Battenberg Cake

The method

1. 01

   Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4 and line the base and sides of a 20cm square tin with baking parchment.

2. 02

   To make the almond sponge, put the butter, sugar, flour, ground almonds, baking powder, eggs, vanilla and almond extract in a large bowl.

3. 03

   Beat with an electric whisk until the mix comes together smoothly.

4. 04

   Scrape into the tin, spreading to the corners, and bake for 25-30 mins until a skewer comes out clean.

5. 05

   Cool in the tin for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.

6. 06

   For the pink sponge, line the tin as above and mix all the ingredients together, omitting the almond extract.

7. 07

   Fold in some pink food colouring and scrape it all into the tin, then bake as before.

8. 08

   Cool the pink sponge.

9. 09

   To assemble, heat the jam in a small pan until runny, then sieve.

10. 10

    Trim two opposite edges from the almond sponge and cut 4 slices each the same width as the sponge height.

11. 11

    Repeat with pink cake.

12. 12

    Take 2 almond slices and 2 pink slices and trim to the same length.

13. 13

    Roll out one marzipan block on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar to just over 20cm wide.

14. 14

    Brush with apricot jam, then lay a pink and an almond slice side by side at one end of the marzipan.

15. 15

    Brush more jam on top of the sponges, then sandwich remaining 2 slices on top, alternating colors.

16. 16

    Trim the marzipan to the length of the cakes.

17. 17

    Lift up the marzipan and smooth over the cake, leaving a small fold along the bottom edge.

18. 18

    Trim opposite side to match size of fold, then crimp edges using fingers or a fork.

19. 19

    Mark the 10 slices using the prongs of a fork if desired.

20. 20

    Assemble the second Battenberg and keep in an airtight box or wrapped in cling film for up to 3 days.

21. 21

    Can be frozen for up to a month.