VE Day 2020

VE Day (otherwise known as Victory in Europe Day), marks the end of fighting against Nazi Germany in Europe and 2020 is a special anniversary because it is 75 years since the end of the WW2 in Europe.

At 3pm on 8th May 1945, Prime Minister Winston Churchill announced on the radio that war in Europe had come to an end. Big celebrations planned for today across the UK have had to be cancelled due to government guidelines on social distancing to prevent further spread of the Covid-19 Coronavirus, so smaller celebrations are taking place at home. We’ll be making a classic victoria sponge cake and eating sausage rolls, cucumber sandwiches and scones with jam and cream… or should it be cream and jam?

Ingredients for Classic VE Day Victoria Sponge

• 110g butter
• 110g caster sugar
• 2 large eggs
• vanilla essence
• 110g self-raising eggs
• strawberry jam
• strawberries
• whipped cream

How To Make a Classic VE Day Victoria Sponge

First turn the oven on and preheat to 170°C or equivalent and line two 18cm sponge tins with greaseproof paper.

Mix together the butter and sugar until you get a pale, fluffy mixture. Then, add the eggs a little at a time. If the mixture begins to curdle add a teaspoon of flour. Keep adding the eggs and mixing, then add the vanilla essence and stir. Next, you need to gently fold the flour into the mixture until you have your cake batter.

Divide the cake mixture equally between your two tins and place on the centre shelf of the oven for 25-30 minutes.

Once your sponge cakes are cooked, take them out of the oven and turn them onto a wire cooling rack and remove the greaseproof paper. When the cakes are cool you can sandwich them together with jam and cream and add strawberries for decoration.

VE Day 2020 celebrations

If you’re not much of a baker then you can still enjoy an English classic with a simple bowl of fresh strawberries and a generous pouring of single cream.

If you’re planning to have a celebration at home then Bletchley Park have put together a fantastic pack of resources to inspire your VE Day at home including recipes, cocktails, music and decorations.

However you are spending the 8th May 2020, I hope you are able to enjoy the day despite the current restrictions that stretch across the globe during the Coronavirus pandemic.