When the Victoria is baked press your finger very quickly into the top of the sponge. If your fingerprint disappears and springs back the cake is baked, if your fingerprint remains then the cake needs more time in the oven. They should also shrink back from the tin when you place them on a wire rack to cool.

If the dip arises after baking then the cake hasn't fully baked and once the cold hair hits it, it deflates because the centre can be underdone.

I know you mentioned using 160° as your oven runs hot, but I think that may too low for a 7-inch sponge (although, from your picture, it looks much bigger than that). I bake my Victoria Sandwich on 170°/175° Fan Assisted for about 20 minutes. I use 150 grams of marg/granulated sugar/self-flour and 3 medium eggs, but if I have to substitute, I use two large instead of three medium. (My sandwich tin sizes are 8 Inch x 1 Inch deep or to make the Victoria Sponge cake I use a 6 x 3 inch deep tin using the same ingredients but I bake this on the bottom shelf of my oven at 150°C fan assisted for about 50 mins.)

However, because yours looks very deep, you actually need to bake it for longer. If you're happy that the temp works for you, you could place it on a lower shelf in the oven. I have a large capacity oven so sometimes I have to bake cakes on the bottom shelves as per my oven manual. I used to bake everything on the middle shelf, but please check or download your new oven manual and see which shelf it tells you best to bake on. I've had to adapt to different shelves with my new oven because everything doesn't bake perfectly on the middle shelf. If you're doing yours on the middle shelf, it's baking at a hot temp and then deflating as soon as the cold air hits it on the side so it probably needs baking slower for longer.

Check if the recipe you are using is tried and tested, whereby you or other people have had successful outcomes before.

Are you using the creaming method or all-in-one method when you mix your batter? I use the creaming method to introduce as much air into the sugar crystals as I can. (The paler the batter, the better, as there is more air in the batter, helping it rise more.) But I don't sieve the flour in my Victoria Sponge.

I'm not sure if I've now overloaded you with info but I'm just trying to cover all the bases to help you make a cake you're really proud of.

If you need anything else, please let me know.

Best wishes


Angie

Ok

 

[wiltshiregaschick]

I used the creaming method with double sifting flour and adding flour with each egg.

 

[wiltshiregaschick]

Hi @wiltshiregaschick

Welcome to the site.

I've just typed you a long response to your question and then re-read your post. I will post all the helpful hints shortly, but firstly, I just need to know the following, please.

For the competition, do you have to make a Victoria Sponge using Sandwich tins, or are you allowed to use a deep cake tin in the competition? I make both Victoria Sandwich and a Victoria Sponge, and from the comments you've made, I'm assuming you're talking about the 7 x 3 inch Victoria Sponge Cake that I made use my PME anodised tins.

Thread 'How to make a 7 x 3 inch deep Victoria Sponge Cake'

Jun 24, 2019

Here is a recipe and guide teaching you how to make your very own 7 x 3 inch Victoria Sponge Cake.

Equipment​

7 x 3 Inch Cake Tin
Baking Paper (For lining your Tin)
Scales
Hand whisk/Stand Mixer
Mixing Bowl
Small Bowl
Spatula
Cake Greaser Spray
Tinfoil (Optional)
Wire Rack

Ingredients​

200 Grams or 7oz Margarine
200 Grams or 7oz Granulated Sugar
4 Medium Eggs (At room temperature)
200 Grams or 7oz Self Raising Flour

Preheat your...​

• Angie
• 7inch round cakes victoria sponge
• Replies: 6
• Forum: Recipes and Guides

The cakes in the 7 x 3 inch tin have no ridges, straight edges and I only use parchment on the base. To cut the cake down the centre I would use a cake leveller to give me even layers on the cake and then fill it. If you are looking for a perfect sponge then making a full cake and cutting it down the middle would give you the symmetry you need but looking at the pictures from the table I think everyone may have used sandwich tins or made two cakes.

The only other way of getting straighter edges would be to use two deep tins but weigh the ingredients in each like you have done and then you should get two cakes that are the same size.

When making a deep cake I don't use parchment up the sides only on the base and use cake release spray so that the cakes slide out easily. I also place them on a wire rack when baked that has a wet tea towel on it so that the tins contract and that the cake release faster while I leave them to cool after they come out of the oven.

I am interested in the use of granulated rather than caster sugar?? I have never heard of making a Victoria sponge with granulated sugar. Why do you use a larger sugar granule?

 

[wiltshiregaschick]

I spray them with Cake Release spray then place a piece of baking parchment on the base then pour the batter in. Once baked, I place the tin on the wire rack that has a damp tea towel on it then leave it for ten minutes. I then get a new wire rack turn the cake upside down and let gravity take its course and usually after about 5 mins it slides straight out.

I've used different types of cake release spray and as long as you cover the tin properly with a light coating they slip straight out.

Scroll down on the following tutorial and you'll see each step with how I spray the tin.

Thread 'Madeira Golden Wholegrain Half and Half Cake'

Mar 22, 2024

Sticking with the healthier bakes again, I have opted to use Marriage's Golden Wholegrain Flour this time to see how it fared against the Allinson's Wholemeal Flour I have been experimenting with.



Upon opening the golden flour, I noticed it had a crumblier texture to that of the whole grain. So, with that in mind, I decided to make a Madeira cake, which is my go-to when making celebration birthday cakes. (I was hoping I could create a healthier version).

Again, using my half-and-half technique, I got to work with the recipe. However, what I didn't realise was that I...

• Angie
• healthier wholemeal
• Replies: 0
• Forum: Healthier Wholemeal Bakes

I went to use my pme cake release spray, only to find it was empty!!! Bloody kids!

 

[Angie]

When you say some milk is there a measurement to that? 3 large eggs plus milk may mean too much liquid for the amount of flour that you are using hence the too much liquid theory. I also think the tin size is an issue too.

Baking one cake is much easier than two because you get one complete same sized cake. (The PME tins are fab you can get them on amazon quite reasonable too), the caster sugar will be fine as it's smaller sugar crystals.

I don't use baking powder because sometimes it can leave a touch of an aftertaste, but with the creaming method, I don't need it because the air you put in the butter and sugar at the beginning should trap enough air to help the cake rise as it should. I use baking parchment around the exterior of the tin to give me a more even/level cake. If I'm doing the deep 3 inch Victoria sponge cake. With the sandwich tins I use no parchment at all.

As for granulated sugar I've always used it in my Victoria Sandwich/sponge because it's mainly what I have in for tea and coffee but to be honest it has always worked in my Victoria Sponge /Sandwiches so I've never used anything else. Even when I adapt the Vic sponge Recipe to Choc Cake etc I always use granulated. Maybe it traps more air in the sugar crystals because they are bigger I don't know but it has always worked for me so I stick to it.

I cream the butter & sugar add one egg (no flour) whisk for about ten seconds then add the next egg same again then add the next same again then place the flour in. Mix manually with a spatula to coat the wet and dry mix then electric whisk my batter until combined. I use a hand whisk in all my bakes. My stand mixer tends to overbeat the batter so I like to feel and see the batter using my electric hand whisk.

For my Victoria Sandwich 1-inch deep tins I place them on the middle shelf away from each other so that they don't gravitate towards one another.

Thread 'Victoria Sandwich Cake Tutorial'

Feb 14, 2013

How to make a Victoria Sandwich

1. Preheat the oven to:
Fan assisted: 170ºC
Regular oven: 180º/190ºC (Approx)
Fahrenheit: 338F
Gas Mark: 3

2. Equipment and Ingredients
Mixing bowl, electric whisk, spatula, pallet knife, 7-inch x 1-inch sandwich tins.
150g or 6oz Margarine or Butter
150g or 6oz Sugar (Granulated or Caster)
3 Medium Eggs
150g or 6 oz Self Raising Flour

3. Whisk
Cream together the margarine & sugar in...

• Angie
• victoria sandwich
• Replies: 0
• Forum: Tutorials

• 

For a uniformed cake on next years competition I would probably opt to do the full deep Vic sponge Cake and then slice use a leveller to cut along the middle. This gives you even layers top an bottom and then you can fill it with raspberry jam and buttercream.

 

[Angie]

Sorry as for the Vic Sponge 170°C for the sandwich tins. I have a digital oven so I can fluctuate between 5 degrees so it depends on the day but I tend to use 170° as my new oven is more powerful so I can always bake for longer in my sandwich tins.

For you it depends how deep they are. I do them on the middle shelf but as my tins are only 1 inch deep they bake quite fast. They're also black in colour too so they also bake faster because the tins are darker. The sandwich tins aren't PME only my larger tins are.

If I do the vic sponge 3 inch deep tin then I do that on 150°C on the bottom shelf in the PME tin as it bakes quicker on the outer edges on the other shelves and browns quicker. I also have a fan-assisted oven.

LOL! Tins size temp shape colour speed, I think I have covered everything.

Let me know if I haven't. Off to make tea now but just give me a shout as and when if you need anything else.

 

[Angie]

When you mentioned the milk before, I assumed that it was to add more moisture to the cake when baking. If you want to limit the amount of wet ingredients to help with the balance of the recipe, I add stock syrup to my cake after it's baked. This adds moisture and can be used straight after baking to absorb into the hot cake and then lightly brushed over the cut cake before a filling if needed. Just a thought.

 

[wiltshiregaschick]

Sorry as for the Vic Sponge 170°C for the sandwich tins. I have a digital oven so I can fluctuate between 5 degrees so it depends on the day but I tend to use 170° as my new oven is more powerful so I can always bake for longer in my sandwich tins.

For you it depends how deep they are. I do them on the middle shelf but as my tins are only 1 inch deep they bake quite fast. They're also black in colour too so they also bake faster because the tins are darker. The sandwich tins aren't PME only my larger tins are.

If I do the vic sponge 3 inch deep tin then I do that on 150°C on the bottom shelf in the PME tin as it bakes quicker on the outer edges on the other shelves and browns quicker. I also have a fan-assisted oven.

LOL! Tins size temp shape colour speed, I think I have covered everything.

Let me know if I haven't. Off to make tea now but just give me a shout as and when if you need anything else.

Thank you very much for the comprehensive replies. It was a tablespoon of milk.

I think you said earlier that your sandwich tins were also PME? I’m interested in buying a replacement set now for the show next year (it’s ALWAYS a 3 egg recipe, so going on your calculations would need a 18cm tin).

I think splitting the cake would be a no no with our village show judges. Everyone loves to read the little catty feedback comments from them going round the show, and I would hate to be the source of some more post it notes next year!! Competition is fierce in our village!!!!!!!!!!

I am off to buy some more PME cake release and new tins, as well as re-read the AEG handbook to see what temp/oven shelf they suggest.
(Cheese scones last year were better cheesed and came first!!)

 

[Angie]

You're most welcome. There are many reasons why cakes don't work out, so I like to ensure that I cover everything. That way, you can look at your method, recipe, baking, etc., and work out where things may not be working out for you.

My Sandwich tins are actually from Tesco or Asda, I only ever get PME tins for birthday cakes as I usually need the deeper tins for stacking tiers. However, after checking my tins this morning, I do have some PME Sandwich tins, but they're 9 inches x 1.5 inches. I bought them to try out something for one of my other members, but they were too big, so I never used them. (I wanted to post a side-by-side pic of the tins, but my technology isn't playing ball at the minute!)

*Tech working now.



After looking at the sandwich tins I do have, I found they were 7 inch x 1 inch and not 8 inches. When I use sandwich tins, I can never guarantee getting a straight edge with the layers, so that's why I mentioned you might be able to make the bigger cake and cut it, but yeah, we don't want you to be next year's post-it queen!

I had a look on Amazon this morning, and I found some PME tins. They were 7 inches x 2 inches, so I've ordered them to see if I can bake the 150 gram Vic Sandwich recipe and get straighter edges than I do with my normal tins.

I did an experiment for one of my members using the 6-inch Wilton pans. I weighed the batter, used the Vic sponge mix, and made 3 small layers just to show my member the sizes. I baked them at 170°. Have a look at the post and my picture at the bottom showing the 3 layers. Let me know if those edges are straight enough for you.

Post in thread 'Help with Unicorn Rainbow Cake'

Apr 13, 2021

Help with the Wilton Cake Pan Set

Hi Mike

So today, I have been playing about with the Wilton Tins.



After reading about the issues you and everyone else seemed to be having, it seemed only fair that I bought a set and found out what exactly was going on with them.

So today, I've done a few bakes to weigh/time and work out what is going on with the tins/batter and whether they work properly or not.



I ordered the same batch that I posted for you.

I decided that I would use my normal Victoria Sponge Recipe; however, I only had large eggs, so I ended up tweaking...

• Angie

• 

That will give me a better idea of how straight these edges need to be. I love the fact that you are planning ahead too, you'd be surprised at how many people just leave it until the last minute.

My oven is also AEG, I have two, one for baking and one family food.

As for the cheese scones at least that's good feedback on their part. Did you use the same recipe this year as last year or did you not use enough cheese this year?

Considering how much baking you did I think you did really well.

 

[Angie]

Hi @wiltshiregaschick

So, I've now managed to get the new tins I mentioned and I tried out my Vic Sponge recipe to see how it fairs.

Recipe:

• 150 Grams Countrylife Spreadable
• 150 Grams Ocado Granulated Sugar
• 3 x Medium Happy Eggs
• 150 Grams McDougalls Self Raising Flour

The tins I bought were PME - 7 x 2-inch Tins.



I used Granulated sugar for the cake, but I think you should stick with the caster sugar. It dissolves quicker in the mix and doesn't leave spots/speckles on the cake when it's baked.



I also used Happy Eggs because that's all the medium eggs I could find at the shop. When I bake, I like the Black Farmer eggs because the yolk is yellower and richer in flavour, but I couldn't get them in medium, so I bought the Happy eggs instead. The only problem with the richer yolks is that the cake becomes a more orange colour; however, the taste is much better. (I'm not sure whether colour is something you gain/lose marks on in the competition).



For argument's sake, I sieved the flour, although, as I said before, I don't usually do this when I bake mine because I generate all my air when using the creaming method. However, I'm not trying to perfect an award-winning Victoria sponge, but for you, I went for the added aeration.



I greased the tins with PME release spray but didn't use parchment on the base. I didn't weigh the batter in each tin either; however, you will need to, to ensure that you have equal amounts of batter like you've previously done.



Once I'd filled the tins with the batter, I placed them on the middle shelf of my oven. (Check out my socks in the pic, lol!) I baked them at 170°C in my fan-assisted oven for exactly 20 minutes.



This was after about 10 minutes of baking. I was interested to see how far up the tins they would go and how much of a straight edge I might get.



Once baked, I removed the cakes and placed them on a wire rack in the tins. As you can see, one of the cakes has air holes in it. This is because I didn't tap the tin and batter on the work surface on the kitchen side to release all the air bubbles before baking.



However, you can see that the cake is definitely done as it's shrunk away from the edges of the tin.



Normally, I wait to turn them out, but I knew these would just slide right out. As you can see, there are slight remnants of the cake on the base, so to ensure that you get the full cake, I would place parchment in the bottom of the tin.





I am impressed with the straight sides, though. Mine are slightly crunchy, just a touch, due to the sugar, but I don't mind that. However, my point was more about how straight they were so that I didn't get the dome and slanted sides I usually get from the Vic sponge when baking in my 1-inch tins.

To prevent the wire rack marks, place parchment on top first and then flip the cakes onto them.



Once cooled, I placed the cake on a cleaned board (wiped over with vodka), dusted it with icing sugar so it wouldn't stick to the board, and filled it with strawberry jam, although I know you need to use raspberry jam. I'm not a lover of buttercream, that's why I don't use it. However, I found my stand mixer makes the softest, fluffiest buttercream that melts in the mouth if you have to make some. I have a recipe for that if needs be.



This is an eye-level view to see the straightness of the edges, as you can see I have no dip in the cake.



I hope this gives you a better insight into Victoria Sponge and will help you win first prize at next year's fair. If you need anything further or you experiment further we'd love to know how you get on.

Either way, I wish you the very best of luck.

Best wishes


Angie