-
1
Preheat the oven to fairly hot 375 F. (Gas Mark 5, 190C) Prepare a 9-inch by 6-inch cake tin by cutting a piece of Heavy Aluminium foil the exact length of the base, but 2 inches wider than the width.
-
2
Fold a pleat in the middle so that the foil lies quite flat on the bottom of the tin and the pleat stands up, forming a wall which divides the tin into TWO oblongs of equal size.
-
3
With a wooden spoon, beat the butter and sugar in a medium-sized mixing bowl, until the mixture is very light and creamy.
-
4
Add the eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition, along with 1 tablespoon of flour.
-
5
Stir well to mix.
-
6
Fold in the remaining flour and the vanilla essence.
-
7
Mix in a little milk, if it is necessary, to make the batter of a consistency that will drop easily off the spoon.
-
8
Pour HALF the cake batter into ONE HALF of the prepared cake tin.
-
9
Mix the 2 Tablespoons cocoa into the rest of the batter, add a spoonful of milk, if necessary, and pour it into the other half of the tin.
-
10
Bake in the oven for 25 minutes.
-
11
When the cake is cooked set it aside to cool.
-
12
While the cake is baking make the almond paste.
-
13
Sift the icing sugar and the castor sugar together into a medium-sized mixing bowl.
-
14
Mix in the ground almonds.
-
15
Add the lemon juice, almond essence and enough beaten egg to bind all the ingredients into a paste.
-
16
Sprinkle your working surface with a little icing sugar and put the paste on it.
-
17
Knead the almond paste until it is smooth.
-
18
Be careful not to over-knead as the paste will become oily.
-
19
Remove the cake from the tin.
-
20
Trim the two halves to equal size and cut each in half lenghways.
-
21
Spread the side of one piece of white cake with the apricot jam and place a brown piece next to it.
-
22
Spread jam on top of the two halves.
-
23
Repeat with the other two halves of the cake, alternating the white and brown, and place on top of the jam covered layer to form a chequer-board pattern.
-
24
Press gently together.
-
25
Spread the remaining jam over the top and the sides of the cake.
-
26
On a lightly sugared board roll the almond paste into an oblong large enough to encase the whole cake.
-
27
Wrap it round the cake, trimming the edges to leave the ends of the uncovered.
-
28
Crimp the top edges to make a border and, with a knife, score a criss-cross pattern on the top.
-
29
Keep the cake in a tin with a tight fitting lid for two days before serving.
