The British have a strange tendency to give their food the most unappealing names. Maybe they just don’t want to get anyone’s hopes up. But really — bubble and squeak? Spotted dick? At least one person has theorized that the bad reputation of British cuisine comes from the names, not the food itself.

Yet after the millionth time reading about some dainty 19th century lady enjoying tea and sponge — presumably not the sodden green-and-yellow kind lying in my sink — I have to try it. What the hell is the big deal?

Turns out, this is a simple, versatile cake in the vein of a pound cake (but less rich) or financier (but with flour). It’s tender in texture, gently flavored with vanilla. You could just have slices of it plain, or split it and make a sort of cake sandwich, as above – the usual combo is something creamy and something fruity, like jam and whipped cream. I used mascarpone cheese whipped with a bit of cream, to make it more spreadable, and apricot jam. I’m guessing you could soak slices of stale sponge in a sweet wine like Marsala and carry on with the fruit-cream treatment too.

Nigella Lawson gives a good recipe for Victoria sponge in “How to Eat,” offering the choice of beating the mixture by hand to lighten it or just using more baking powder. Since I had found that her scones reeked of baking powder, I opted to go old-school. It is pretty hard on the wrist, though — I imagine a handheld electric beater or a stand mixer would come in handy.

Victoria sponge
From How to Eat, by Nigella Lawson

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup plus 2 TB superfine sugar (make this by whizzing in food processor; measure out the amount you need afterward)
16 TB (2 sticks) very soft unsalted butter (you can microwave to melt, then let come to room temp)
2 tsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, or zest of 1/2 orange or lemon
4 eggs
2 TB milk

Preheat oven to 350 degrees, and butter two 8-inch round cake pans.

Put all the ingredients, except the milk, into the processor and blend thoroughly. Add milk through the funnel. It should have a “soft, dropping consistency” — add more milk if you need to.

Sift together the flour, cornstarch, and baking powder. Cream the butter and sugar together with a hand beater until pale and soft, then add the eggs, one at a time, alternating with 1 TB flour mixture. When eggs are all in, add the milk and vanilla, then the rest of the flour mixture.

Pour into pan and bake about 25 minutes, until the tops spring back when pressed.

Nigella says, “Sandwich together with cream, jam, raspberries or whatever you like.”