Battenberg Cake | Cooksmith AI | Cooksmith AIBattenberg Cake
Tags: #cake #british #almond #classic #pastry
Serving: 10 slices
Total time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Checkerboard almond sponge in pink and plain squares, bonded with apricot jam and wrapped in tender marzipan for a classic British teatime cake.
Ingredients
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175 g unsalted butter, softened
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175 g caster sugar
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160 g whole eggs, beaten
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150 g plain flour
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50 g ground almonds
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6 g baking powder
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2 g fine salt
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30 ml whole milk
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5 ml vanilla extract
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2 ml almond extract
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0.2 g pink gel food coloring
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150 g apricot jam
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10 ml water
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450 g marzipan
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20 g icing sugar (for dusting)
Steps
- Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C fan).
- Grease a 20 × 10 × 7 cm loaf tin.
- Line the base and long sides with baking parchment.
- Fold a strip of parchment to make a firm divider the length of the tin.
- Insert the divider down the tin’s center.
- Combine butter, sugar, eggs, flour, ground almonds, baking powder, salt, milk, vanilla, and almond extract in a mixing bowl.
- Beat the mixture until smooth and light, 1–2 minutes.
- Weigh the total batter.
- Divide the batter into two bowls of equal weight.
- Stir the pink gel coloring into one bowl until evenly tinted.
- Spoon the plain batter into one side of the prepared tin.
- Spoon the pink batter into the other side of the tin.
- Level both batters with an offset spatula.
- Bake the sponges for 28–32 minutes until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Cool the tin on a rack for 10 minutes.
- Remove the divider from the tin.
- Lift the sponges out onto the rack using the parchment.
- Cool the sponges until completely cold.
- Trim the outer edges from each sponge to create straight sides.
- Cut each sponge lengthwise into two equal strips.
- Warm the apricot jam and water in a small pan until fluid.
Sieve the warm jam.Brush a light layer of jam along one long side of a plain strip.Press a pink strip against the jammed side to form the first row.Brush jam along the top of the first row.Set the remaining pink strip on top of the plain strip.Set the remaining plain strip on top of the pink strip.Press the assembled block gently to secure.Wrap the block in parchment.Chill the block for 15 minutes.Knead the marzipan until pliable.Dust the work surface with icing sugar.Roll the marzipan to a 20 × 30 cm rectangle about 3 mm thick.Brush a thin layer of jam over the marzipan.Place the cake block along one long edge of the marzipan.Wrap the marzipan up and over the cake.Overlap the marzipan by 1 cm along the seam.Press the seam to seal.Turn the cake seam-side down.Trim both ends to neaten.Score a light crosshatch on the top.Slice to serve.Notes
- For even layers, weigh the batter to divide it precisely and level it carefully before baking.
- To help with clean cuts, chill the cooled sponges for 15–20 minutes before trimming and portioning.
- Roll marzipan thinly to avoid a thick, overly sweet wrap; aim for about 3 mm thickness.
- Substitute strawberry or raspberry jam for apricot if preferred, and flavor the sponge solely with vanilla for a milder almond profile.
- Store the finished cake wrapped at cool room temperature for up to 3 days; avoid refrigeration to maintain marzipan texture.
- Related classics: Victoria Sponge (for creaming technique) and Swiss Roll (for jam handling and rolling skills).
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•Nov 1, 2025(Edited)
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