Vicky's Sponge Cake

Tea type
Black Fruit Herbal Blend
Ingredients
Not available
Flavors
Raspberry, Tart, Cake, Creamy, Fruity, Smooth, Cream, Vanilla, Herbs, Pleasantly Sour, Tea, Bitter, Sour, Vinegar, Coconut, Jam, Sweet, Autumn Leaf Pile, Metallic
Sold in
Bulk, Loose Leaf
Caffeine
High
Certification
Not available
Edit tea info Last updated by Cameron B.
Average preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 45 sec 3 g 10 oz / 292 ml

From Our Community

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16 Want it Want it

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22 Own it Own it

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103 Tasting Notes View all

  • “This is my fourth day in a row drinking this tea! Is it love, or just a passing fling? I will savour it either way. (Mmmm….spongy berry cake)” Read full tasting note
    90
  • “At first glance, this blend reminds me of fantasy island, but it’s not as artificially sweet, is more creamy, and doesn’t get that awful bitterness that Fantasy Island tends to get. It dry blend...” Read full tasting note
    85
  • “So i wanted to try this as a cold brew since the warm cup i had was more raspberry than sponge cake. It turns out, the cake was hiding in the cold brew :) This is a creamy cup of delicious cake...” Read full tasting note
    61
  • “Iced it. Prefer it hot. End of story. I guess I should have cold-steeped it, since everyone’s good reviews were about cold-steeps, not iced. I need to work on my patience if I’m gonna do cold...” Read full tasting note

From Bird & Blend Tea Co.

There is nothing better than a cuppa and cake (except perhaps a cake flavoured cuppa!) and did you know it was our good old queenie Victoria who invented the Vicky Sponge? Guess the name gives it away a bit! She loved taking afternoon tea with her home girls but decided they needed some extra nourishment to last until dinner. Cake it is then! We like your thinking QV!

Ingredients: Ceylon black tea, coconut, strawberry granules, freeze dried raspberries, raspberry leaves

About Bird & Blend Tea Co. View company

Company description not available.

103 Tasting Notes

85
2238 tasting notes

I’ve been drinking this a lot more regularly since I brought the packet to work with me. I like the idea of this tea, but it doesn’t always work for me in practice. When I get it right, it’s gorgeous. Nice, robust black base, sweet raspberry, and a hint of creaminess (particularly enhanced with milk). I seem to get it wrong more often than not, though. Part of the issue is the strength of the black base — if the leaves are left in for even a few second more than they should be, the result is an astringent, almost raspberry-less brew. I like this, and I want to like it more than I do, but it’s just so hard to get right I sometimes wonder whether it’s worth the bother. It’s easy to say that it is when it’s perfect, but the bad times make me doubt. A lovely idea, I just wish the base tea was a bit more forgiving. I’ll drink the rest of my packet anyway, but it’s probably not one I’d buy again unless some alterations are made.

Preparation
Boiling 3 min, 30 sec

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71
652 tasting notes

It’s easier to write this with a British accent right now as I’m currently watching Doctor Who.
You should definitely read this with that accent. I need to tell you that I am going to sprinkle British slang all throughout this tea note and you’re going to like it!

First of all, I like the name of this tea, it’s rather charming. (haha English people probably don’t even talk like that in real life but my knowledge comes from Downton Abbey, let’s be honest)

I was chuffed to bits to try this tea, I was hoping it would be ace.

Basically I try anything with the word “cake” in it.

Honestly this blend is quite brilliant, though I didn’t really get a cake taste out of it. There’s lots of raspberries, and some creamy coconut, but sadly, no cake. I steeped it for about 3-4 minutes and I am actually noticing a wee bit of bitterness, likely the tartness of the raspberries. I will add some sweetener on my resteep to see what happens,

I would have liked more of a cakiness to it, but I still right enjoyed it, it was jolly good but I wouldn’t quite call it the dog’s bollocks (wouldn’t want to call anything that, as a matter of fact!!) I’d rate this higher if it didn’t have the word cake in the name. But it was still delightful!

This review was brought to you on behalf of the British Stereotyping Society of Canada.
Right awful, it were! (the stereotyping, not the tea)

Ummm, thanks for the sample, Bluebird Tea Co :)

Courtney

“Chuffed to bits” – love it! You forgot brilliant :P

ohfancythat

Aw shoot, you’re right. I was saving that one. My English relatives said that a lot, I think I will have to add it in there.

ohfancythat

Totally added it

TeaLady441

I only know ‘brilliant’ bc it came up all the time in Harry Potter.

ohfancythat

Yeah they use it a lot!!

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1440 tasting notes

One of my courses this term has an interview each week with a scientist in the field and it is awesome! The interviews have really inspired me further and just sat with me in such an impactful way.

I listened to the interview this week as my last to-do list item tonight while sipping this tea. This tea is just so good and after having such a huge conversation about environmental health with Lexa, I needed this tea and the super cool interview with an evolutionary biologist to just chill me out before bed.

I can never get over the perfect raspberry flavour, mellowed out by the sponge cake flavour that’s just subtle enough to be noticeable.

Also, this is my 1000th tasting note!

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec 3 g 14 OZ / 414 ML
Leafhopper

Congratulations on one thousand tasting notes!

Martin Bednář

Woo! 1000! I am short behind though :)

Tiffany :)

This tea is on a wish list, glad to hear it’s so good. And congrats on the 1000th notes!! :D

Courtney

Thanks everyone! :)

Cameron B.

Congrats! ❤

ashmanra

Wow! Congrats!

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93
4170 tasting notes

Mastress Alita’s sipdown challenge Saturday, July 31st: National Raspberry Cake Day Tea #2

I HAD to have this tea for raspberry day!  Somehow the pouch from 2017 is extravagant today, I’m so pleased, even with this coconut.  Very lucky on these flavors today.  Tea hoarding win today. :D 

edited to add: not sure why the steeps were so especially good… only difference is steeping it in a teabag instead of basket and using 1 1/2 teaspoons. Tastes like a fresh blend.

Lexie Aleah

My package of this from the sale just came and I can’t wait to try it!

tea-sipper

I hope you like it! :D

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358 tasting notes

Another new tea. Out of all the teas from my recent swap, I think this was the one that I was most excited to try! I’ve debated about ordering from Bluebird Teas for so long, but always put it off because of the shipping price to the US. Now that I’ve finally tried a tea of theirs, I won’t be so hesitant to place an order. This tea is wonderful! I was a bit worried after both the dry leaves and the tea in my cup had a tart raspberry aroma, but the flavor is definitely not that bold. It’s has light and creamy vanilla cake flavor with a little juicy berry taste to it that reminds me of raspberry jam. I added sugar and milk and it really brought out the vanilla and berry flavors and blended everything together nicely. I am in love with this tea! Thank you VariaTEA for sending me this one.

-Dry blend has medium black tea leaves with small pieces of green raspberry leaves and small pieces of strawberries and raspberries.
-Dry leaves smell lightly fruity. Tea liquor aroma is of tart raspberries and coconut.
-Tea liquor is a clear medium bright yellow color.
-Tart raspberry flavor and finish. Slightly creamy vanilla and coconut aftertaste.
-Best with milk and sweetener.
-Very good tea. A cup of creamy vanilla cake with a sweet berry flavor that’s reminiscent of raspberry jam.

VariaTEA

I am happy this was a success. I really liked this at first and then thought about it for so long and had another cup and was underwhelmed. Yay for successful swaps!

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78
1040 tasting notes

It’s a little creamy, it’s a little bakery (not sure about actual sponge cake), it’s some sweet, and a lot raspberry.

I like it, it’s good, not sure it will make the cut for permanent place in my cupboard, but enjoyed what I had.

Plunkybug

I liked it, but found the base too strong for my liking. It might be better as a cold brew in summer. If I was gifted this, I’d drink it, but I don’t think I’d make it permanent either.

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1220 tasting notes

Ok I drank this Sunday but have been lazy about writing the note.

I love love love love this. In case you are unaware, a Victoria sponge cake is like a two layer cake with strawberry or raspberry jam (raspberry looks to be the original but strawberry pops up in recipes) and whipped cream in the middle. Yes I want to make one because of this tea.

If you’re looking for a pure cake taste, this is not the cake tea you want. It tastes more like those middle ingredients sandwiched into this cake. Granted, a sponge cake honestly doesn’t taste like much of anything on its own anyway; to me it’s more about it being a fluffy, sweet vehicle for berries and cream. Or ice cream, if you bake it thin and just enough so it’s done but pliable…and you roll it up…but I digress. You can’t exactly get fluffy cake across in tea. I hope.

Sweet is covered though I think, and this is most definitely creamy and jammy. I still can’t decide if this tasted more like strawberry or raspberry, but it was all around like jam was in there. The coconut doesn’t really come across as coconut, but instead makes the tea creamy. I think it was sweet enough to not need anything else. The bag says without milk but really, it’s a tea based on a cake with cream in it, I may have to give it a try with the addition of sugar to see if it becomes even more decadent.

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 4 min, 0 sec

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91
23 tasting notes

Before my review for the actual tea, allow me to just sing the praises of Bluebird Tea Co’s fab customer service! I placed my order on Thursday evening & paid for 1st class delivery, so my parcel should have shipped on Friday. Friday afternoon I received an email from Mike, apologising & saying that unfortunately he was out of the office all weekend & there was no-one that could ship my order until Monday. As I had paid for first class postage, he offered a partial refund for postage & a discount off my next order. He even offered to drop my package off personally on Monday in case it was urgent (I live about half an hour’s drive from Bluebird)! I was more than happy to wait & my order arrived, as promised, today. Excellent service & no doubt my discount code will go to good use come payday!

Anyway, onto the tea… In the bag, this looks amazing. Super pretty! I steeped for 4 mins & the resulting tea smelt just like raspberry jam, or indeed, the inside of a Victoria sponge cake! The taste was a little light but creamy, & I could definitely detect the coconut note that other reviewers have mentioned. Towards the bottom of the cup, the raspberry gave the tea a little bitterness, but nothing too sharp. I might try this with sugar to see if it helps bring out the cake flavour some more. Yum!

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec
Mike Turner

Thanks Caroline, glad t got there!

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99
297 tasting notes

So I originally brewed this up yesterday to take to work with me & forgot it at home. By the time I got home it was too late to drink a black tea, but I had a sip & it was very good.

I ended up drinking about half the mug this morning, it was a bit less than room temp as I left the windows open all night.

This was WAY better after having sat & at this temp. It was tart raspberry & so cakey good. I wish I would have had time to drink more of it. I’m craving it right now.

Preparation
Boiling 4 min, 0 sec

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836 tasting notes

1 tablespoon for 248 ml

I can taste a mixture of the coconut and raspberry- but only very faintly. This blend reminds me of “Fantasy Island” by David’s Tea. The black tea base is a little too astringent. There may have been some spearmint contamination from my Nearly Nirvana sample sitting beside it.

Rating: 68

Preparation
205 °F / 96 °C 3 min, 30 sec

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