Battenberg cake

Invented by chefs of the British royal household to celebrate the marriage of Princess Victoria of Hesse and by Rhine, and Prince Louis of Battenberg, the Battenberg cake, when cut open, reveals a distinctive chequered pattern in pink and yellow.

Battenberg cake 

This sponge cake can be cooked the day before. The sponge will be firmer and easier to handle.

175g (6 oz) butter, softened
175g (6 oz) caster sugar
3 large eggs, lightly beaten
2 tablespoons milk
175g (6 oz) self-raising flour
red food colouring
apricot jam
2 tablespoons icing sugar
350g (12 oz) readymade marzipan

1. Grease a 20cm x 15cm (8 in x 6 in) oblong tin and line the base and edges with baking paper. Cut another piece of baking paper, the same length and width as the tin. Fold the paper in half, lengthways.

2. Preheat oven to 180 degrees C (350 degrees F).

3. Cream butter and sugar in food processor until light and fluffy. Gradually beat in eggs, one at a time. Transfer mixture to a large mixing bowl.

4. Add milk, mix, then fold in flour.

5. Divide the cake batter in two and spoon one half into one half of the tin, along the length. Place the extra piece of baking paper in your tin in the middle, so that it divides the two sponge mixtures.

6. Use enough food colouring to tint the remaining cake mixture pink, then add the batter to the other half of the tin. Bake for about 15-20 minutes, until firm to the touch.

7. Let cool for 5 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack. Let cake cool completely. Trim both halves to the same size, then cut each half down their length.

8. Warm apricot jam, then brush onto the top and sides of each cake strip. Place one pink strip and one plain strip side by side. Place another pink strip and plain strip on top of these, in a chequerboard effect.

9. Roll marzipan into a rectangle of 20cm x 30cm (8 in x 12 in). Place cake at one end and wrap marzipan around it. Pinch seams together and place seam on the bottom.