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Chocolate Battenberg Cake Recipe

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4.4 from 69 reviews

  • Author: Ava
  • Total Time: 40 minutes plus 1 hour cooling and assembly time
  • Yield: 10 servings
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

This classic Chocolate Battenberg Cake features a delightful checkerboard pattern made with vanilla and chocolate sponge layers, all wrapped in a smooth layer of marzipan. Finished with rich chocolate ganache, this showstopper cake is perfect for special occasions or afternoon tea.

Ingredients

Cake Batter

  • ¾ cup unsalted butter (softened at room temperature)
  • ¾ cup superfine granulated sugar (or caster sugar)
  • 3 eggs
  • 1 cup all purpose flour (or plain flour)
  • 2½ tsp baking powder
  • ½ cup ground almonds (or almond flour)
  • 1 tbsp cocoa powder
  • 1 tbsp boiling water
  • 1 tsp vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)

Ganache

  • 2 oz dark chocolate or semi sweet chocolate (chips or chopped into small pieces)
  • ¼ cup heavy cream (or double cream)

Assembly

  • 16 oz marzipan (or almond paste)

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Tray: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175C/155C Fan) and prepare your baking tray. Consider using a DIY Battenberg cake tray for a perfect shape.
  2. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy. This aerates the batter for a tender cake.
  3. Add Eggs: Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition to fully incorporate and maintain the batter’s texture.
  4. Mix Dry Ingredients: Reserve a tablespoon of flour in a small bowl. Sift the remaining flour and baking powder into the mixing bowl and add ground almonds. Stir to combine thoroughly, ensuring no flour pockets remain.
  5. Divide Batter: Evenly divide the batter into two smaller bowls (approx. 1¼ cups each).
  6. Make Chocolate Batter: In a small cup, stir together cocoa powder and boiling water until smooth. Fold this cocoa paste into one bowl of batter to create the chocolate layer.
  7. Make Vanilla Batter: Add the reserved tablespoon of flour and vanilla bean paste to the second bowl of batter and gently fold to combine.
  8. Bake Cake Layers: Pour each batter into separate sides of the Battenberg baking tray. Bake in the center of the preheated oven for about 25 minutes. Test doneness by inserting a toothpick or skewer into the center of each cake; it should come out clean.
  9. Cool Cakes: Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes in the tray. Then transfer cakes to a wire rack to cool completely, about 1 hour.
  10. Prepare Ganache: Place cream in a small saucepan over medium heat and warm until it just begins to simmer, then remove from heat. Pour hot cream over the chopped chocolate in a heatproof bowl. Let sit for 2 minutes then stir until smooth and glossy.
  11. Trim Cake Edges: Stack the cooled cakes and trim the two long sides to get straight edges. This helps in forming a neat Battenberg shape.
  12. Slice Cake Strips: Slice both cakes lengthwise down the middle to create four strips total (two vanilla and two chocolate).
  13. Assemble Checkerboard: Swap one vanilla strip with one chocolate strip to create a checkerboard pattern with two layers stacked on top of each other.
  14. Stick Cake Strips: Spread a thin layer of ganache on the sides where the cake strips meet to glue them firmly together.
  15. Prepare Marzipan: Roll out the marzipan into a rectangle about 9 inches wide and 20 inches long, about ¼ inch thick.
  16. Apply Ganache to Cake: Spread ganache over the top of the cake loaf and invert the cake in the center of the marzipan with the ganached side facing down. Spread remaining ganache over the sides and bottom of the cake.
  17. Wrap Marzipan: Gently wrap the marzipan around the cake, pressing and smoothing it to cover completely. Trim excess marzipan on the base with slight overlap, press the seam to seal.
  18. Final Trim: Flip the Battenberg so the smooth cake top faces up. Trim the two short ends to remove excess marzipan and cake ends, exposing the checkerboard pattern with clean edges.

Notes

  • For a neat checkerboard, ensure the cake strips are trimmed evenly before assembly.
  • Do not overheat the cream when making ganache to avoid burning the chocolate.
  • Allow cakes to cool completely before assembling to prevent melting the ganache.
  • Use superfine sugar for a smoother batter texture.
  • You may substitute almond flour with finely ground almonds if almond flour is unavailable.
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: British

Find it online: https://quickandsweetrecipes.com/chocolate-battenberg-cake-recipe/