Violet and Chocolate Gluten-Free Vegan Battenberg Cake Recipe

Directions

Baking the Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 180C/160C or Fan/350F

2. In a large bowl add your flour, xanthan gum (if needed), and the baking powder and then whisk until well mixed.

3. Add the ground almonds and caster sugar to the bowl and whisk it all together until well mixed.

4. Melt the vegan butter in the microwave or hob until just melted then allow to cool for five minutes.

5. Measure out the milk in a medium sized bowl then add the butter and vanilla extract, then whisk together thoroughly.

6. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix until into a smooth batter

7. In a small Bowl add the add the 10 g Cocoa Powder and the 30 mls of water and mix into a paste

8. Using a scale (for accuracy), pour half the batter into a separate bowl add the cocoa paste and stir until well mixed.

9. Add the violet and purple colouring to the other and mix until well mixed.

10. Evenly dived the bowls into two dividers each and spread and level the mixture

11. Put in the oven on the centre shelf and bake for 23-25 minutes until a cake tester (or a cocktail stick) comes out clean on a test.

12. Leave the cakes to cool in the tin for about twenty mins then carefully extract them out onto a wire rack.

Making the Marzipan

1. In stand mixer or by hand – add ground almonds , icing sugar, and cocoa powder. and mix until combined

2. Add the and glycerine and vanilla extract and mix for 1 minute

3. Add the 2 tbsp Aquafaba and mix for a further minute

4. Once a ball starts to form take it out and gently need it until it is smooth

5. Wrap in cling film and place in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour

Making the Ganache

1. Warm the Plant Based Milk in a pan on the hob until just before the boil

2. Add the milk to the chocolate, leave to stand and then after 5 minutes whisk until smooth

3. Leave to stand 10 minutes until it starts to thicken

Assembling the Battenberg Cake

1. Cut the sponges with a serrated knife (a bread knife is perfect for this) so they are the same size.

2. On parchment lay the marzipan and place a piece of cling film over the top.

3. Roll the marzipan to 20 x 30 cm. Then cut it to size using a pastry (or pizza) cutter.

4. Cover the marzipan in a thin layer of ganache

5. Add two coloured cake strips to the middle of the marzipan along the shorter length.

6. Cover the top of the two strips with another thin layer of ganache and in a checkered pattern place the remaining two on top.

7. Carefully roll the cake up in the marzipan so it is fully encased.

8. Trim the excess so that overlaps about halfway across.

9. Brush it with a bit of water and gently press down to seal.

10. Turn the cake so the seal is at the bottom.

11. Use a sharp knife to slice a piece off either end to neaten the cake and reveal the classic battenberg pattern.

12. Decorate as desired using left over ganache, sprinkles, Violet Creams, or however you prefer.