Classic Battenberg recipe

Always wanted to know how to make the perfect Battenberg cake? Follow this recipe and enjoy the sweet taste of success

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Line a 20cm square tin with foil and parchment paper, divided into two compartments.

2. In a large mixing bowl, combine all cake ingredients except food colouring and mix with an electric hand mixer until smooth.

3. Divide the mixture in half, colouring one half with the food dye. Pour each mixture into one compartment of the tin.

4. Bake for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

5. Trim the sides of the sponges to give straight edges, then cut each sponge in half lengthwise to create 2 pink and 2 plain rectangles. If the sponges are taller than they are wide, trim some off the tops to create squares.

6. Heat the apricot jam in a small pan or microwave, then strain it. Dust a work surface with icing sugar and roll out a quarter of the marzipan to a 20x10cm rectangle. Brush with warm apricot jam, then place a plain and a pink sponge side by side on top, sticking them together with more jam. Repeat with the remaining sponges to create a checkered pattern.

7. Roll out the remaining marzipan to a 20x25cm rectangle and brush the top and sides of the assembled cake with any remaining jam. Using a rolling pin to help, lift the marzipan over the cake and smooth it over the top and sides, pressing gently into the corners to wrap the cake tightly. Trim any excess marzipan about 1cm from the sides of the cake and slice off a thin piece from each end to neaten. Crimp the marzipan around the base by pinching with your finger and thumb.