So I may have re-invented the wheel last week. Cake sandwiches have existed in spirit for ages — a Victoria Sponge is basically two layers and a filling pretending not to be a sandwich. All I did was slice two layers of our Hero Sponge, load them with sweet fillings, cut them into triangles and pop them into a sandwich box. Instagram went feral, and after much gentle bullying I uploaded them to the website for postal cake sandwich orders. I thought we’d sell five. We sold over 200 overnight.

Since then — and it’s only been a week — countless bakeries here and abroad have started making their own versions, including a very well-known baking celebrity. It’s officially become a cake trend, and honestly, who doesn’t love a trend when it tastes this good?

As much as I adore these little wedges of joy, we simply can’t meet the demand. We can only take on a limited number of orders alongside our regular birthday cake and wedding cake production. So if you’ve missed out, or can’t justify spending that much on what is essentially dessert in disguise, or simply fancy giving it a go yourself, read on — here’s how to make the best homemade cake sandwiches.

Equipment You Need

A 12"x9" rectangular baking tin with at least 2" depth

A cake leveller (the inexpensive KitchenCraft ones are great)

A proper chef’s knife

A cranked/angled palette knife (the non-angled ones are basically decor; I never touch them)

Recipe Components

Sandwich Sponge

Use our Hero Sponge recipe. Cake sandwich slices are thinner than usual and dry out faster, so the added yoghurt/buttermilk, milk and oil in our recipe keep the crumb beautifully moist. You can also explore flavour variations or free-from versions in our recipe collection.

One batch fills one tray. Bake at 150–160°C for 30–35 minutes (ovens vary, so check with a skewer). Cool in the tray for 15–20 minutes, then flip out and cool fully on a wire rack.

Once cooled, use a leveller to slice 1.5–2cm layers evenly. Wrap in cling film and chill in the fridge or freezer until firm. You can make the sponges ahead — check individual recipes for storage tips.

Buttercream Filling

We use our Swiss meringue buttercream. It’s half as sweet as traditional frosting, silky smooth, ice-cream-like and spreads beautifully. Use any icing you like, of course, but balance is everything.

Ganache Filling

Ganache adds gooey richness and helps keep the sandwich moist. I love our salted caramel ganache, but any chocolate ganache works. You can also use jam, lemon curd or whatever spread you love — Nutella, peanut butter, Biscoff…go wild.

Crunchy Filling

The best sandwiches have texture. If you’ve never put crisps in a sandwich, we can’t be friends — and the logic applies here too. Soft sponge + silky buttercream + gooey ganache + crunch = perfection. Use crushed cookies, pretzels, Kinder Buenos, KitKats, Twix…anything with a bit of bite.

Cake Sandwich Assembly

Bring your chilled sponge layers out and separate them.

Spread a cup of buttercream evenly over one layer with your cranked palette knife.

Spread four tablespoons of ganache (or your chosen spread) over the second layer.

Scatter your crunchy filling evenly over the buttercream.

Sandwich the two layers together gently. Trim the edges if you want them neat.

Cut into four quarters, then slice each quarter diagonally into triangles. Voilà — trendy cake sandwiches achieved.

Cake Sandwich Packaging

If you’re serving straight away, a platter is perfect. If you’re serving later, wrap each sandwich tightly in cling film to preserve moisture.

They look super cute in sandwich wedges (easily found online), but please, for the love of cake, wrap them first. Cardboard is not airtight; unwrapped cake sandwiches will be dry like Melania and the boxes will get manky. Too many bakeries are skipping this step and I am mourning all the lost cake sandwich lives.

These make brilliant gifts, cheeky office treats, kids’ party favours and, crucially, they’re very portable — unlike cupcakes or full cakes, which are basically gym workouts in disguise.

So tell me…are you obsessed? Terrified? Confused by the whole “sweet pretending to be savoury” situation? Will you make these? Let me know! And if it all goes horribly wrong, you know exactly where to find the best OG cake sandwiches.

Love,
Reshmi xoxo

And if you’re in the mood for more sweet inspiration, browse our freshly baked recipe collection — perfect for weekend projects, celebrations or just because you fancy something delicious.