Strawberry and Banana Milkshake Battenberg

 

A battenberg cake was one of the cakes that featured on my Bake Off Challenge set a couple of years ago now that I never quite completed. So, here is my signature battenberg cake. The colours look very similar to the traditional bake, however the surprise comes when you take a bite. The yellow sponge is flavoured with banana milkshake powder and the pink sponge with strawberry milkshake powder. I have to say, as battenbergs go, this is a winning flavour combination. 

Recipe - Makes 1 

For the sponges:

• 125g margarine, softened 
• 125g caster sugar 
• 2 eggs
• 125g self-raising flour 
• 15g strawberry milkshake powder
• 15g banana milkshake powder 
• 2 tbsp milk
• Pink and yellow food colouring 

For the filling and coating: 

• 3 tbsp strawberry jam, sieved
• 350g marzipan

Grease and line with baking paper two 1lb loaf tins. Set aside until needed. Preheat the oven to 170C. 

Cream the margarine in a bowl to soft then add the sugar. Beat to smooth. Add the eggs a little at a time, whisking to incorporate before adding more. Sift in the flour and fold in. Divide between two bowls evenly. Mix each of the milkshake powders with 1 tbsp of milk. Add the strawberry milkshake powder and some pink food colouring to one bowl of cake mixture and the banana milkshake powder and yellow food colouring to the other. Tip each into one of the loaf tins. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until risen and the sponge springs back when pressed. Remove and leave on a wire rack to cool. 

Once the cakes are cool, trim the long edges to neaten, then cut into two lengths that are the same width as they are height. Trim the top of the cakes if they are domed to ensure they have flat tops. Set any excess cake aside to eat later (that's the baker's perks!).  

Roll out the marzipan to a rectangle as long as the sponge strips and wide enough to wrap round a square of 4. Spread the jam on the sides of the cake strips and make into square alternating patterns. Place on the marzipan and wrap round to seal. Trim the ends off to give the cake a neat finish before serving.