Valencia Orange and Lemon Victoria Sponge

I made this cake for a colleague's leaving do. I wanted something simple, light and refreshing so I thought about making a lemon cake which is one of my favourite cakes in the world. However, the letter for AlphaBakes this month is "V" and I got to thinking about Valencia oranges. So I made a Valencia orange and lemon Victoria sponge cake - a double V! It's a basic sponge cake with the addition of orange and lemon zest and a little juice sandwiched with a citrus buttercream. The cake was delightfully light, moist and tangy.

AlphaBakes is a monthly baking/blogging challenge hosted this month by myself and co hosted by Caroline from Caroline Makes on alternate months. Basically we pick a random letter each month and you need to submit a bake that contains that letter as a main ingredient or name of bake. This month we are baking with 'V'.  Have you made yours yet? There's still time as the deadline is 25th June. 

 It's definitely Valencia oranges! :) 

 adding orange and lemon zest to the batter

 citrus buttercream 

 Luckily I found these orange and lemon pieces to decorate

For the cake

175g butter

175g golden caster sugar

175g self raising flour

3 eggs

1 teaspoon baking powder

zest of 1 orange

zest of 1 lemon

1 tablespoon of fresh orange juice

1 tablespoon of fresh lemon juice

For the buttercream filling

40g butter

100g icing sugar

zest of 1/2 orange and zest of 1/2 lemon

1 tablespoon of fresh orange juice (adjust according to consistency required)

• Preheat the oven to 180C.
• Grease and line 2 x 18cm round sandwich tins. 
• Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Add the eggs, one at a time.
• Mix in the flour and baking powder.
• Finally add in the juices and zests. 
• Divide evenly into the prepared tins and bake in the pre heated oven for 18-20 minutes or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. 
• Allow to cool in the tin before turning out to a wire rack to cool completely. 
• Make the buttercream filling by mixing all the ingredients together until smooth.
• Spread the buttercream on one cake and top with the second cake.
• Dust the cake with icing sugar and decorate as desired.

Update 19/6/12

I am also entering this to Calendar Cakes which is a new month blogging challenge hosted this month by Rachel from Dolly Bakes and on alternate months by Laura from Laura Loves Cakes. The idea is to link up seasonal treats throughout the year and the theme for June is Euro 2012. As Spain won last night, I think this Valencia cake is appropriate for the challenge.