Baking Dessert

Strawberry and rhubarb jam Victoria sponges

Name: Tilly Pamment's strawberry and rhubarb jam Victoria sponges recipe
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 75 min
Yield: 6
Ingredients: 200ml thickened cream; 100g Greek-style yoghurt; 20.00 ml icing sugar mixture, plus extra to dust; 1 tsp rosewater; 500g strawberries, hulled and quartered; 300g rhubarb, cut into 2cm pieces; 440g caster sugar; 125ml lemon juice; 1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped, or 1 tbs vanilla bean paste; 2 tsp rosewater (optional); Unsalted butter, to grease; Plain flour, to dust; 200g double cream; 165g caster sugar; 1 tsp vanilla bean paste; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 150g self-raising flour

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Strawberry & Rhubarb Jam Victoria Sponges p. 140

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by Tilly Pamment

COOKBOOK AUTHOR

May 04, 2026

“I am a total sucker for just about any version of a Victoria sponge. Plain cake, jam and cream – what more could you want? But make them little, individual Victorias and you really have my attention. The beauty of this recipe lies in its simplicity. These little cakes are made with cream, not butter, in the batter, meaning that you can mix them all in one bowl, by hand. And anything that gets me closer to a cake with less effort is a win in my book! Filling them with whipped yoghurt cream and homemade jam really does make them sing, but any good jam you are in possession of will do the trick!” – Tilly Pamment.

You’ll need a 6-hole, 3/4-cup (180ml) capacity Texas muffin pan and a sterilised jar for this recipe (see recipe notes).

This is an edited extract from Handfuls of Sunshine by Tilly Pamment, Murdoch Books, $39.99.

200ml thickened cream
100g Greek-style yoghurt
1 tbs icing sugar mixture, plus extra, to dust
1 tsp rosewater

Strawberry and rhubarb jam

500g strawberries, hulled and quartered
300g rhubarb, cut into 2cm pieces
2 cups (440g) caster sugar
1/2 cup (125ml) lemon juice (about 3-4 lemons)
1 vanilla bean, split and seeds scraped, or 1 tbs vanilla bean paste
2 tsp rosewater (optional)

Cakes

Unsalted butter, to grease
Plain flour, to dust
200g double cream
3/4 cup (165g) caster sugar
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (150g) self-raising flour

Method

1.

For the jam, preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan-forced. Place the strawberries, rhubarb, sugar, lemon juice and vanilla bean seeds and pod (or paste) in a large deep baking tray and mix well, making sure that no dry bits of sugar remain. Spread the fruit out into an even layer and place the tray in the preheated oven to cook for 20 minutes, or until the fruit is bubbling around the edges of the tray. Carefully take the tray out of the oven and mash the fruit with a potato masher or fork. Return the tray to the oven and cook for a further 15–20 minutes. Watch the jam carefully at this point, as it can bubble over if it is cooked for too long. When the jam has reduced slightly and is bubbling and fragrant, carefully remove the tray from the oven. Give the jam another little mash, stir in the rosewater (if using), then ladle it into a sterilised jar and seal while hot.
2.

For the cakes, preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan-forced and grease a 6-hole, ¾-cup (180ml) capacity Texas muffin pan well with softened butter (see note). Dust the pan with a little plain flour, tapping out any excess.
3.

Use a hand whisk to whisk the cream, sugar and vanilla in a large mixing bowl until combined. Do not overmix or the cream will become too stiff. Add the eggs, one at a time, whisking after each addition. Add the self-raising flour and a pinch of fine salt to the bowl, and whisk briefly to form a smooth batter.
4.

Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pan holes, smoothing the tops with a spatula and tapping the pan gently on the bench to remove any air bubbles. Bake for 15-20 minutes, until the cakes have risen and are cooked through. Allow the cakes to cool in their pan for 10 minutes before carefully turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5.

When ready to assemble the cakes, make the filling by whipping the cream, yoghurt, sugar and rosewater to soft peaks. Split the cakes in half, and top the bottom halves with a generous scoop of the cream mixture. Use the back of a spoon to create a little nest in the cream, then place a spoonful of jam on top. Gently sandwich the tops of the cakes on top, and dust liberally with icing sugar before serving.