Recipe; Battenberg Cake

Thinking back to my childhood a Battenberg cake was always a form favourite when I went to visit my Nan. Served with with finger sandwiches of egg and cress and served with a cup of sweet tea. It was one of the highlight I always looked forward to. The visit was made even better by me helping to make the cake from scratch with the special cooks treat of being able to eat the bits cut off from the ends whilst waiting for the eggs to boil.

Battenberg’s can seem complicated to make but it’s just a simple cake batter with half coloured red with the addition of apricot jam and ready made marzipan. A homemade Battenberg can easily be made by even novice bakers in around an hour yet is such a sjow stopper of a cake for any tea morning or afternoon tea.

What Is The History Behind A Battenberg Cake?

With its harlequin sponge and marzipan wrapping, Battenberg cakes are a firm teatime favourite in the UK. As for where battenberg’s originated from, that’s not quite so easy.

Battenberg cake is made from alternating pink and yellow sponge squares, which are then spread with apricot jam surrounded by a layer of marzipan. It is thought to have originated during Queen Victoria’s reign; possibly created to mark the wedding of her granddaughter, Princess Victoria, to Louis of Battenberg in 1884.

However, the term Battenberg cake doesn’t seem to have appeared in print before 1898. Other names used include Domino Cake, Neapolitan Roll, and the rather charming Church Window Cake. Nevertheless, it has been the Battenberg name which stuck, and more than a hundred years later it still has place of honour on the cake table.

What does Battenberg taste like?

Battenberg Cake is an oblong shaped sponge cake, covered with marzipan. When cut cross-wise the checkered yellow and pink cake can be seen. The only difference between the two cakes is the addition of red food colouring meaning both sponges have the same vanilla sponge taste with the add-on of apricot jam and almond marzipan.

How Long Does A Battenberg Cake Last?

The cake will last for up yo 3 days if wrapped in clingfilm and kept in an airtight box.

Can You Freeze A Battenberg Cake?

You can freeze the Battenberg Cake if you wrap it well, for up to 3 months.

What Can You Serve With A Battenberg cake?

Battenberg can simply be served with tea or as an addition to a traditional afternoon with sandwiches, scones and other cakes.

Should You Put A Marzipan Cake In The Fridge?

Marzipan will start to harden when it’s exposed to the air so is best kept tightly wrapped in cling film and an airtight box. It does not need to be kept in the fridge.

What Is The Difference Between Golden And White Marzipan?

White marzipan is the preferred marzipan for dying with food coloring. It is also used to make cake decorations. Golden marzipan is traditionally used to cover cakes, such as Battenburg cake and traditional Christmas fruitcake.

How Do You Make A Battenberg?

Ingredients

• 175g softened butter, plus extra for greasing
• 175g golden caster sugar
• 3 eggs
• 175g self-raising flour
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• red food colouring paste
• 6 tbsp apricot jam
• 500g ready-made marzipan
• 2–3 tbsp icing sugar, for rolling.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 190C/Gas 5. 
2. Grease a 20cm loose-based cake tin. 
3. Take a 30cm x 20cm strip of baking paper and make a 8cm fold in the centre. This will allow you to cook the two sponges at the same time by creating a division in the cake tin.
4. Line the tin with the baking paper making sure the folded division is in the centre.
5. Using a food processor beat together the butter, sugar, eggs, flour and vanilla in a until smooth. 
6. Split the mixture equally between two bowls. 
7. Add a small drop of the red food colouring to one of the bowls and fold in.
8. pour the mixture into each side of the tin and smoothing the surface.
9. Bake in the centre of the oven for 25 minutes.
10. Allow to cool in the tin for five minutes, then slide a knife around the outside of each sponge and turn them out onto a wire rack.Leave until completely cold.
11. Place the sponges on top of each other and trim the edges so they are both the same size. Cut the sponges in half lengthways to make four long rectangles. 
12. Warm the apricot jam in a saucepan then press through a fine sieve. 
13. Brush the long side of one of the sponges with jam and sandwich together with a sponge of the other colour then do the same with the other two sponges. 
14. Sandwich them together in a checker board and brush the top and sides with the remaining apricot jam.
15. Dust your counter with icing sugar and place the marzipan on top. Roll the marzipan in to a rectangle approximately 40cm x 20cm and approximately 5mm thick.
16. Place the cake on the marzipan and begin to wrap the marzipan around the cake  pressing gently onto the surface of the sponges to stick to the cake.
17. Turn the cake over with the seam underneath and trim a thin slice off each end.