Checkerboard Loaf

For the cake: heat the oven to 190°C (170° fan) 375°F gas 5. Grease a 20cm|8" square tin and line the base with non-stick baking paper. Divide the tin down the centre with a double strip of non-stick baking paper or greased foil.

Beat together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs until smooth. Sift in the flour and gently stir into the mixture with the vanilla.

Put half the mixture into another bowl and add the almond extract and pink food colouring.

Spoon the mixtures into each side of the divided tin and smooth the tops. Bake for about 25 minutes until risen. If the sponges have risen unevenly, press the surface gently until level. Cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then place on a wire rack to cool completely.

Place one cake on top of the other and trim off the crusty edges so they are both the same size. Cut the sponges in half lengthways to make 4 long rectangles.

Warm the apricot jam in a pan, then put through a fine sieve. Brush the long side of one of the cakes with jam and sandwich together with a cake of a contrasting colour. Repeat the process with the other 2 cake rectangles.

Sandwich the 2 pairs of cakes together like a chequer board and brush the top and sides with jam.

Roll out the marzipan on a surface dusted with icing sugar into a rectangle of about 40cm x 20cm|16" x 10"; large enough to wrap the cake completely, leaving the ends exposed. Turn the cake upside down on the marzipan and brush the underside of the cake with jam.