Battenburg Cake- A retro treat perfect for parties and gatherings. 

Don’t be fooled – it looks tricky but it’s fun to make and even more enjoyable to eat. 

Serves 12 
Preparation time: 20 mins 
Cooking time: 35 mins

What To Do: 

For almond sponge:

• 140g butter, softened
• 140g caster sugar
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 3 large Baking Eggs, room temperature
• 140g self-raising flour
• 40g ground almonds
• 1 tsp baking powder

1. Preheat the oven to 180 degrees. Lightly grease and flour 2 25cm square cake tins.
2. Sift the flour with the ground almonds and baking powder and set aside.
3. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the almond extract then the eggs one at a time, beating well between each addition. Mix in the flour until just combined.
4. Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin and bake for 35 minutes or until a cocktail stick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool for 20 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Repeat the same method with the ingredients of the pink vanilla sponge, leaving out the almond extract and ground almonds.
6. To assemble, trim two opposite edges from the almond sponge, then trim a third edge. Roughly measure the height of the sponge, use a ruler to help you cut 4 slices each the same width as the sponge height. Discard leftover sponge. Repeat with pink cake.
7. Take 2 almond slices and 2 pink slices and trim so they are all the same length. Brush the apricot glaze between the long edges of each slice, stick them together alternating the colours to create a checkerboard effect.
8. Roll out the marzipan, measure it out and cut against the length of the cake. Brush the apricot glaze over the marzipan, carefully lift it up and smooth over the cake with your hands. Trim any excess marzipan off the cake.

Recipe from www.ellavalentine.co.uk.