Battenberg Cake

• Milk2 tbsp milk
• Vanilla1 tsp vanilla extract
• Sugar225g caster sugar
• Butter225g butter
• Egg4 large eggs
• Flour225g self-raising flour
• Almond500g ground almonds
• Jam4 tbsp apricot jam
• Food color1/4 tsp pink food coloring

How to Make It

• 1

  Preheat your oven to 170°C (340°F/Gas Mark 3). Grease and line two 20cm (8-inch) square cake tins with baking parchment. For a classic Battenberg, you'll need to create a divider in one tin: use a double layer of foil to form a partition, creating two equal 10cm x 20cm compartments within one tin. This is key for even baking of the coloured sponges.

• 2

  In a large bowl, cream together 175g softened butter and 175g caster sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 3 large eggs, one at a time, adding a spoonful of 175g self-raising flour with each egg to prevent curdling. Gently fold in the remaining flour, along with 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract and 2 tablespoons of milk, until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.

• 3

  Divide the cake batter evenly into two separate bowls. Into one bowl, fold in 2 drops of pink food colouring until uniformly pink. Leave the other bowl plain (or add a drop of yellow food colouring for a more vibrant yellow sponge).

• 4

  Spoon the pink batter into one compartment of your divided tin and the plain/yellow batter into the other compartment. Bake the undivided tin with the remaining plain/yellow batter separately. Bake both tins for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean and the cakes are golden and springy to the touch.

• 5

  Once baked, remove the cakes from the oven and let them cool in their tins for 10 minutes before turning them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cold, carefully trim all the edges of the pink and plain/yellow sponges to create neat 10cm x 20cm rectangles, ensuring consistent size for the checkerboard effect.

• 6

  Assemble the checkerboard: Warm 200g apricot jam in a small saucepan until loosened, then pass it through a sieve to remove any lumps. Brush the long side of a pink sponge and a plain/yellow sponge with the warmed jam and stick them together. Repeat with the remaining two sponges, then stack the two joined pairs, alternating colours to form a checkerboard pattern, cementing them with more jam.

• 7

  Dust your work surface lightly with icing sugar. Roll out 500g ready-made marzipan into a large rectangle, approximately 35cm x 25cm and about 3mm thick. It should be wide enough to wrap around your assembled cake block with a slight overlap.

• 8

  Encase the cake: Carefully lift the marzipan and place your jam-glued cake block in the centre. Brush the top and exposed sides of the cake with a little more apricot jam. Gently wrap the marzipan around the cake, pressing it firmly to seal. Trim any excess marzipan, ensuring the join is neatly underneath the cake. For the best result, gently press the marzipan to the cake block to eliminate any air pockets and create a smooth finish. Serve sliced, showcasing the beautiful checkerboard pattern.