Yields:
8 Servings
Difficulty: Medium
Prep Time: 40 Mins
Cook Time:
30 Mins
Total Time:
1 Hr 10 Mins
Chocolate Hazelnut Battenberg Cake
This version of the Battenberg Cake features squares of hazelnut and chocolate sponge cake mortared together with a hazelnut-chocolate spread. This recipe is based on the Chocolate-Almond Battenberg Cake from Home Cooking Adventure. It requires ground hazelnuts (I used Bob’s Red Mill) and Hazelnut Bakery Emulsion (hazelnut extract), which I got from my local bulk food store.
Ingredients
Adjust Servings
- For the Hazelnut Batter
- For the Chocolate Batter
- For assembly
- For the Marzipan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Grease and line an 8 inch (20cm) square pan with parchment paper, dividing the pan in half using an aluminum foil wall.
- In a medium bowl combine flour with the ground hazelnuts, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl mix butter with sugar until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, and mix to incorporate.
- Add half of the flour mixture, then the milk, then the rest of the flour mixture, incorporating between each addition.
- Divide batter in half between two bowls.
- Mix the hazelnut extract into one of the batters.
- For the other batter mix cocoa powder, milk and sugar in a small bowl and incorporate in the other half of the batter.
- Pour each batter into one half of the prepared pan. Bake for about 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove from oven, cool for 10 minutes in the pan and then cool completely on a cooling rack.
- When cakes are completely cooled trim the tops to flatten. Then place one on top of the other and trim to equal size. Cut each in half lengthways. Place a strip of hazelnut cake on a working surface, spread chocolate-hazelnut spread over the top and sides, and place an chocolate cake next to it. Repeat with the other strips of cake on top. Make sure to brush spread the chocolate-hazelnut spread between each of the seems.
- Prepare the marzipan: Place the ground hazelnuts, powdered sugar, and cocoa powder into the bowl of a food processor. Grind to combine. Add apricot jam and hazelnut extract and continue grinding until it comes together. Pour out onto the counter and knead a bit with your hands to come together.
- Use a rolling pin to roll the marzipan between two sheets of parchment paper, into a thin layer. Then cut it into an 8 x 12 inch (20x30cm) rectangle.
- Tightly wrap the cake in the marzipan. Trim the ends of the cake so that each end is a neat square and refrigerate until ready to serve.