Grease two cake tins with butter. Line the base with baking paper. This stops the cake from sticking. Preheat the oven to 180°C. Make sure the oven is fully hot before baking.

Place soft butter and sugar in a bowl. Beat them until light and fluffy. This step adds air to your sponge. It helps make the cake soft and airy.

Add eggs one at a time. Mix well after each egg. If the mixture looks curdled, add a spoon of flour. This keeps the batter smooth and stable.

Sift flour and baking powder into the bowl. Gently fold it using a spatula. Do not overmix. Overmixing makes the sponge heavy instead of light.

Add milk and vanilla extract. Stir gently until smooth. The batter should be soft but not runny. This gives the sponge a nice flavor and texture.

Pour the mixture evenly into both tins. Smooth the tops with a spatula. Bake for 20–25 minutes until golden. A skewer should come out clean when done.

Let the cakes cool in tins for 10 minutes. Then move them to a wire rack. They must be fully cool before adding filling.

Spread jam on one sponge layer. Add whipped cream or buttercream on top. Place the second sponge carefully. Press gently.

Dust icing sugar on top. This gives a beautiful bakery-style finish. Now your cake is ready to serve.