Medel

Battenberg Cake

A stunning Victorian showstopper with alternating pink and almond sponge squares wrapped in apricot jam and smooth marzipan—each slice reveals a perfect checkerboard pattern. The delicate almond sponge is tender and fragrant, while the marzipan provides a silky, sweet exterior that gives way to that iconic patchwork interior.

⏱️100 min

🍽️4 portioner

🥕 Vegetariskt

2.5

🇬🇧 Brittisk 🍰 Dessert

👩‍🍳 Gör så här

⏱️ Äggklocka

1
Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan/gas 4). Line a 20cm square tin with baking parchment by crossing two 20cm strips over the base.
2
For the almond sponge, beat together butter, caster sugar, self-raising flour, ground almonds, baking powder, eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract in a large bowl with an electric whisk until smooth.
3
Scrape the mixture into the tin, spread to the corners, and bake for 25-30 minutes until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
4
For the pink sponge, line the tin again. Mix butter, caster sugar, self-raising flour, ground almonds, baking powder, eggs, and vanilla extract (omit almond extract). Fold in pink food colouring, then scrape into the tin and bake as before. Cool completely.
5
Heat the apricot jam in a small pan until runny, then sieve. Trim two opposite edges from the almond sponge, then trim a third edge well. Measure the sponge height and use a ruler to cut 4 slices of equal width from the well-trimmed edge. Repeat with the pink cake.
6
Roll out one marzipan block on an icing sugar-dusted surface to just over 20cm wide, then continue rolling lengthways until roughly 0.5cm thick.
7
Brush the marzipan with apricot jam. Lay a pink and almond slice side by side at one end, brushing jam between them, leaving 4cm of marzipan clear at the end. Brush jam on top of the sponges, then sandwich the remaining 2 slices on top, alternating colours to create a checkerboard pattern. Trim marzipan to match the cake length.
8
Carefully lift the marzipan and smooth it over the cake with your hands, leaving a small fold along the bottom edge. Trim the opposite side to match, then crimp the edges with your fingers and thumb (or press with a fork). Mark 10 slice portions with a fork if desired.
9
Assemble the second Battenberg using the remaining ingredients and sponge. Store in an airtight box or wrapped in cling film for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 1 month.