Talk:Battenberg cake

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First comments[edit]

Yep, I rather agree with Foolish Mortal. This appears to be twaddle from end to end. I'll make a start by cutting it down to a bare minimum and removing the links which don't work, ie. all of them. Glynhughes (talk) 19:49, 26 February 2013 (UTC)[reply]

I've moved the stuff about Battenburg (sic) markings to its own page.

Boffotron 17:41, 22 September 2007 (UTC)[reply]

This is currently the rubbishest page in the universe, but a) it really needed to exist, and b) I wanted to be the first to it, for a change. Any more battenburg info is appreciated. Foolish Mortal 21:23, 12 September 2005 (UTC)[reply]

I'm pretty sure the correct spelling is Battenberg, not Battenburg. i love batten battenburg That's how it's spelt on the wrapper of the Lyons Battenberg that I am eating at this moment. Also, there's a big difference in German between Berg (= mountain) and Burg (= castle or something). Finally, Battenberg, and not Battenburg is the name of the British royal family, who seem to be a likely source of the name of this British cake.

Therefore I have moved the page from Battenburg Cake to Battenberg Cake.

Boffotron 21:02, 9 October 2006 (UTC)[reply]

This page: http://www.recipe-recipes-message-board.com/forum/view_topic.php?id=2475&forum_id=97 says that "Battenberg Cake named in honour of the marriage of Queen Victoria's granddaughter to Prince Louis of Battenberg, 1884".

So I added something saying that this is thought to be the origin of the name. It would be good to find a better source.

Glad to see someone removed that rubbish about it being "first invented in Syria" using the citations to articles that genuinely referenced Battenberg cake, but made no mention of Syria. — Preceding unsigned comment added by Quorum Veritatem Tueri (talk • contribs) 09:29, 11 October 2019 (UTC)[reply]

Spelling[edit]

According to the OED

"BATTENBERG = The name of a town in Germany, used attrib. to designate a kind of oblong cake, usu. of two colours (with square cross-section showing alternating blocks of colour) and covered with almond paste. (See also quot. 1912.) Also fig. "

The OED has no entry for "BATTENBURG" and it is usually considered to be one of the definitive sources for English in the UK. --jmb 17:51, 22 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

I would have more faith in the OED than the Home Office especially considering the Home Office's record in recent years! --jmb 17:54, 22 August 2007 (UTC)[reply]

The BBC on-line news gives the spelling as "battenburg cake" (no capitals) in an article about a proposed food coloring ban dated April 10, 2008. I live in the US, and had to go to Wikipedia to find out what it was, as well as "mushy peas". Pustelnik (talk) 23:01, 10 April 2008 (UTC)[reply]

That must be this article: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/7340426.stm

82.69.72.254 (talk) 08:02, 11 April 2008 (UTC)[reply]

Loanword?[edit]

This is listed as a German loanword: does anyone know why?
Battenberg is a name; "cake" is English.
I don't know if they even have Battenberg cake in Germany ( or, if they do, what they call it - englischerkuche, probably!)
Anyway, I've deleted it. Moonraker12 (talk) 18:01, 18 June 2009 (UTC)[reply]

There is no Battenberg cake in Germany, only a shortbread with a check pattern called Heidesand (heath sand). — Preceding unsigned comment added by 176.2.40.170 (talk) 19:05, 4 September 2015 (UTC)[reply]

"Englischer Kuchen" is known in Germany, but it is similar to a tea loaf, rich in fruit and dried peel. Battenberg cake is occasionally imported, but not commonly sold. --Schlosser67 (talk) 05:55, 28 February 2017 (UTC)[reply]

Undo of School of Cake Therapy paragraph[edit]

School of Cake Therapy section cited no source and and seemed fictionalized. Embank (talk) 01:44, 31 October 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Language[edit]

"Good old cuppa" doesn't sound very encyclopedic. Is that appropriate for Wikipedia? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 64.203.5.246 (talk) 05:42, 29 November 2010 (UTC)[reply]

It relates to Tea culture#United Kingdom. David (talk) 11:38, 29 November 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Four Princes?[edit]

Is there a reputable source for the claim that "the four squares (represent) the four Battenberg princes: Louis, Alexander, Henry and Francis Joseph"?

The alternating pattern is very reminiscent of quartered arms, which would certainly be appropriate to commemorate a wedding between two noble or royal persons. It seems odd that, if four individuals are being represented, only two distinct colors are used. 24.239.54.219 (talk) 19:49, 8 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Agreed. In fact, this description actively disputes that claim. Since the statement has no reliable sourcing, I have removed it. Regards, Orange Suede Sofa (talk) 20:48, 8 March 2012 (UTC)[reply]

http://foodhistorjottings.blogspot.com/2011_08_01_archive.html?m=1 is currently linked via The Guardian citation as refuting royal link but that's not the case. Refutes the four panels as four houses but the version isnt written this way. Will edit. Revr J (talk) 00:17, 6 January 2022 (UTC)[reply]

Real history?[edit]

According to Cakes: Regional and Traditional (London, Grub Street, 2009) by Julie Duff, page 226, recipes for "church window cake" date back to the early 19th century, and so Battenberg was not invented by chef of the Royal household but rather developed and popularised. AdamSommerton (talk) 22:48, 18 September 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Duplicate text[edit]

The intro and the 'origins' section contain duplicate passages. I tried to correct this and it was immediately reverted, so I figured that I should make a note of it here. 71.73.46.37 (talk) 21:12, 1 April 2020 (UTC)[reply]