Classic Battenberg Cake (Printable)
A beloved British teatime classic with light sponge in pink and yellow checkerboard, apricot jam filling, and marzipan wrapping.
# What You Need:
→ Sponge Cake
01 - ¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
02 - ¾ cup caster sugar
03 - 3 large eggs
04 - 1 cup self-raising flour
05 - ½ cup ground almonds
06 - 1 tsp baking powder
07 - ½ tsp vanilla extract
08 - ¼ tsp almond extract
09 - Pink food coloring
→ Filling & Covering
10 - ¾ cup apricot jam
11 - 12 oz marzipan, plus extra for dusting
12 - Icing sugar, for dusting
# How-To Steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch square cake pan with parchment, creating a divider from foil and parchment to split the pan in half.
02 - In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy using electric mixer or hand whisk.
03 - Beat in eggs one at time, mixing thoroughly after each addition until fully incorporated.
04 - Fold in flour, ground almonds, baking powder, vanilla extract, and almond extract until just combined.
05 - Divide batter evenly between two bowls. Add pink food coloring to one bowl, mixing until soft pink hue is achieved.
06 - Spoon each batter into one side of prepared pan. Smooth tops evenly.
07 - Bake 25-30 minutes until skewer inserted into center comes out clean.
08 - Cool in pan 10 minutes, then carefully remove and transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
09 - Trim edges from both sponges, then cut each sponge in half lengthwise to create four long rectangles.
10 - Warm apricot jam and sieve to remove lumps.
11 - Brush cake sides with jam and assemble in checkerboard pattern, alternating pink and yellow strips per layer.
12 - Roll out marzipan on surface dusted with icing sugar into rectangle large enough to wrap around assembled cake.
13 - Brush outside of cake with apricot jam. Carefully wrap marzipan around cake, trimming excess.
14 - Press marzipan to seal, score top lightly with knife for decoration, and slice to serve.
# Helpful Tips:
01 -
- The combination of almond scented sponge and sweet apricot jam creates that utterly British teatime elegance that makes even a Tuesday afternoon feel like an occasion
- There is something deeply satisfying about assembling that checkerboard pattern, like edible origami that tastes like childhood nostalgia
02 -
- The sponge must be completely cooled before you attempt assembly, otherwise the warmth will melt the jam and your checkerboard will slide apart before you can wrap it
- Never skip warming and sieving the apricot jam because cold chunky jam creates an uneven layer that makes the marzipan look lumpy and unprofessional
03 -
- Chill your assembled cake for 30 minutes before wrapping it in marzipan, as the firmer sponge will resist tearing and give you cleaner edges
- Sprinkle a little ground almond into your icing sugar when dusting the work surface for an extra layer of almond flavor