Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall shares her personal recipe for classic Victoria sponge

The royal revealed a twist she sometimes makes on the dessert's traditional filling

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall revealed she sometimes swaps out traditional jam for lemon curd or Nutella in her recipe for a Victoria sponge cake. Reuters

You might not be able to wake up on a regal estate or wear heirloom diamonds, but there is one way you can enjoy a taste of royal life.

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall has opened up her cookery book to share her recipe for a classic British dessert, allowing home chefs to trial the royal's personal take on the Victoria sponge.

The duchess, 74, shared the recipe on the Clarence House Instagram account, which represents the work of the royal and her husband, Prince Charles.

Camilla posted her personal technique to mark the return of Poetry Together tea parties, a cause supported by the royal, which aim to bring together people while celebrating the literary art form.

"The duchess has shared her recipe for a Victoria Sponge for young and old(er!) alike to enjoy after reciting a poem by heart together," the Clarence House Instagram post stated.

Poetry Together, a free initiative launched by writer and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth in 2019, encourages people at schools and care homes to learn a poem and recite it at a group gathering, followed by tea and cake.

The concept's tea parties, however, were put on pause because of the Covid-19 pandemic.

"This year’s events will be particularly special as schoolchildren and the elderly will be able to convene in person once again following last year’s event being forced online due to the pandemic," the Clarence House Instagram said.

The post included a picture of Camilla with a Victoria sponge, as well as her recipe for followers to try at home.

The cake, which dates back to the 1800s and is named after former British monarch Queen Victoria, traditionally features a light vanilla sponge sandwiched together with jam and cream or buttercream.

The duchess's recipe combines 110 grams of self-raising flour, butter or margarine, and caster sugar, creamed together with two eggs, baking powder and vanilla essence.

For the filling, the royal revealed that she sometimes substitutes classic jam for tangy lemon curd or Nutella spread.

"The Duchess loves poetry. And chocolate, too. You can make a chocolate version of the Poetry Together cake if you like. Simply omit the vanilla essence and add one tablespoon of cocoa powder to the basic ingredients," the recipe says.

The recipe isn't the first personal recommendation Camilla has previously shared. The royal launched a virtual book club in January, The Duchess of Cornwall's Reading Room, which aims to delve "into some of Her Royal Highness's favourite books", as well as feature in-depth interviews with authors.

A novel by Turkish-British writer Elif Shafak was among the first titles that the royal recommended.