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    Home » Recipes » Dessert » Cakes

    4th of July Battenberg Cake

    Published by Melissa on June 27, 2012 | Updated November 14, 2022 | 41 Comments

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    4th-of-July-Battenberg-Cake

    Battenberg cake is traditionally an almond flavored cake with yellow and pink squares (said to represent the four princes of Battenberg) glued together using apricot jam, the whole cake is covered in marzipan, and the top is patterned with a knife. The first Battenberg cake was made to celebrate the marriage of Queen Victoria’s granddaughter, Princess Victoria, to husband Prince Louis of Battenberg.

    I made a red, white and blue, 4th of July Battenberg Cake for this month’s Daring Baker’s challenge. I used blueberry jam to glue the blue strip and cherry jam to glue the red strip to the white almond cake strips. Since I’m not a fan of marzipan nor fondant, I opted to make a white chocolate plastique to wrap the cake in.

    4th-of-July-Battenberg-Cake-collage

    Mandy of What The Fruitcake?! came to our rescue last minute to present us with the Battenberg Cake challenge! She highlighted Mary Berry’s techniques and recipes to allow us to create this unique little cake with ease. Lisa, Parsley, Sage, Desserts and Line Drives, was her baker in crime and had an amazing Battenberg lined up but came head to head with the Evil Lord Humidity, which unfortunately thwarted her arsenal of batter and marzipan.

    I’m not sure I had just one Evil Lord when it came to this month’s Daring Baker’s challenge. One evil doer would certainly be high altitude. Mandy’s Battenberg cake rose beautifully, but unfortunately mine sank in the middle. I did make a couple of high altitude adjustments, but apparently not enough.

    4th-of-July-Battenberg-Cake

    The second villain in my story was the weather. Utah’s been hot and dry. Not a drop of rain for weeks. Mandy warned the DBers about the chocolate plastique getting too soft in the humidity, but my plastique was so dry it cracked when I tried to wrap it around the cake.

    I thought about taking it off and decorating it with buttercream, but the white chocolate was so tasty, I decide to serve it “as is.” I debated whether or not to post it, but decided it was a fun, tasty cake that deserved to be shared even if it was less than perfect.

    Visit the Daring Kitchen for the Battenberg Cake recipe and tips, and to see all the fabulous and creative Battenberg cakes the Daring Bakers baked up this month.

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    About Melissa & Barbara

    As of June 2022 Melissa Griffiths now is the one adding recipes. So think of it as Barbara Bakes, and Melissa too! Melissa and Barbara have been blogging friends for over 10 years and when Barbara was ready to retire and spend more time with her family, Melissa took over the site. Read more...

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Rhonda Swanson

      June 24, 2015 at 5:11 pm

      I love less than perfect cakes! Looks great to me and yummy!! I love the thought to use different flavored jams to adhere together. Thanks for sharing!

      Reply
    2. Nina

      July 02, 2012 at 2:43 pm

      Looks beautiful Barbara…nice idea of using these colors:)

      Reply
    3. Amy

      July 01, 2012 at 3:44 pm

      It looks perfect to me. I love the colours!

      Reply
    4. Judy

      July 01, 2012 at 1:40 pm

      Gorgeous-looking cake, beautiful colors.

      Reply
    5. sandie

      June 30, 2012 at 6:48 pm

      Loved how you turned the English Battenberg into a July 4th celebration. I had the same issue with my first go when I used the modelling chocolate. No humidity here in Calgary (as well as being 5000+ altititude). It was much easier with marzipan. I hope you make this again and serve it next week for the holiday!
      Best, Sandie

      Reply
    6. MandyM

      June 30, 2012 at 3:38 am

      Gorgeous Battenberg, Barbara!

      I think I was very lucky when I made my first ever batch of chocolate plastique, it just seemed to come together just like the recipe said, I didn’t realise it was going to give so many people problems. Sticky/melted, dry/cracking, not cool!

      But, I’m really glad you posted your Battenberg anyway, even though your chocolate plastique didn’t want to cooperate it still looks good enough to eat and enjoy 😀

      Thanks for taking part in the June challenge!

      Reply
    7. Swathi

      June 29, 2012 at 12:15 pm

      I like your idea of making red white and blue batten berg. I made a coconut yogurt one.

      Reply
    8. angela@spinachtiger

      June 29, 2012 at 7:20 am

      Now this is a fun idea for the 4th. I’m glad you posted it. Still delicious looking and worth sharing. Happy 4th.

      Reply
    9. Lisa

      June 29, 2012 at 2:49 am

      Barb, I’m so sorry your chocolate plastique cracked, but all that matter is the taste, and truthfully, even with the cracks, I think it looks lovely – especially with the 4th of July colors! Regarding the Battenberg pan..looks can be deceiving. Even after it came out of the pan ‘perfectly’..I decided to ‘trim’ it because I felt it was too bulky. Remember, I’m lopsided – so I killed the perfection. You’re only seeing the good side ;D

      Reply
    10. Baker Street

      June 29, 2012 at 12:44 am

      It still looks incredible, Barb! I’d never be able to pull that off!

      Reply
    11. Kitchen Belleicious

      June 28, 2012 at 7:44 pm

      Is there anything you can not do? You are amazing in the kitchen and always inspire me! This is amazing

      Reply
      • Barbara

        June 28, 2012 at 9:05 pm

        You are so sweet! Your comments always brighten my day. Thanks!

        Reply
    12. Shelley C

      June 28, 2012 at 11:43 am

      I am so glad you went ahead and posted it, because it really looks great and very fun and festive. I had a lot of trouble with my sponge sinking, too… I really think you did a fantastic job.

      Reply
    13. Emily

      June 28, 2012 at 10:42 am

      I would still be happy to eat the entire thing, cracked plastique and all.

      Reply
    14. The Cookie Fairy

      June 28, 2012 at 5:28 am

      Your Battenberg cake version is so cute!
      I just love the flavors and colors combination

      Reply
    15. Deeba Rajpal (@vindee)

      June 28, 2012 at 3:57 am

      Yay GF…we are brothers {sisters} in arms! I didn’t raed the warning about the plastique and the weather but went on with the plastique. My word…I could have wept too, and like you, debated forever whether to post it or not. Bravo…am glad you posted & I did too. Love your red, white and blue. What a stunning Battenberg!

      Reply
    16. Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella

      June 28, 2012 at 2:53 am

      Mum! This is brilliant 😀 And you are going to laugh but I actually thought I might do one for the fourth of July too 😛 xxx

      Reply
    17. Claire @ Claire K Creations

      June 28, 2012 at 12:29 am

      I love that you still shared it. It makes me feel better about all the less-than-perfect things I churn out. Although your less-than-perfect still looks pretty fantastic to me!

      I’m off to find out about modelling chocolate.

      Reply
    18. Joy

      June 27, 2012 at 11:25 pm

      Your version look wonderful.

      Reply
    19. Sarah

      June 27, 2012 at 9:54 pm

      A 4th of July Battenberg is such a clever idea! Great work, as usual, Barbara.

      Reply
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