These Battenberg Cupcakes are a modern twist on a very classic British bake. They feature a heavenly marbled pink almond batter, and vanilla-infused funfetti batter for the perfect fluffy bite, are topped with a velvety pink buttercream and filled a delectable jam centre. These cute cupcakes will transport you to a land of sweetness and wonder. Let’s dive in!
What makes these Battenberg Cupcakes so special?
EASE. These are so so simple to make, that you could even make them easily with kids.
FLAVOUR. Making classic Batternberg that bit more fun, these cupcakes are packed with flavour.
TEXTURE. Fluffy, light sponge, sweet raspberry jam filling and creamy, smooth buttercream.
FUN. This is a bake to have fun with. Switch the raspberry jam for traditional apricot jam, or switch the jam for marzipan and insert a ball into your cupcakes before baking.
How do I make these Battenberg Cupcakes:
- Make a simple sponge by creaming the butter and sugar, add the eggs and flour, then add flavouring and a tablespoon of milk to make your cupcakes extra soft and fluffy. For a signature Battenberg flavour, you’ll also off 50g ground almonds.
- Divide the mixture in two. Add a few drops of red food colouring to one half, and 25g of funfetti sprinkles to the other.
- For evenly sized cupcakes, use a scooper to measure equal amounts of batter into each case. Scoop a little of the pink batter until it fills half the scooper, then scoop the funfetti batter to level out your scoop. Divide between the cases and bake for 18-20 mins until risen and golden.
- Remove the centres of each cupcake using a small round cookie cutter and fill the centre with jam.
- For the buttercream icing, cream the butter, icing sugar, milk and flavouring until smooth.
- Using an open star nozzle, pipe the buttercream icing in swirls on top of your cupcakes.
- Add a sprinkle of extra funfetti sprinkles to the top if you’re feeling fancy.
Tips for the perfect buttercream:
Making buttercream icing that’s smooth and easy to pipe can take a bit of practice to get just right. The method of beating everything together, and then filling your piping bag correctly is essential for beautiful buttercream swirls. Here’s how I do it:
Making the buttercream
- Start with room temperature butter. This help it beat well, and you’re less likely to have lumps in your icing.
- Then, beat the butter, before adding any other ingredient.
- Thirdly, sift your icing sugar. This will avoid visible clumps or ‘pockets’ of icing sugar, and makes for a smooth icing.
- Add your flavourings after. This is the last thing you should add, so that the flavouring can be evenly distributed when beating.
- Use a rubber spatula to smooth out your icing. This will help get rid of any potential air bubbles that might be trapped after beating.
Filling and piping
- Fit an easy-grip piping bag with a star nozzle and then fill it with buttercream. The easy way to do this is by placing your icing bag into a tall glass, then fold the opening down around the glass.
- Using your hands, push the buttercream to the bottom of the piping bag. You can also use a dough scraper to help get any buttercream trapped nearer the top of the bag.
- Twist the top of the piping bag a few times, so it feels robust in your hands. The bag should not feel floppy in any way.
- Hold the piping bag in a way that feels right to you. Usually this is with your writing hand squeezing from the top, and the other guiding your icing onto your cupcake.
- Squeeze generously while piping, then release the pressure and lift the piping bag away to create a lifted swirl.
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Battenberg Cupcakes
Ingredients
For the cupcakes
- 120 g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 120 g caster sugar
- 2 large free-range eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp almond extract
- 120 g self-raising flour
- Few drops red food colouring for one half of the batter
- 25 g Sweetapolita Birthday Party Deluxe Sprinkles
- 50 g raspberry jam
For the buttercream icing
- 140 g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 275 g icing sugar sifted
- 1 tbsp milk
- 1 tsp almond extract
Instructions
- Heat oven to 180C / 350F and line a 12-hole muffin tin with cupcake cases.
- Cream the butter and sugar together in a stand mixer until pale. Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and add to the butter mixture, mixing again until combined.
- Fold in the flour, adding a little milk until the mixture is smooth. Add your flavourings and mix again, before scooping the mixture into the paper cases until they're about three quarters full.
- Bake in the oven for 10-15 minutes, until risen and golden-brown on top. To test they're ready, insert a skewer into one of the cakes and check if it comes out clean. Set aside to cool for 5-10 minutes. Then turn out of the tin and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cupcakes have cooled, use a small round cookie cutter to remove the centre of each cake. Fill a piping bag with raspberry jam and snip off the end. Use it to fill the holes in each cupcake.
- For the buttercream icing, beat the butter until soft. Add half the icing sugar and beat until smooth. Then add the remaining icing sugar, along with 1tbsp milk, mixture until smooth and creamy. Now, add your almond extract and mix again.
- Spoon the buttercream into a piping bag fitted with a star nozzle. Pipe in a circular motion, lifting the piping bag at the end to create that lifted peak. Enjoy!
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