Classic Battenberg Cake (Printable)
Charming British teatime treat with pink and yellow checkerboard sponge, apricot jam filling, and marzipan covering.
# Ingredient List:
→ Sponge Cake
01 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 3/4 cup caster sugar
03 - 3 large eggs
04 - 1 cup self-raising flour
05 - 1/2 cup ground almonds
06 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
07 - 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
09 - Pink food coloring
→ Filling & Covering
10 - 3/4 cup apricot jam
11 - 12 ounces marzipan, plus extra for dusting
12 - Icing sugar, for dusting
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square cake tin and line with parchment paper. Create a divider using foil and parchment to split the tin in half vertically.
02 - In a large bowl, beat softened butter and caster sugar until pale, light, and fluffy using an electric mixer.
03 - Beat in eggs one at a time, ensuring each egg is fully incorporated before adding the next. Mix well after each addition.
04 - Fold in self-raising flour, ground almonds, baking powder, vanilla extract, and almond extract until just combined. Do not overmix.
05 - Divide batter evenly between two bowls. Add pink food coloring to one bowl, a few drops at a time, mixing until a soft pink hue is achieved.
06 - Spoon pink batter into one side of the prepared tin and plain batter into the other side. Smooth tops with an offset spatula.
07 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. The cakes should be golden and spring back when touched.
08 - Let cakes cool in tin for 10 minutes, then carefully remove and transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before assembling.
09 - Trim all edges from both sponges to create even rectangles. Cut each sponge in half lengthwise to create four equal long strips.
10 - Warm apricot jam in a small saucepan over low heat, then sieve through a fine-mesh strainer to remove any fruit chunks.
11 - Brush jam on the long sides of cake strips. Arrange in a 2x2 checkerboard pattern, alternating pink and plain sponges so each layer shows both colors.
12 - Dust work surface with icing sugar. Roll marzipan into a rectangle large enough to completely wrap around the assembled cake with overlap.
13 - Brush jam all over the outside of the assembled cake. Carefully wrap marzipan around the cake, sealing the seam underneath. Trim excess marzipan.
14 - Press marzipan gently to seal. Lightly score the top in a diagonal pattern with a sharp knife for decoration. Slice and serve.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The striking checkerboard slice makes you look like a baking wizard with surprisingly minimal effort
- That perfect marriage of nutty marzipan and fruity apricot jam is the kind of flavor combination that makes people pause and ask what's in it
02 -
- Both sponges must be completely cool before assembly or the marzipan will melt into a sad sticky mess
- The divider technique is worth the effort, but if your sponges bake at slightly different heights, trim them to match before assembling
03 -
- Warm your apricot jam in the microwave for 15 seconds, then press through a sieve to remove any fruit chunks that would create lumps in your smooth finish
- If your marzipan tears while wrapping, patch it with a small piece of the trimmed excess and smooth with warm fingers