Mary Berry says sponge cake will taste 'perfect' if you swap butter for 1 ingredient

Sponge cakes are a timeless treat loved for their light, airy texture and simple, comforting flavour. Whether enjoyed with a cup of tea or as a celebration cake, their soft crumb and sweet fillings make them a favourite across generations. Among all the sponge cakes Mary Berry has baked over the years, the classic Victoria sponge cake stands out as the one she has made more than any other, and it's easy to see why.

However, the baking legend has shared one surprising ingredient that will make this cake even more delicious. Instead of using butter, she swaps it for baking sprea,d which gives it a light and fluffy texture.

All you need to make the Victoria cake is four eggs, 225 grams of caster sugar and 225 grams of self-raising flour, one teaspoon of baking powder, 225 grams of baking spread, and of course double cream some strawberry or rasberry jam.

She said on Food Network UK that the "secret" to the "perfect sponge" is to use 225 grams of baking spread straight from the fridge.

While the baking icon used to use butter, she said it is more difficult to get it to be the right consistency.

With just these ingredients, you can whip up a classic Victoria sponge that's soft, fluffy, and easy to make even for beginners, and takes just a few minutes to prepare.

Mix the eggs, caster sugar, self-raising flour, baking powder and baking spread slowly and then spread it evenly in two buttered tins before putting both in the oven on 160C fan for about 25 minutes.

To make the filling, she whisks 300ml of pouring double cream until it comes up in peaks. Once the sponges have become golden and cooled down, Mary Berry then proceeds to add the cream to the underneath side and then jam to the other sponge.

A light dusting of caster sugar on top finishes this timeless classic beautifully.

Food blogger Helen, from Cooking with my kids also shared the recipe on her blog and explained that the baking spread will make the sponge lighter and fluffier and it's also a more affordable alternatibe.

One person said in the comments: "Just made this today, added a little bit of vanilla but other than that followed the recipe exactly. Turned out perfect, it was my first cake so i was nervous but it was perfect. Thanks so much for the recipe !!"