So, last weekend I was flicking through my favourite cake recipe book (The Clandestine Cake Club book) and noticed the recipe for Battenberg or Battenburg, depending on what book/ website you go for. I love almond cake, and marzipan, but have never made one before. Well, no time like the present!
You can get special tins, but the book had instructions for how to divide a normal tin in half using folded baking paper.
Also, I don’t have pink food colouring, but I had red. The plan was to use only a little, but as you will see, it is rather more shocking pink than pastel! Anyway, what I would do next time is weigh the bowl so I could work out the weight of the final mixture, as I did it by eye and ended up with more pink mixture.
After the cake cooled, I cut it into the four slices and trimmed the ends. Again, I might trim the ends after assembling next time, as the marzipan needed neatening too. Although the offcuts were a good bonus! I did this while the Grand Prix was on- I quite like having a project like this that I can get on with in the living room.
Stuck together with warmed apricot jam, and then rolled in marzipan.
I bought some new plates this week, and they were the perfect size and shape- amazing!
We took it to Andy’s parents for tea, but we didn’t eat it all so we left them a few slices and we had some to take home too.
We enjoyed a slice each on Wednesday (good post run pudding).
I am really glad I had a go- it was a bit time consuming to assemble, but it looked really pretty and tasted good too.
Battenburg- yay or nay?
I LOVE battenburg, but making my own always seems like such a lot of effort. It looks great though 🙂
It was not too bad , just took a bit of time but nothing too tricky.
Battenberg (I’ve never heard of the addition of an ‘r’ !?!) is my Dad’s favourite food. Not just favourite cake…it’s the one food he would have for his last meal. I was never that keen on it because I don’t like Marzipan. As a kid I used to pick off all the marzipan from around the outside and then eat the cake in the middle (after I’d broken up the squares of course – I hated the colours touching!) It always looks difficult to make, and you’ve made a fantastic job of it 🙂
I think I made a typo – some were berg and some burg ! Thanks 🙂
Yay! Love cake and live marzipan even more!
Me too !
Battenberg yay for me! I think it is the marzipan that does it for me. I remember looking longingly at a recipe in one of the GBBO books that featured a coffee cake. I’ve never got round to making it though.
We hold a baking competition at work in aid of charity and I’ve got a couple of plans, but I had forgotten about the humble (and well loved) Battenberg.
Yes its the marzipan that does it for me too !
That looks amazing Maria! I actually like the red more than pink!
I just think it is a bit garish! But the pattern is still good I suppose! Thanks
This looks beautiful Maria! I’ve never attempted it but if I did I doubt mine would look half as good as yours! Like Claire, I quite like the red. It’s very vibrant and eye catching. 🙂
Thank you Mary 🙂
I adore battenburg and so does Ben. Funnily enough I’d never had it before Ben. I lived in a world where I thought I hated marzipan until he came along and I realised the error of my ways! This looks a bit adventurous for my limited baking skills 😉 Yours looks fabulous as always – I think the pink looks fine!
I honestly don’t think it is hard, it just took a little longer than a plain cake. Andy never really liked marzipan as much until he started having some of my marzipan chocolates etc!
I LOVEEEEEE marzipan but couldn’t imagine making my own without having a hissy fit, haha!
I suppose it needed a little patience!