Battenberg Cake

• Powdered sugar15g powdered sugar
• Milk2 tbsp milk
• Vanilla1 tsp vanilla extract
• Sugar225g caster sugar
• Butter225g butter
• Egg4 large eggs
• Flour225g self-raising flour
• Marzipan500g ready-made marzipan
• 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 one 20cm (8-inch) square cake tin with baking parchment. Use a double layer of foil, folded into a partition, to divide the tin into two equal 10cm x 20cm compartments. This lets you bake the pink and plain sponges side by side.

• 2

  In a large bowl, cream together 225g softened butter and 225g caster sugar until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in 4 large eggs, one at a time, adding a spoonful of 225g 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 1/4 tsp 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 the divided tin and the plain/yellow batter into the other, levelling the tops. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre of each sponge comes out clean and the cakes are golden and springy to the touch.

• 5

  Once baked, let the sponges cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Once cold, trim the domed tops and the crusty edges so both sponges are the same height. Cut each sponge in half lengthwise to give two pink and two plain/yellow strips. Trim all four strips to the same size, with a square cross-section whose width equals its height, so they form a neat checkerboard.

• 6

  Assemble the checkerboard: Warm 4 tbsp 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 15g powdered sugar. Roll out 500g ready-made marzipan into a rectangle 45cm x 20cm, so its short side matches the length of the cake block and its long side wraps fully around the 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.