Battenberg Cake

This beautiful checkerboard Battenberg is sure to impress! The addition of simnel balls makes it the perfect Easter Celebration cake. If you don’t like a strong almond flavour, replace the almond extract with vanilla extract. Hands-on time 1hr 30min, plus cooling. Cooking time about 1hr 10min. Serves 26

FOR THE CAKES

● 500g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra to grease

● 500g caster sugar

● 8 medium eggs, beaten

● 400g self-raising flour

● 100g ground almonds

● 4tbsp milk

● Finely grated zest 2 oranges

● 2tsp almond extract

● Yellow food colouring paste, we used Sugarflair

● Pink food colouring paste, we used Sugarflair

FOR THE BUTTERCREAM

● 225g unsalted butter, softened

● 225g icing sugar, sifted

● 3tbsp smooth apricot jam

TO DECORATE

● Icing sugar, to dust

● 1kg white/natural marzipan

1 Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan) mark 4 and grease and line 2 x 20.5cm round springform tins with baking parchment. For the cakes, using a freestanding mixer or a large bowl and a handheld electric whisk, beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs. If the mixture looks as if it might curdle, beat in 1tbsp of the flour.

2 Add the (remaining) flour, ground almonds, milk, orange zest and almond extract and fold in using a large metal spoon. Spoon ½ the mixture (weigh for best results) into a separate large bowl. Add desired amount of yellow and pink food colouring to the separate bowls and fold in using a large metal spoon, trying to keep in as much air as possible.

3 Scrape each coloured batter into a separate prepared tin and spread to level. Bake for 1hr-1hr 10min, or until risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tins for 5min, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

4 Meanwhile, make the buttercream. Using a freestanding mixer or a medium bowl and a handheld electric whisk, beat the butter and icing sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the apricot jam and set aside.

5 Once cool, level both cakes, if needed, making sure they are the same height. Next, slice each cake in ½ horizontally to make 4 layers. Use a round 6.5cm biscuit cutter (or make yourself a paper template) to cut out a disc of cake from the centre of each layer. Carefully remove the discs on to a tray or board.

6 Next, use a sharp knife to cut each cake ring into 2 thinner rings of the same width. You should have 4 large cake rings, 4 medium cake rings and 4 small cake discs (don’t worry if any break, you can stick them back together later).

7 To assemble, lay a large yellow cake ring on a board. Thinly spread some buttercream on the inside vertical edge of the ring and position a pink ring inside it. Spread the inside vertical edge of the pink ring with buttercream, then slot in a small disc of yellow cake. Thinly spread buttercream over the top of this layer.

8 Lay a large pink ring on top of the first layer and continue to build a second layer, alternating colours. Repeat to build a third and fourth layer on top of the first 2, alternating colours.

9 To finish, lightly dust a work surface with icing sugar and roll out the marzipan until large enough to cover the cake. Thinly spread remaining buttercream over top and sides of cake. Lift the marzipan on to the cake and gently smooth into position. Trim excess.

10 Using some of the marzipan trimmings, shape 11 x 20g balls. Brush the base of each ball with a little water and stick to the top of the cake in a ring. Serve in slices.

PER SERVING 554cals, 7g protein, 31g fat (16g saturates), 61g carbs (49g total sugars), 1g fibre

TO STORE Keep in an airtight container or covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.