Battenberg Cake Recipe – Delight

Ingredients:

• 225g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 225g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 225g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Red food colouring paste
• 1 tbsp apricot jam
• Icing sugar, for dusting

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/fan 160°C/gas 4. Grease a 20cm square cake tin and line with baking paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs, one by one, adding a little flour if the mixture starts to curdle.
3. Stir in the vanilla extract, then gently fold in the remaining flour until well combined.
4. Divide the mixture equally into two bowls. Add red food colouring to one of the bowls and mix well until the desired colour is achieved. Transfer the pink mixture to one half of the prepared tin, and the plain mixture to the other half.
5. Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes, or until well risen and firm to the touch. Leave to cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
6. Trim the edges of each cake to make a neat square shape, then cut each cake in half lengthways, so that you have four long rectangular strips of cake.
7. Heat the apricot jam in a small saucepan until just warm and runny. Use a pastry brush to brush a thin layer of jam onto the sides of two of the cake strips, then carefully sandwich them together, one pink and one plain, with the jam in between to hold them together. Repeat with the remaining two cake strips.
8. Place one cake stack on top of the other, so that the pink and plain sections alternate, and press together gently to hold the layers in place. Neaten the edges if necessary.
9. Lightly dust a clean work surface with icing sugar, then roll out the marzipan to a size slightly larger than the cake. Place the cake on top of the marzipan, then wrap the marzipan neatly around the cake. Cut off any excess marzipan at the join, then turn the cake over so that the join is on the bottom.
10. Serve sliced as a sweet treat or with a cup of tea or coffee.

Verdict:

The Battenberg cake is a classic British cake with a unique look and delicious taste. The combination of fluffy sponge cake, sweet apricot jam, and rich marzipan makes this cake a delight to eat. Whether you’re serving it as an afternoon treat or as a dessert after dinner, it’s sure to impress your guests.

Serving Suggestions:

Serve this cake as a sweet treat or as a dessert after dinner. It goes perfectly with a nice cup of tea or coffee. You can also add some fresh berries on the side to balance out the sweetness and add a touch of acidity. Enjoy!