Battenberg is a traditional British recipe for a classic chequerboard tea-time cake of yellow and pink sponge cake bars separated by and covered with marzipan (almond paste). The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Battenberg.
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Ingredients:
150g fine sponge flour (self-raising)
150g caster sugar
150g unsalted butter
3 medium eggs, beaten
1 tbsp water
pink food colouring
apricot jam, melted and sieved
250g marzipan (almond paste)
caster sugar, for dusting
Method:
Cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Sift the flour into a bowl. Gradually add the beaten eggs, a little at a time, beating thoroughly to combine after each addition (mix in a little flour each time to prevent curdling). Gently fold in the remaining flour until the ingredients are combined.
Divide the mixture into two halves. Add a few drops of pink food colouring to one half and mix thoroughly to combine. Place the pink mixture in one half of a 20 x 15cm Battenberg tin lined with baking parchment and place the vanilla mix in the remaining half. Level the surface then transfer to an oven pre-heated to 180°C (Gas Mark 4) and bake for about 25 minutes or until well risen, golden brown and firm to the touch.
Allow the cake to cool in the tin. Then using a sharp knife, trim off any excess cake that has risen above the top of the tin then take the cake out of the tin itself.
Spread the jam over the long sides of the cake, then join one pink and one plain slice together. Now place one pink and one plain slice on top, creating the classic Battenberg chequered pattern.
Turn the marzipan onto a work surface dusted with caster sugar and roll out into a rectangle about 20 x 30cm in size.
Brush the marzipan with jam then sit the cake on top and completely wrap the marzipan around it. Trim off any excess marzipan with a very sharp knife then trim the ends of the cake neatly.
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