Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour*
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/3 cup strawberries, defrosted if frozen
- 1 tablespoon strawberry flavoring
- 1 1/2 sticks unsalted butter, soft at room temperature
- 1 cup minus 2 tablespoon Dixie Crystals Extra Fine Granulated Sugar
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup lemon juice
- Red food color, optional
- 1/2 cup apricot jam
- 2 (7 oz) packages marzipan
- Few tablespoons Dixie Crystals Confectioners Powdered Sugar
*Spoon & Sweep method: Use a spoon to fill measuring cup with flour until required amount is obtained. Scooping measuring cup directly into flour bag will firmly pack flour resulting in too much flour required for recipe.
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Butter and flour or line a 9 x 9-inch cake pan with parchment paper. Take a sheet of parchment paper or aluminum foil the same width as your pan and fold it over several times until it is sturdy. Place it in the center of the cake pan to create a division between the 2 cake batters. Set aside.
- For this cake we will prepare a pink and a lemon cake colored batter, therefore divide flour equally in 2 separate bowls, to each bowl add 1/4 teaspoon baking powder and half of 1/8 teaspoon of baking soda. Sift and keep each separately and set aside.
- Place defrosted strawberries in a blender and mix to a fine puree. Measure again through a sieve to obtain 1/4 cup. Add strawberry flavor. Set aside.
- Mix soft butter and sugar very well, add 1 egg and beat until light. Add another egg and beat very well between additions to obtain a light and airy batter. Continue with remaining egg; add salt and whip until light and fluffy.
- Scrape batter into a large measuring cup and divide perfectly in half.
- Add 1 flour bowl to 1 creamed mixture bowl, followed by lemon juice. Repeat with second creamed mixture, but add strawberry puree instead of lemon juice. If desired add a couple drops red food color.
- Scrape lemon batter into 1 side of prepared pan, scrape strawberry batter into other side.
- Place in oven for approximately 45-50 minutes or when an inserted toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cake sit in pan for 15 minutes before turning upside down on a plastic food film-lined countertop.
- While cake is cooling, place apricot jam in a blender along with 2 tablespoons water and puree until very smooth. Place in a small saucepan and set aside.
- Barely trim edges of cake. Each side of the cake may vary a bit in final height; therefore measure height of cake. Cutting from the well-trimmed edge, use a ruler to help you cut 2 slices the same width as the sponge height.
- Heat apricot jam to boiling. Brush side of cake slices with hot jam and press another contrasting color cake slice beside it. Brush top of combined cake and “glue” 2 more cake pieces onto it in a checkerboard pattern.
- Using a sifter, sprinkle powdered sugar onto a work surface. Starting with 1 1/2 packages marzipan (or use all if you prefer a thicker marzipan layer), press marzipan together and roll it out onto the powdered sugared surface into a square that will wrap the entire assembly. Sprinkle with powdered sugar to prevent sticking.
- Brush apricot jam onto all sides of checkerboard cake and place it onto rolled marzipan. Wrap cake and trim away excess.
- Store airtight or tightly covered in plastic wrap for up to 3 days. Can be frozen for up to a month.