BATTENBURG CAKE

Steps:

• Cream butter and 1 cup sugar together.
• Beat in 3 eggs, one at a time. Mix in vanilla.
• Stir in flour, baking powder and salt gently.
• Add milk if needed.
• Divide batter into 2 equal parts.
• Add food coloring to 1 part to make a deep pink color.
• Grease two 7-inch square pans.
• Spread batters into pans.
• Bake at 350°F until an inserted wooden pick comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes.
• Let stand in pans 5 minutes.
• Turn out on racks to cool.
• Trim edges from both cakes.
• Cut each cake lengthwise into 4 strips as wide as the cake is thick.
• Trim to make strips match.
• Heat jam slightly.
• Spread on sides to glue 2 pink and 2 white strips together checkerboard fashion.
• Spread all 4 sides of completed cake with jam.
• Repeat with remaining pink and white stripes.
• Makes 2 cakes.
• To make almond paste: Mix almonds, confectioners' sugar, egg, lemon juice and almond extract together.
• Knead until smooth, adding a bit of lemon juice or water if too dry to roll.
• Add only 1/2 teaspoon at a time. It will be stiff.
• Divide into 2 equal parts.
• Roll 1/2 of paste 1/8 inch thick on a surface lightly dusted with confectioners' sugar.
• Cut to fit length of cake and long enough to cover 4 sides leaving ends uncovered.
• Lay cake on one end of paste. Wrap completely to enclose all 4 sides of cake pinching paste to seal.
• Roll in granulated sugar.
• Place with seal underneath on serving plate, or store in plastic bag.
• repeat for second cake. Chill.
• Slice thinly to serve.