Chocolate battenberg

Ingredients:

350g butter, at room temperature,plus extra for greasing
350g caster sugar
6 large free-range eggs
1/2 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoon milk
285g self-raising flour
50g ground almonds
40g cocoa powder
125g raspberry jam
450 g marzipan or almond paste

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC / 350ºF / gas 4 . Grease two small loaf tins (8cm x 22cm) with butter.

2. Divide the butter and sugar between 2 bowls,and cream both.Beat 3 eggs into each. 

3. Stir the vanilla and 1 tablespoon of milk into one, then fold in 175g flour.

4. In the other,fold in the remaining flour,the almonds,coca and remaining tablespoon of milk.

5. Spoon each mixture into the grease tins, then bake for 30 to 40 minutes, or until golden and an inserted skewer comes out clean.

6. Cool for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a rack.

7. To assemble, warm the jam over a low heat, then sieve into a bowl.

8. Leave off the tops and sides of the cakes with a knife so each cake is a rectangle and the same size. 

9. Cut in half lengthways so you have 2 long strip of each.

10. Place 1 of the plain sponges on a board and brush the top and sides generously with jam.

11. Repeat with a strip of chocolate sponge and stick the 2 together, side by side.

12. Gently place the remaining sponges on top, opposite colours on each, brushing all the edges with jam.

13. Trim the cake so the sides are straight, if  necessray.

14. Roll the marzipan on a lightly buttered plastic board to a 24cm x 35cm rectangle, trimming the sides so they're neat.

15. Place the cake on one of the shorter sides and roll, sitting the cake on the joining side. Trim to neaten, then serve.