Battenberg cake - a British classic with its playful checkerboard and marzipan wrap - is getting a fresh twist with my lemony take. Here, these light sponges are brightened with a hint of lemon, while the usual apricot jam is substituted for a homemade lemon curd that adds just the right amount of tart.

Let’s face it, Battenbergs are a little extra by nature - two colours, two flavours, all coated in sweet almond marzipan, as if one colour (and flavour) wouldn’t do. But why stop there? This Battenberg (or BattenBells, as I like to call it) takes the classic up a notch—zesty, vibrant, and unapologetically extra.

TIP: When making the lemon curd, keep the heat low and whisk fairly constantly to avoid curdling. A little patience here will give you a silky-smooth curd that’s worth the wait.

SWAP OUT: If lemon curd is too tart for your tastebuds, try swapping it for a perfectly cut lemon marmalade. Equally, no need to make marzipan if time is short, store-bought tastes just as great too.

SERVE WITH: The only thing necessary with this slice of sunshine is a perfect Earl Grey or English Breakfast brew.

I N G R E D I E N T S

For the lemon sponges:

175g unsalted butter, softened
175g golden caster sugar
3 medium eggs, room temp
2 lemons, zest + 2 tbsp of juice
50g ground almonds
140g self-raising flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp almond extract
1/4 tsp red food colouring

For the lemon curd:

2 lemons, zest and juice
100g unrefined caster sugar
50g unsalted butter, cut into cubes
1 large egg, 1 large egg yolk

For the marzipan:

400g ground almonds
150g golden caster sugar
250g icing sugar, sifted
2 medium eggs, beaten

M E T H O D

Begin by preheating the oven to 180°C/160°C fan and lining two loaf tins with parchment paper.

S P O N G E S:

Place the golden caster sugar in a mixing bowl and rub in the lemon zest.
Add the softened butter, then cream together until light and fluffy.
Mix in the almond extract.
Beat in the eggs one at a time. Be careful not to overmix or mix too quickly, as this can cause the mixture to curdle.
Next, fold in the ground almonds.
Sieve in the flour and baking powder, then fold together until everything is evenly incorporated.
Mix in the lemon juice. Note that the amount is dependent on your batter consistency; I added 2 tablespoons, which was a good amount to keep the mixture thick enough to hold its shape.
Once everything is incorporated, weigh the batter and divide it equally between two bowls. Pour one bowl into the prepared loaf tin.
In the remaining bowl, evenly distribute the food coloring and pour it into the other loaf tin.
Spread the batter in both tins evenly and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Cool in the tins, then transfer to a wire rack.

L E M O N C U R D:

Fill a pan halfway with water and bring to a soft boil over medium-high heat.
Place a heatproof bowl on top of the pan and add the lemon zest, juice, sugar, and butter.
Stir the mixture occasionally until the butter is melted.
Once melted, in a separate bowl, lightly whisk the egg and extra yolk. Stir this into the lemon mixture.
Whisk until all ingredients are combined, then leave to cook for approximately 10-13 minutes, stirring every 30 seconds or so to keep the mixture moving.
Remove the curd from the heat once it thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Set it aside and stir occasionally as it cools.
Once cooled, transfer it into jars or Tupperware and store it in the fridge.

M A R Z I P A N:

Sieve the icing sugar into a mixing bowl. Add the golden caster sugar and ground almonds, then mix together.
Make a well in the center of the bowl and add the eggs.
Cut the wet ingredients into the dry; a table knife works best for this. Mix until combined.
Dust your surface with icing sugar and knead the marzipan briefly to form a smooth dough.
Wrap in cling film and shape into a ball. Set aside in a cool place.

A S S E M B L Y:

Once your cakes have cooled completely, trim the perimeter of each loaf, aiming to keep the edges as straight as possible.
With two exposed sponges, cut each one in half lengthwise to give you two equal pink sponges and two equal plain sponges. If the sponges are taller than they are wide, trim them to ensure a perfect square.
Roll out the marzipan on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar until it’s a little over 20 cm wide, then continue rolling lengthwise until it reaches about 0.5 cm in thickness.
Spread a thin layer of lemon curd over the marzipan, then place one pink and one plain sponge side by side at one end, brushing some curd between them to help them stick, leaving about 4 cm of uncovered marzipan at the end.
Apply more curd on top of the sponges and layer the remaining two sponges on top, alternating colors to create a checkerboard pattern. Trim the marzipan to match the length of the cakes.
Gently lift the marzipan and use your hands to smooth it over the cake, leaving a small fold along the bottom edge before pressing it onto the first side. Trim the opposite side to match this fold.
Slice off the ends to neaten and cut an even bigger slice for yourself!

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