Batty Battenburg Cake and Ghoulish Green Punch

This is a fun cake to make.  I made my first Battenburg cake this past spring, and I’ve been itching to make another ever since. If you love the bright flavor of almond (like me!), then you’ll love this cake. It has plenty of eye appeal, and will give any holiday dessert table an infusion of brilliant color.  I couldn’t resist baking up a “Batty” version in Halloween hues.

The ghoulish green libation is a very basic party punch recipe.  I’m willing to bet that every hostess with the mostess has a version of this dog-eared. On party night, you may want to have ingredients for two batches on hand.  It is always guzzled down to the last drop, and refilling the entire punch bowl may be necessary.

You can find my recipe for Battenburg cakehere.  All the same instructions apply for this cake, except I used a generous squeeze of Americolor purple and orange soft gel food coloring to tint the batter. And of course, black fondant was used to wrap this cake instead of white.

The bats are made of gum paste tinted black and rolled 1/4-inch thick.  If you have a small bat cookie cutter, you can use it to cut the gum paste into bat shapes.  Otherwise, there are scores of free clip art bat silhouettes to choose from online.  This is the one I used.  You simply lay the template on top of the gum paste and cut out the shape (through the paper) with an X-Acto knife. The bats are brushed with corn syrup diluted in a little water, then sprinkled with black sanding sugar.  Two tiny nonpareil eyes are applied with tweezers, and small lengths of floral wire are carefully inserted into the gum paste bats.

Gum paste dries candy-hard, so leave them uncovered to dry.  For best results, allow to dry overnight.

Ghoulish Green Party Punch

Serves about 20, more if using small punch cups                                                              [click for printable version]

2 cups granulated sugar

8 cups water

2 packages lime flavored gelatin, 3 oz. each

1 can of pineapple juice, 46 oz. size

4 cups ginger-ale

*Lime sherbet, optional

1. In a large punch bowl, stir together sugar and water until sugar is completely dissolved.

2. Stir in remaining ingredients until jello is dissolved.

3. Chill thoroughly before serving.

*Note:

This punch can be topped with lime sherbet just before serving.

Variation: Use your favorite gelatin flavor and sherbet flavor in place of the lime gelatin and sherbet.

Battenburg Cake                                  

Printable Battenburg cake recipe can be found here.  Photo tutorial can be found here.  Glittery candy bat instructions and batter color variation is explained in the text of this post (above).

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Lili
Lili
12 years ago

Holy Batman Heather! I just love this Halloween version of that cake. I am always so taken with how you create these little masterpieces of delight. xoxo ~Lili

Heather (Heather's Dish)
Heather (Heather's Dish)
12 years ago

battenburg cakes are seriously the coolest ones i've ever seen…how did i not know about them til i read your blog? love this!

cookies and cups
cookies and cups
12 years ago

GOrgeous! That punch sounds YUMMM!
I love the orange and purple!

amanda @ fake ginger
amanda @ fake ginger
12 years ago

I kind of want a big glass of that punch right now. At 6:30 am. That's okay, right?

Unknown
Unknown
12 years ago

The cake looks great.

jenna
jenna
12 years ago

you are seriously the coolest person! i love this! this punch looks amazing!

Rosa's Yummy Yums
Rosa's Yummy Yums
12 years ago

Your Battenburg cake looks so ghoulish! A wonderful Halloween treats. The punch souds divine too.

Cheers,

Rosa

365daysofbaking
365daysofbaking
12 years ago

WOW!! Beautiful job, Heather!! I didn't even think the bats were edible!

Anonymous
Anonymous
12 years ago

I think I need to have a halloween party. Stat.

Anonymous
Anonymous
12 years ago

Ooh also… apricot feels a little un-halloweeny to me. Did you use it? Would it be ok to leave it out entirely or perhaps sub it for another flavor? Has to be something that compliments almond… any suggestions? Would orange marmalade work?

Heather Baird
Heather Baird
12 years ago

The apricot isn't very pronounced in the overall flavor of the cake, but marmalade would work nicely too!

Thanks!

Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie
Erin @ The Spiffy Cookie
12 years ago

That cake is gorgeous!

Ana Rita Marreiros
Ana Rita Marreiros
12 years ago

That punch would seriously be my favourite halloween drink…

Kisses,
Rita

http://bembons.blogspot.com

Stephanie
Stephanie
12 years ago

Love, love, love it!!

C Tanner Jensen
C Tanner Jensen
12 years ago

You've taken ghoulish to elegant. I love the hovering bats.

Sugar Swings
Sugar Swings
12 years ago

AWESOME!!!

sue
sue
12 years ago

Love it, so want to give it a try now. Maybe in Christmas colours:)

Sunny @ For Your Pies Only
Sunny @ For Your Pies Only
12 years ago

AH! I love Battenburg cakes!! Love this Halloween twist 😀

see you in the morning
see you in the morning
12 years ago

that is the coolest looking cake ever. you rock a lot

Jenn
Jenn
12 years ago

Wow, I love the colors in the punch and the cake! Great Halloween-y colors! I want some of that punch. now.

Amanda
Amanda
12 years ago

Adore it!!! You are genius!

Jacquee
Jacquee
12 years ago

I have been going a little batty – pun unintended – looking for a Battenburg pan, but it seems one can only get them in the UK. Your idea to separate the pan as you have done is genius!! Your halloween version looks delish and I love the edible bats. You are definitely the hostess with the mostest!! Another masterpiece, Heather!!!!

Bria
Bria
12 years ago

oh my we must have been on the same wavelength this week with our batty cakes! I think we even used the same bat graphic to use as a template!! Great minds think alike i guess? Love the battenburg cake, and pics are gorgeous as always!!

Anonymous
Anonymous
12 years ago

This is so creative! I love the little bats. I remember when you first made the battenburg cake and I fell in love with it. So pretty!

Unknown
Unknown
12 years ago

Both the punch and the cake look fantastic! The cake especially looks very festive. And I love the color green that punch is. It's like a goo green 🙂

Paula
Paula
12 years ago

Your Spring Battenburg cake was beautiful, this Halloween one is fantastic and all the work you did to create this post and take these wonderful photos was certainly worth it. Everything just pops!

Julie
Julie
12 years ago

Awesomely beautiful as always 🙂

Unknown
Unknown
12 years ago

Wow, that cake is amazing! The bats are super neat too, but I'm in awe of how symmetrical the cake is. Mine always lean and look really crooked. Pretty pictures too. 🙂

Nic@diningwithastud
Nic@diningwithastud
12 years ago

Such a fab job!! I love the colours and the cake looks great 🙂 well done on the bats too – everything looks so pro 😀

Dharma
Dharma
12 years ago

Wow, I love this cake is very very amazing.

Sue
Sue
12 years ago

This cake has a WOW factor to the nth degree! Love the huge pop of color against the black!

Ellie, I Like Ginger Biscuits
Ellie, I Like Ginger Biscuits
12 years ago

Wow, what a cool idea! I love the colours, so halloween-y.
Just found your blog and I love it lots.
Hope you have a great Sunday 🙂
Ellie xx

Lora
Lora
12 years ago

Love this Batty Battenburg. The gum paste bats are adorable!

marla
marla
12 years ago

Girl I am in complete awe!! And you even made the bats. A stunning cake and punch. Lately I have been loving almond flavor. This would be the biggest hit at any party!

Jules
Jules
12 years ago

Absolutely fabulous Battenberg! I love the bats too.

Rachel @ The Avid Appetite
Rachel @ The Avid Appetite
12 years ago

That Battenberg cake is unbelievable! So gorgeous, and perfect with the ghoulish green punch 🙂 Have a fun Halloween!

Anonymous
Anonymous
12 years ago

I loved this cake SO much that I made my own!! And boy, it was not as easy as it looked… I'll post pictures on my blog probably by the end of today and link back here! Thank you for the inspiration!

Kelly | Eat Yourself Skinny
Kelly | Eat Yourself Skinny
12 years ago

What a cute idea, so festive!! LOVE your blog, so glad to be a new follower! xoxo

Anonymous
Anonymous
12 years ago

How fun is this cake?! I love the little bats on top! Such an awesome idea for Halloween! 🙂

little random happiness
little random happiness
12 years ago

This is just too cool! I want to make everything on your blog! 🙂

Btw, I've passed on the Versatile Blog award to you today. Thank you so much for all your recipes and awesome pictures!

http://littlerandomhappiness.blogspot.com/2011/10/feeling.html

Su-yin
Su-yin
12 years ago

I never thought orange and purple could look SO good together! Such a gorgeous cake. 🙂

Lindsey @ Hot Polka Dot
Lindsey @ Hot Polka Dot
12 years ago

I am speechless! That cake is beautiful Heather! And the punch sounds delish!

My candy kitchen
My candy kitchen
12 years ago

Great idea for cake! I will do it for Halloween! Thank you so much! Nice pictures and recipes!!!

vincent
vincent
12 years ago

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Sweet
Sweet
11 years ago

hey…bummed!!!!!!totally love the colours and the bats…I am going to do BLUE and orange….wow!

Anonymous
Anonymous
11 years ago

Any tips on making the punch alcoholic? Like what kind of liquor and how much?