Battenburg Cake

My first try, and oh my goodness... sucsess! It was soo delicious. Only positive comments and compliments. This day I was feeling really good. Not only great taste, but lovely to look at also. Honestly, I myself had problems to avoid looking at the cake all the time. This cake is perfect for any anniversary, wedding, and yes you name it. It is a real delicious english coffee cake. Pure luxury in other words. It is easy to bake, but takes time to garnish. You must be a little patience while making it. But worth trying it. I give you my promise.

I n g r e d i e n t s :

I am giving the metric/imperial recipe. If anyone want the american one, please contact.
150 g / 6 oz butter or margarine
150 g / 6 oz caster sugar
3 eggs (large)
150 g / 6 oz self-raising flour ( if using plain flour, add 1 and 3/4 tsp baking powder )
1 tbsp water
pink food colouring
raspberry flavouring ( optional )
100 g / 4 oz apricot jam ( I used orange jam )
1/2 recipe quantity marzipan or,
225 g / 8 oz caster sugar for dredging ( I used marzipan)


H O W  T O ?

Grease a deep oblong cake tin, about 28 x 18 cm / 11 x 7 inches, and line the bottom with greased (waxed) paper. Make a division across the centre of the tin with a double thickness of foil

1. Cream the butter and maragarine and sugar together until light and fluffy
2. Beat in the eggs one at a time, following each with a spoonful of flour
3. Sift in the remaining flour and fold in, followed by the water
4. Spread half themixture into one side of the cake tin
5. Add a few drops of pink food colouring and raspberry flavouring, if liked, to the remaining mixture
6. Put it in the other side of the tin

Bake in a moderately hot oven at 190 C / 375 F / Gas Mark 5 for about 25 minutes or until well risen and firm to the touch
- Turn onto a wire rack to cool


M A K I N G

1. Trim the akes to an even size and cut in half lenghtways
2. Spread the top of one white and one pink piece of cake with jam and top with alternate coloured pieces
3. Spread the sides of one double layer with jam and stcik the two pieces together to give the chequered effect
4. Use the remaining jam to brush all around the outside of the cake
5. Roll out the marzipan on a surface sprinkled with a little caster sugar, to an oblong large enough to enclose the whole cake ( approx. 35 x 25 cm / 14 x 10 inches)
6. Place the cake in the centre
7. Wrap the marzipan around the cake to cover it completely and trim

O P T I O N A L

Crimp or decorate the outer edges of the marzipan to give an even shape and mark a criss-cross pattern on top with a sharp knife. Sprinkle with a little more sugar and leave to set. Or make a rose with the marzipan rests to garnish the top. Serve cut in slices.

P. S. This cake is made with a chequered effect. Mine cake got so thin and flat, so I added one more layer to it with dividing the cakes into three even parts. Looks even better.

Marzipan Cake with Berries

So, my first cake recipe. This one had a great taste and great looks. I found this recipe in a norwegian food magazine. Want to surprise someone? Having a party, wedding or anniversary? Or maybe you just want to make something delicious.. this is the perfect cake.

I n g r e d i e n t s :

6 eggs150 g sugar (1,5 dl)

150 g flour (2,5 dl)

1 ts baking powder

1. Beat egg and sugar
2.  Sieve flour and baking powder in a bowl, mix them with a fork and put it carefully inside the egg and sugar batter

3. Put the mixture in a greased springform about 26 cm (diameter)

Bake in moderate oven at 175C for about 35 minutes (lowest slot).

YOU NEED

For the cake

1 dl apple /blueberry /grapejuice / milk (use what you have or likes better)


Filling

150 g vanillacream 2 dl fresh or freezed blueberries 2 dl fresh or freezed strawberry

2 dl fresh or freezed raspberry 5 dl whipping cream sugar to taste

Marzipanlid

1 Marzipanlid (readymade) or

300 g fine marzipan

Decoration

Fresh blueberries and raspberries

HOW TO

Cake filling

Cut the cake in three even sizes and dabble them all with 3-4 tbsp juice. Smear vanilla cream on a cake and put blueberries all over. Put the next cake over. Cut the strawberries in 2-4 pieces and whip them lightly inside the half of the cream. Smear the strawberry-cream on the cake. Put the last cake on the top and smear rest of the cream all around the cake.


Marzipanlid

Cut a circle in bakingpaper about 12cm in diameter and put it on the top of the cake. This will prevent cream on the marzipan.

The marzipan should be big enough to cover the cake and cakesides (keep it a bit thick, I thinned it out too much). Have a little flour on your finger when you are working with the marzipan. Put carefully the marzipan on the cake and cut off the rests. Make an even cross in the middle. Make another cross over it like a X. Fold the marzipan one by one (it will look a like a flower). Decorate with fresh berries and cream.