Classic Victoria Sponge Cake

I've experimented using both butter and baking margarine for baking sponge cakes, and the baking margarine always results in a lighter sponge cake.
However, when it comes to the best flavour for buttercream icing, I always use unsalted butter.
Accurately weigh the ingredients, baking is a science, if you want a light sponge cake weigh everything out accurately.
Take time to properly cream the margarine and sugar together as this will result is a lovely even, light baked cake.

Always weigh out your eggs! I was given this tip years ago by a coffee shop owner in the Peek District who baked the best cakes I have ever eaten. It might sound like a chore, but it will result in consistently good cakes if you take the time to weigh your eggs. Eggs vary in size and weight so always weigh out your eggs when making sponge cake. This ensures a good rise as you are using the same weigh of eggs to flour, margarine and sugar.

To weigh eggs, I recommend cracking them first into a bowl then removing a little excess egg. It will work fine if it is just a little under or over.

Loose bottomed cake tins make baking cakes a lot easier. The loose bottom allows you to pop the cakes straight out of the tin without too much handling.

Lining the baking tins could not be easier. I like to first grease my tins with some softened margarine, then dust them with flour before lining the base with a circle of baking parchment. You can completely line the tin if you prefer or use a special cake release spray.