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Photo credit to Cakespy from serious eats
This was one of my favorite treats as a kid. While staying with a family friend in Switzerland, Lisa (a friend) and I, ended up staying up eating marzipan (almond paste) until one in the morning. On a cautionary note, this is one of those 'don't try this at home, kids...' the sugar rush was crazy. The cake is moist and chewy and the jam and marzipan give it just enough sweetness to delight adults and kids alike. (plus the checkerboard look is really cool!)
- serves about 8 -Adapted from Bron Marshall and Cakespy from serious eats
Ingredients:
1 cup butter
1 teaspoon Madagascar vanilla
3/4 cups sugar
2 eggs
1 1/2 cups white flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 cup of milk,
Red food coloring
1 ounce amaretto or orange oil (optional)
1/4 cup of your choice of preserves (apricot is traditional, but raspberry is also good)
11 ounces marzipan (almond paste) or fondant to cover
Procedure:
1. Pre-heat oven to 350°F.
2. Line a shallow square cake tin (9x9 inches works well) with parchment paper.
3. Cream the butter, vanilla and sugar until light and fluffy.
4. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
5. Sift the flour, baking powder and fold into the creamed mixture.
6. Add sufficent milk to give the dough a soft consistency, kind of like that of a drop cookie.
7. Separate the dough into two equal parts. In a bowl, mix half of the dough with 1 ounce amaretto or orange oil. If you don't like amaretto, this step is optional. Place the dough into one half of your prepared cake pan. It should be stiff enough that it won't drip into the other half.
8. Add a strip of parchment paper to the middle of the pan, along the edge of where your white-colored dough ends at the halfway point. This will help keep the dough colors divided while you bake.
9. Add a few drops of red food coloring to the remaining mixture to turn it a pink color, then spoon this into the other half of the prepared pan.
10. Bake for 30-35 minutes or until the cake has risen and is lightly brown on the edges and has a dull finish on top.
11. Turn out on a wire rack and let cool fully.
12. Trim the edges of the cake so that both pieces are of uniform size; then cut each half in two so that you have four equally sized strips.
13. Gently heat the jam in a small pan and stick the stripes of cake together, one plain piece next to one colored one, and then again to make a checkerboard effect.
14. Brush the top of the assembled cake with jam.
15. Roll out the almond paste into a rectangle the length of the cake and wide enough to cover both sides.
16. Lay the jam covered top of the cake onto the almond paste, then brush the remaining three sides with apricot jam.
17. Press the almond paste neatly around the cake, sealing it together at the edges. This should form a smooth outside coat. Serve in slices.
