Battenberg cake

Battenberg cake is a traditional English cake that is easily recognizable by its distinctive checkerboard pattern of pink and yellow sponge cake. The cake is made of two different colored sponge cakes (traditionally pink and yellow), which are cut into long strips, placed side by side, and then glued together with apricot jam. The cake is then covered in marzipan, which gives it a sweet and nutty flavor and a smooth finish.

Battenberg cake was first made in the late 19th century in honor of the marriage of Princess Victoria of Hesse-Darmstadt to Prince Louis of Battenberg. The cake's distinctive checkerboard pattern is said to have been inspired by the colors of the Battenberg family coat of arms.

Today, Battenberg cake is a popular dessert in England and is often served at afternoon tea or special occasions such as weddings and birthdays. It can also be found in some bakeries and cafes around the world.

Here's a recipe for Battenberg cake:

Ingredients:

1. 175g unsalted butter, softened
2. 175g caster sugar
3. 3 large eggs
4. 175g self-raising flour
5. 1/2 tsp baking powder
6. 1 tsp vanilla extract
7. 1 tbsp milk
8. 1/2 tsp almond extract
9. Pink food coloring
10. 200g apricot jam
11. 500g marzipan

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C/150°C fan/gas mark 3. Grease and line an 18cm square cake tin with baking paper.
2. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a tablespoon of flour with each egg to prevent curdling.
4. Fold in the remaining flour, baking powder, vanilla extract, and milk until the mixture is smooth.
5. Divide the mixture in half. Add a few drops of pink food coloring to one half of the mixture, mixing until the desired color is achieved.
6. Spoon the pink mixture into one half of the prepared tin, and the plain mixture into the other half.
7. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until the cake is golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
8. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
9. Trim the edges of the cake, then cut each cake in half lengthways so that you have four long strips of sponge.
10. Warm the apricot jam in a saucepan and then sieve it to remove any lumps.
11. Brush the jam over the cut sides of the sponge strips and then stick them together, alternating the colors to create a checkerboard pattern.
12. Roll out the marzipan on a surface dusted with icing sugar to a size that will wrap around the cake.
13. Brush the remaining jam over the top and sides of the cake and then wrap the marzipan around the cake, smoothing it over the top and sides to create a neat finish.
14. Trim the edges of the marzipan to create a clean edge and serve.

Enjoy your homemade Battenberg cake!