Ingredients:

For the Cake:

• 175g (6oz) butter
• 175g (6oz) caster sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 175g (6oz) Self raising flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• Few drops of pink coloring
• 3 tbs apricot jam (sieved)
• 350g (12oz) marzipan
• powdered sugar for dusting

For the Marzipan:

• 1 1/2 cups finely ground almond flour
• 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
• 2 teaspoons almond extract
• 1 egg white (if vegan, substitute with 3 tablespoons of corn syrup or golden syrup)

Method:

Cake:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
2. Assemble and butter and flour a battenberg baking tin or sheet cake pan lined with aluminum foil. If using a sheet cake pan, create a divider using aluminum foil to separate your pan into two equal long sections.
3. Cream together the butter and sugar until light and creamy. Gradually add the beaten eggs.
4. In another bowl mix dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt) together.
5. Fold in the dry ingredients into the creamed butter mixture and once just combined, divide into two equal halves.
6. Put a few drops of pink food coloring into one half of the mixture and gently mix until an even color is achieved.
7. Spoon the pink mixture into one half of the tin, and the plain mixture into the other half.
8. Place the cake into the center of the oven and bake for approximately 30-35 minutes or until firm to the touch and evenly colored.
9. Allow the cake to cool in the tin. While cooling, prepare your marzipan.

Marzipan:

1. Place the almond flour and powdered sugar in a food processor and pulse until combined and any lumps are broken up.
2. Add the almond extract and pulse to combine.
3. Add the egg white and process until a thick dough is formed. If the mass is still too wet and sticky, add more powdered sugar and ground almonds.
4. Form the marzipan into a log and wrap it up in plastic wrap and refrigerate.

Assemble:

1. Use a serrated knife to cut across the top of the tin to remove excess cake. Remove the cake from the tin.
2. If not using a battenberg tin, cut cake pieces in half to form two long pink cake strips and two plain strips.
3. When completely cold, brush the apricot jam onto the long sides of the cakes and join one plain and one pink slice together and then one pink and one plain on top creating a checkered pattern.
4. Brush apricot jam over all edges of the cake.
5. Roll out the marzipan on a powered sugar dusted surface to prevent sticking. Make a rectangle approximately 8 x12 inches. Neaten the edges.
6. Place the cake onto the marzipan so that one edge is lined up to the edge of the marzipan and completely wrap the marzipan around the cake. Trim away any surplus marzipan and seal marzipan edge to make a neat cake.
7. Wrap the cake in some parchment and chill until set.
8. Slice and serve with a cup of tea. Enjoy!