How to Make a Show-Stopping Battenberg Cake: A Step-by-Step Guide

The Battenberg cake: a beautiful, brightly colored checkered cake that’s as delightful to look at as it is to eat. This classic British treat, believed to have been named in honor of Princess Victoria’s marriage to Prince Louis of Battenberg in 1884, is surprisingly simple to make at home.

Whether you’re a baking pro or just starting out, this detailed guide will take you through every step of the process, ensuring you end up with a Battenberg cake that’s fit for a royal tea party!

Gather Your Ingredients:

For this recipe, you will need just a few basic pantry staples to create both the cake and the delicious almond filling:

For the Cake:

• 225g (1 ¾ cups) self-raising flour
• 225g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 225g (1 cup) caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• Pink food coloring gel

For the Filling:

• 100g (1 cup) almond flour
• 100g (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 100g (1/2 cup) icing sugar
• 1 tablespoon milk
• 1/4 teaspoon almond extract

For the Assembly:

• 200g (1 cup) apricot jam, warmed
• 300g (2 1/2 cups) marzipan (almond paste), softened

Battenberg cake batter

Tools You’ll Need:

• 20cm (8-inch) square baking pan
• Parchment paper
• Two mixing bowls
• Electric mixer
• Spatula
• Sieve
• Sharp knife
• Rolling pin

Baking Your Checkerboard Cake:

1. Prepare your pan: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease and line a 20cm square baking pan, ensuring the parchment paper overhangs on two opposite sides. This will help you lift the cake out easily later.

2. Make the batter: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and caster sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the almond extract.

3. Divide the batter: Sift the flour and baking powder into the bowl and gently fold in until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Divide the batter evenly between two bowls.

4. Color and bake: Add a few drops of pink food coloring to one bowl and mix well. Pour the pink batter into one half of the prepared pan and the plain batter into the other half. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.

Baked battenberg cake halves

Assembling Your Battenberg Cake:

5. Cool and trim: Once baked, let the cakes cool in the pan for 10 minutes before inverting them onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool, use a sharp knife to trim the edges of the cakes, creating two even rectangles. Cut each rectangle lengthwise to create four long strips of cake – two pink and two yellow.
6. Make the filling: While the cake cools, make the almond filling. Beat together the softened butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy. Add the almond flour, milk, and almond extract and beat until smooth.
7. Assemble the cake: Place one strip of pink cake next to a strip of yellow cake. Spread a thin layer of the warmed apricot jam over both strips. Repeat with the remaining two strips, sandwiching them together with jam.
8. Spread the filling: Spread a generous layer of almond filling over the top of the assembled cake strips, ensuring it’s evenly distributed.
9. Wrap in marzipan: On a surface dusted with icing sugar, roll out your marzipan into a large rectangle, slightly larger than your cake. Carefully lift and drape the marzipan over the cake, using your hands to gently smooth it down the sides. Trim away any excess marzipan.

Serving and Enjoying Your Battenberg Cake:

10. Slice and serve: Use a sharp knife to cut the cake into slices, revealing the beautiful checkered pattern inside.

Sliced Battenberg cake

Tips and Tricks for Baking the Perfect Battenberg:

• Consistent Baking: For even baking and a perfect checkerboard pattern, make sure your oven rack is in the center position.
• Vibrant Color: Use a good quality pink food coloring gel for a more intense and vibrant color. Start with a small amount and add more drops until you achieve your desired shade.
• Neat Marzipan Finish: To prevent the marzipan from sticking while rolling, lightly dust your work surface and rolling pin with icing sugar. If your marzipan tears, don’t fret! Simply patch it up with a small piece of marzipan and smooth it over with your fingers.
• Storage: Store any leftover Battenberg cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

FAQs:

Q: Can I use a different flavor extract?
A: Absolutely! While almond extract is traditional, you can experiment with other flavors like vanilla or lemon extract for a unique twist.

Q: Can I freeze Battenberg cake?
A: Yes, you can freeze the assembled, uncoated cake for up to 2 months. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap and then in foil to prevent freezer burn. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and then coat with marzipan.

There you have it! Now go forth and impress your friends and family with this classic and impressive cake. It’s much easier than it looks, we promise!