Battenberg Cake — A Colourful Masterpiece

• soft butter175g g
• fine sugar175g g
• flour with baking powder140g g
• ground almond↗50g g
• baking powder↗½ tsp tsp
• medium eggs3
• vanilla extract↗½ tsp tsp
• almond extract↗¼ tsp tsp

  extract

• sponge mix (for almond sponge)1

  sponge

• pink food colouring↗

  ½ tsp Squires Rose paste

• apricot jam↗200g g
• blocks of white marzipan2
• fine powdered sugar↗

  for dusting

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Preheat the oven to 180 °C (160 °C for convection) – gas 4. Line the bottom and sides of a 20 cm square tin with parchment (the easiest way is to lay two 20 cm strips across the bottom). In a large bowl combine the soft butter, fine sugar, flour, ground almond, baking powder, eggs, vanilla extract and almond extract. Beat with an electric whisk until the mixture is smooth. Transfer it to the tin, smooth the edges, and bake for 25‑30 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely while you bake the second sponge.

2. 2

   For the pink sponge, prepare the tin the same way. Combine all ingredients as before, omitting the almond extract. Add a little pink food colouring and gently mix. Transfer the batter to the tin and bake the same way. Cool.

3. 3

   To assemble, warm the apricot jam in a small saucepan until liquid, then strain. Trim the two opposite edges of the almond sponge thinly, leaving the third side whole. Using a ruler, measure the height of the sponge and, starting from the trimmed edge, cut it into four strips, each as wide as the height. The leftovers can be eaten. Repeat the same with the pink sponge.

4. 4

   Take two pieces of almond and pink sponge and trim them to equal length. On a surface dusted with powdered sugar roll out one block of marzipan to a width slightly over 20 cm, then continue rolling lengthwise until the thickness is about 0.5 cm. Spread the marzipan with apricot jam, then place a pink and almond piece at one end, spreading jam on them, leaving a 4 cm strip of plain marzipan at the end. Again spread jam on the top of the sponges, cover with the remaining two pieces, alternating colors to create a checkerboard pattern. Trim the marzipan lengthwise, leaving it slightly longer than the sponges.

5. 5

   Carefully lift the marzipan and level it over the cake with your hands, leaving a small fold along the bottom edge before pressing it onto the first side. Trim the opposite side to match the fold size, and pinch the edges with your fingers (or simply press with fork tines). If desired, mark ten sections with fork tines.

6. 6

   Assemble the second Battenberg cake and store it in an airtight box or tightly wrapped in film for up to 3 days. If needed, it can be frozen for up to a month.