Classic Battenberg Cake (Print Version)

A delightful British teatime classic featuring light sponge in pink and yellow checkerboard, filled with apricot jam and coated in marzipan.

# What You Need:

→ Sponge Cake

01 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - 3/4 cup caster sugar
03 - 3 large eggs
04 - 1 1/4 cups self-raising flour
05 - 1/2 cup ground almonds
06 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
09 - Pink food coloring

→ Filling & Covering

10 - 1 cup apricot jam
11 - 12 ounces marzipan, plus extra for dusting
12 - Icing sugar, for dusting

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch square cake tin with parchment paper, creating a divider from foil and parchment to split the tin in half.
02 - In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy using an electric mixer or hand whisk.
03 - Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition until fully incorporated.
04 - Fold in the self-raising flour, ground almonds, baking powder, vanilla extract, and almond extract until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
05 - Divide the batter evenly into two bowls. In one bowl, mix in a few drops of pink food coloring until a soft pink hue is achieved. Leave the other bowl plain for the yellow sponge.
06 - Spoon each batter into one side of the prepared tin. Smooth the tops with a spatula to ensure even surfaces.
07 - Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cakes comes out clean.
08 - Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then carefully remove and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before assembly.
09 - Trim the edges of both sponges to create even rectangles. Cut each sponge in half lengthwise to make four long strips of equal size.
10 - Warm the apricot jam slightly and sieve to remove any lumps, making it easier to spread.
11 - Brush the sides of the cake strips with jam and assemble them in a checkerboard pattern, alternating pink and yellow strips. Press gently to adhere.
12 - Roll out the marzipan on a surface dusted with icing sugar to a rectangle large enough to completely wrap around the assembled cake.
13 - Brush the outside of the assembled checkerboard cake with apricot jam, then carefully wrap the marzipan around the cake. Trim any excess marzipan and seal the edges.
14 - Press the marzipan to seal the join. Lightly score the top with a knife in a diagonal pattern for decoration. Slice and serve.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of almond and vanilla sponges creates the most delicate flavour profile
  • That moment when you cut the first slice and reveal the pattern never gets old
  • Its the kind of cake that makes even a Tuesday afternoon feel like a special occasion
02 -
  • Cooling the cakes completely before trimming is absolutely crucial, warm sponge will tear and crumble
  • The divider in the tin needs to be secure and tall, any batter bleeding across will ruin your pattern
  • When rolling marzipan, lift and turn it frequently to prevent sticking, icing sugar is your friend here
03 -
  • Make your divider double thickness with both foil and parchment, this prevents any batter seeping through and keeps your colours pure
  • If your sponges are slightly different heights after baking, trim the taller one down so both are exactly even
  • The apricot jam should be brushing consistency, warm it slightly if its too thick to spread easily

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