The Sweet Substitution In Queen Camilla's Favorite Cake

If you've ever attended a British-style afternoon tea, then you've probably sunk a fork into a quintessential dessert that often makes an appearance — alongside other classics such as finger sandwiches, scones, buns, and biscuits (via Fine Dining Lovers) — on such occasions: the Victoria sponge. According to The New York Times, this famous British dessert is a fairly homey one, consisting of two light, fluffy sponge cakes featuring generous layers of fruit jam and whipped cream slathered between them. Because of how the cake is stacked with fillings, it's more colloquially referred to as a Victoria sandwich, according to BBC Good Food.

The dessert is not a difficult one to make at home, so if you've got a hankering for a comforting slice of cake to nosh alongside a strong cup of tea, it might be time to try your hand at a Victoria sponge. But before you do so, you might want to check out the variation favored by Queen Consort Camilla — aka, the wife of now-King Charles III — to see if it tickles your fancy.

Camilla, the former Duchess of Cornwall who is now known as the Queen Consort since the death of Queen Elizabeth II earlier this month (via BBC), enjoys a good Victoria sponge — but not the classic type spread with jam. According to The Takeout, King Charles' wife prefers a rich, chocolatey variation on the cake, spreading it with Nutella instead of fruit preserves. The outlet reports that the Queen Consort shared her recipe variation last year while promoting a charity fundraiser. Another variation that Camilla noted she enjoys is swapping the jam for lemon curd, whose tanginess cuts down on the sweetness of the dessert.

The recipe for the cake, published by The Takeout, is a fairly straightforward one. Sponge cake batter made from self-rising flour, baking powder, softened butter, granulated sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract is poured into two round cake pans and baked at 325 degrees Fahrenheit until tender. Then, they're spread with Nutella or lemon curd, plus whipped cream if desired, sprinkled with powdered sugar, and served. It's a dessert fit for a monarch — or a lazy afternoon in the life of a commoner.