Classic Battenburg Cake Recipe

Learn how to make the classic Battenburg Cake with this step-by-step recipe. This beautiful cake is made with moist almond sponge cake and covered in marzipan, creating a visually stunning dessert. Perfect for special occasions or afternoon tea.

Ingredients

• 200g unsalted butter, softened
• 200g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 200g self-raising flour
• 100g ground almonds
• 1 tsp almond extract
• Pink food coloring
• Apricot jam
• 500g marzipan
• Icing sugar, for dusting

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a Battenburg cake tin or a square baking tin.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. If the mixture starts to curdle, add a spoonful of flour.
4. Fold in the self-raising flour and ground almonds until well combined. Stir in the almond extract.
5. Divide the mixture in half. Leave one half plain and add a few drops of pink food coloring to the other half. Mix well until you achieve an even pink color.
6. Transfer the two batter mixtures into separate piping bags or sandwich bags. Cut a small hole in the corner of each bag.
7. Pipe the two colors of batter into the prepared tin, alternating between pink and plain to create a checkerboard pattern.
8. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
9. Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool completely in the tin.
10. Once cooled, remove the cake from the tin and trim the edges to create straight sides.
11. Brush the top and sides of the cake with apricot jam.
12. Roll out the marzipan on a surface dusted with icing sugar into a rectangle large enough to wrap around the cake.
13. Place the cake on the marzipan and wrap it tightly, pressing the edges to seal.
14. Trim off any excess marzipan and dust the cake with icing sugar.
15. Slice and serve.
16. Store the Battenburg Cake in an airtight container for up to 3-4 days.

Interesting Facts