A layer of marzipan through this moist almond cake makes it particularly special. Serve warm with a light dusting of icing sugar

Ingredients

• 225 grams butter, preferably unsalted
• 1 cup caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• ½ cup flour
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• 1½ cups ground almonds
• 200 grams marzipan

Method

1. Beat the butter and sugar until it is light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
2. Sift the flour and baking powder together and mix with the ground almonds. Fold gently into the creamed mixture.
3. Spread half the cake batter into the base of a well greased, floured and lined 20cm square cake tin.
4. Roll the marzipan out lightly dusted with cornflour to a 19cm square and place on top of the cake batter. Icing sugar will also do in place of the cornflour, though if there is any moisture around it will cause a sticky mess. Use a glazing brush to brush away any extra cornflour or icing sugar before placing on top of the cake batter.
5. Spread the remaining batter over the marzipan.
6. Bake at 180ºC for about 50 minutes or until the cake is golden and has shrunken slightly from the sides of the tin.
7. Cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a cake rack to cool. When cold wrap in foil and keep in an airtight container for 1-2 days before serving - if you have the time.

Cooks Tips

- Make sure you use the real marzipan. Odense Marzipan is usually available all year round in supermarkets or delicatessens. Any leftover marzipan can be frozen. Do not be fooled into buying almond-flavoured icing. This will dissolve while cooking and the cake will fail.