2x 500 g(2 x 17.5 oz) blocks yellow or white marzipan
300g(3/4 cup) apricot jam
1cup(1 cup) confectioners' sugarfor rolling and dusting
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180C/350F (fan). Line the base and sides of two 20cmx20cm square baking tins with baking parchment.
Place the butter, sugar, flour, ground almonds, baking powder, eggs, vanilla, and almond extract into the bowl of a stand mixer. Beat, using the whisk attachment, until smooth.
360 g (1 1/2 cups) very soft unsalted butter, 350 g (2 cups minus 4 tbsp) golden caster sugar, 280 g ( 2 cups + 2 tbsp) self-raising flour*, 100 g (1 cup) ground almonds, 1 tsp baking powder, 6 medium eggs, 1 tsp vanilla extract, 1/2 tsp almond extract
Divide the mixture into two (weigh it out to ensure it's even). Add the almond extract and the yellow food colouring to one bowl and mix together.
1/8 tsp yellow food colouring gel
Add the pink food colouring to the other bowl and mix. You want a vibrant yellow and pink colour, so add a little more colouring if required.
1/8 tsp pink food colouring gel
Spoon one of the mixtures into one tin, and the other into the other tin. Smooth the top and ensure the cake batter is spread into the corners. Place in the oven and bake for 25-30 mins until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
Allow to cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Time to assemble. Roll out one of the marzipan blocks on a surface that's been dusted with LOTS of confectioners' sugar. It needs to be a little more than 20cm wide, and long enough to wrap around the cake (about 40cm).
2 x 500 g (2 x 17.5 oz) blocks yellow or white marzipan
Heat the apricot jam in a small pan (or microwave for a few seconds) until runny.
300 g (3/4 cup) apricot jam
Take one of the cakes and trim the sides and top so that the cooked edges are cut off (you can leave the bottom). Cut the sponge into four long fingers - ensuring the height and width of each finger are equal.
Repeat with the other sponge.
Brush the centre of the rolled marzipan with apricot jam (see picture), then lay a yellow sponge finger on top.
Brush the side of the yellow sponge, and stick a pink sponge finger to it. Brush the top of the two sponge fingers with jam and place the other two fingers on top (with jam in between those two fingers), so you have a checkerboard effect.
Spread jam on the rest of the marzipan then fold up the sides - making sure it's quite tight and well adhered to the sponge.
Fold the edges back on top of the cake and press them together - like you're sealing a zip-lock bag. Trim the excess marzipan off the top of the cake.
Check again that everything is well adhered, then slice off both ends of the cake - to give a neat finish.
Repeat this process for the other cake.
Turn the cakes over, so the seam is on the bottom, then sprinkle with a little confectioners' sugar and serve.
1 cup (1 cup) confectioners' sugar
Video
Notes
*Self Raising Flour: If you can't get self-raising flour, replace with a mixture of 2 cups all-purpose mixed with 3 tsp baking powder (see more info here) and also add the other 1 tsp baking powder further down the ingredients list.** Food colouring Food colouring gel/pastes are better than food colouring liquid, as they have a more intense colour that won't fade during baking.Storage: Any leftover cake should be wrapped in baking parchment and stored in an airtight box at room temperature. It should keep for 2-3 days. Alternatively, you can seal in an airtight container and freeze for up to a month.Source: I based this recipe on the one from the BBC Good Food website - just a few changes here and there to simplify and shorten the process.Nutritional Information is per slice.