2. Measuring Success & Healthier Victoria Sponge Cake
Happy Friday!
Welcome to the second edition of this Newsletter in 2025 where I set out to faithfully explore my True North and share inspiration along the way!
Life is too short to fake the whispers that live in our souls.
In this Newsletter, I share what makes my own soul come alive: cooking using the finest, healthiest, most authentic ingredients.
I’ll also share mindset shifts and reframes that have helped me better connect with my true nature and unlock more joy and enthusiasm in work and life. No matter your age, it’s never too late to follow what feels true to you.
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Mindset inspiration for this week:
We’ve been conditioned to think being productive is a good thing - and it certainly is because it feels good to get things accomplished in an efficient way. However, I’ve noticed that it’s much easier and almost effortless to be productive when I’m doing things that fuel my soul. If you’re a subscriber, hit reply to this email and send me your thoughts, I’d love to hear them.
This week’s Recipe: Victoria “Arielle Rose” Sponge Cake
The classic Victoria sponge cake, also known as a Victoria sandwich, is a classic British cake named after Queen Victoria, who was known to enjoy it with her afternoon tea. It consists of two light and fluffy sponge layers made with butter, sugar, eggs, and self-raising flour. The layers are traditionally filled with jam (often raspberry or strawberry) and whipped cream or buttercream. The cake is typically dusted with a light sprinkling of powdered sugar. Its simplicity and delicious balance of flavors make it a timeless favorite in British baking. In this version, which I call the Victoria A. R. Sponge, after my middle names in my family, I used high quality, minimally processed ingredients that tend to taste better to a refined and natural palate:
I used Einkorn flour, which has roughly 30% more protein and 30% less starch than flour made from modern wheat. It also contains less gluten than modern wheat cultivars that were developed in the 20th century. Consequently, it's easier to digest even if you suffer from gluten sensitivity. Einkorn flour is produced from the grains of an ancient species of wheat that was domesticated in the Fertile Crescent roughly 12,000 years ago. More from the Jovial site.
I used a meticulously sourced and produced strawberry jam from Sicily made using strawberries grown in Sicily and produced according to Slow Food principals. It uses just the right amount of sugar and lemon juice to bring out the flavor of the strawberries - not too sweet and simply exquisite!
I incorporate coconut sugar - which is less refined than cane sugar.
I used A2/A2 organic cream to make the whipped cream. See more here: https://alexandrefamilyfarm.com/pages/what-is-a2-a2-organic-milk
I used high quality organic imported butter and grass-fed, organic eggs.
Note: Some people like to spend disposable income on alcohol, trips, eating out, shopping, but I like to spend a fraction of that on the most authentic, elegant, refined ingredients I can get my hands on. Therefore, you’ll notice the ingredients I use are typically on the expensive side, even as compared to what you’ll find at the likes of Whole Foods Market, but that’s what I place value on and the additional cost pales in comparison to what most people spend on the above listed expenses.
Ingredients
2 sticks (8 oz) butter, room temperature
1 cup sugar - split between cane and coconut sugar
4 eggs, room temperature
2 t vanilla extract
2 T high quality organic yogurt (homemade or as close to it as possible)
1 ¾ Einkorn flour
2 t baking powder
Pinch high quality sea salt
½ cup Italian, Sicilian or similar strawberry jam
Confectioners sugar for dusting
Whipped cream (I will share the recipe in next week’s Newsletter)
Preparation
Heat oven to 350 F. Grease and line two, 8 inch round cake pans with parchment paper using butter. Using a KitchenAid or similar, cream butter and sugar together until light, airy and fluffy on medium-high setting. This is where you want to incorporate the air which contributes to the cake’s light texture. The creamed mixture should begin to look pale and fluffy. This process will take about 5 minutes. Next, add one egg add a time, scraping down sides of bowl in between and mixing just enough to incorporate each egg. Next, whisk dry ingredients and add those in three separate batches, quickly so as not to overbeat which will overdevelop gluten and make the cake too dense. Keep machine on low setting so the flour gently folds in.
Divide batter among two tins, smoothing tops with a spatula and moving batter to edges and tapping tins on countertop to even the batter out inside the pans. Bake for 20-25 minutes (no convection oven) until toothpick removes clean and cakes are golden brown. [Note: While in the oven, after the first few minutes, you should see the batter begin to liquify and spread more evenly across the tins. A few bubbles will also form on the top.]
When done, let cakes cool in pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before adding jam and cream. You may wait a day if you’d like, leaving cake on the countertop. Spread the top of one cake layer evenly with the jam, then add a layer of whipped cream (preferably homemade) using a large spoon or spatula to the top of jam. Sandwich the second cake on top. Dust entire cake with confectioners sugar and chill until ready to eat. Bon appetite!
Until next time, may you stay true.
Love, Pooja Renee Mottl
Love your fresh twist on a delicious classic!