Battenberg cake is the British cake made with alternating pink and yellow sponge squares wrapped in marzipan.
The cake is assembled from four sponge sections arranged in a checkerboard pattern. Apricot jam holds the pieces together, while a layer of marzipan forms the distinctive outer covering. When sliced, the pattern is immediately recognizable.
The name is associated with the Battenberg family, particularly Prince Louis of Battenberg, who married Queen Victoria’s granddaughter Princess Victoria in 1884. The cake is often said to have been created for their wedding, although its exact origin is not firmly documented.
Battenberg is sometimes confused with checkerboard cakes, but the British version is usually rectangular and marzipan-covered. It is commonly served at afternoon tea and remains a familiar supermarket and bakery cake in the United Kingdom.