A Victoria sponge is the quintessential British cake, especially when baked by a grandmother. But how do supermarket versions compare? Taste-tester Adam Toms, despite not being a fan, sampled eight offerings to find the best.
Morrisons
The sponge was slightly dry, but the jam had a pleasant flavour, and the cream balanced it well. Price: £4.43. Rating: 5/10.
Marks & Spencer
Marks & Spencer was more generous with cream and had a fuller sponge, but the jam was lacklustre. The cream flavour came through clearly. Price: £4.75. Rating: 4/10.
Lidl
Lidl's version had little filling and an odd sponge taste, though the price was good. Price: £2.49. Rating: 3/10.
Tesco
Tesco's cake looked factory-made, with plenty of jam and cream, but the sponge was dry and overly sweet. Price: £4.25. Rating: 6/10.
Co-op
Co-op's cake looked dense and unappealing, but tasted delightful with airy sponge and a lovely jam-cream combination. Price: £4.10. Rating: 7/10.
Asda
Asda's cake had lots of jam, scarce cream, but good flavour. Remarkably, it lived up to its 'exceptional' claim at a low price. Price: £2.37. Rating: 8/10.
Sainsbury's
Sainsbury's was a letdown: tiny, cheap-looking, with passable jam, barely detectable cream, and underwhelming sponge. Price: £4.25. Rating: 2/10.
Waitrose
Waitrose offered a generous, homemade-looking portion with even jam and cream, good sugar topping, and spot-on flavours. The standout option. Price: £6.50. Rating: 9/10.
