Battenburg Cake

Method

 1 Preheat the oven to 190C (180C fan oven) gas mark 5. Line a 20cm square cake tin with two pieces of greaseproof paper to make two 10cm x 20cm oblongs.

2 Beat the butter and sugar together in a bowl until pale and creamy. Whisk in the eggs a little at a time. Fold in the flour with a large metal spoon.

3 Spoon half the sponge mixture into one of the greaseproof oblongs. Add a dash or two of red food colouring to the remaining mixture in the bowl and fold in to make a soft pink colour. Spoon into the empty oblong.

4 Bake in the oven for 30-35min or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Lift each oblong out and cool on a wire rack.

5 Roll out the marzipan on a board dusted with icing sugar to measure around 28cm x 20cm. Trim the crust off the sponges and set aside (see cook's tips below), then cut each oblong in half to make four even-sized oblongs.

6 Spread the apricot jam over each side of sponge, except the ends. Put one white and one pink sponge together, then put the other pink sponge on the bottom white sponge and the other white sponge on the bottom pink sponge to create a chequerboard effect.

7 Put on top of the marzipan and wrap it around, trimming any edges. Squeeze together the ends to seal the marzipan. Slice and serve immediately.

To store

Store in an airtight container for up to two days.

Cook's tips

* Save any ends and use as a base for a trifle or instead of the sponge fingers in tiramisu. If you want to freeze them, wrap well in clingfilm and freeze for up to three months.

* If you can, make the sponge a day ahead so it has firmed up when you come to assemble the cake.

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