battenberg cake

The Great British Bake Off’s selected Battenberg presents pink and yellow sponge in a checkerboard enclosed by white marzipan. Almond extract and ground almonds flavour the cake, with smooth apricot jam joining the strips and coating their outside.

Unsalted butter and caster sugar are beaten until light and fluffy. Two eggs beaten with almond extract are added gradually, with small portions of the self-raising flour accompanying the last additions.

The remaining flour, salt and ground almonds are sifted in, then milk is folded through. Half the batter receives the selected pink colouring, and the two colours bake separately in the sections of a buttered, paper-lined Battenberg tin.

Once cooled, the sponge strips are trimmed square. Marzipan is rolled on a surface dusted with the selected icing sugar, while apricot jam is warmed with a spoonful of water and sieved smooth for joining the strips in alternating colours.

The assembled sponge is brushed with the same jam and enclosed in marzipan, leaving its checkerboard ends visible. The join is sealed underneath, the edges are neatened, and a light dusting of icing sugar finishes the cake before serving.