I've always said that you can be as experimental as you like, but the classics will always win a popularity contest.
Battenburg is a great example of this. Once you get over the colours, it's actually fairly simple to make (it's a simple 3-egg butter sponge, with half of it coloured pink, and then a bit of careful cutting, apricot jam, and some marzipan). making your own marzipan is both simple, and far, far nicer than shop-bought stuff (typically shop marzipan is 75% sugar, whereas home-made stuff is 50%).
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eKCcS7agYTc/V8CjqKwlfAI/AAAAAAAAmOQ/ldWvR4BBwkQXzv8r5o9qwDa_3WrQYuxRACKgB/s200/IMG_20160806_131323.jpg)
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rabpg5G6j-A/V8CjqK57bxI/AAAAAAAAmOQ/AHmTrgwpwAc7Ulv4X8L_-MKTFqpe_LyAwCKgB/s200/IMG_20160806_131945.jpg)
![](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDLwVUTJnG0/V8CjqMaStsI/AAAAAAAAmOQ/WdZ-UXQnJrUZqid1xYpRqI_MR838aduPACKgB/s200/IMG_20160806_134601.jpg)
I have a special battenburg tin, though you don't need one, it just saves a bit of cutting. As you want sharp edges, rather than line it with paper, I tend to grease and flour it, which gives cleaner results.
Battenburg is a great example of this. Once you get over the colours, it's actually fairly simple to make (it's a simple 3-egg butter sponge, with half of it coloured pink, and then a bit of careful cutting, apricot jam, and some marzipan). making your own marzipan is both simple, and far, far nicer than shop-bought stuff (typically shop marzipan is 75% sugar, whereas home-made stuff is 50%).
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-eKCcS7agYTc/V8CjqKwlfAI/AAAAAAAAmOQ/ldWvR4BBwkQXzv8r5o9qwDa_3WrQYuxRACKgB/s200/IMG_20160806_131323.jpg)
![](https://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Rabpg5G6j-A/V8CjqK57bxI/AAAAAAAAmOQ/AHmTrgwpwAc7Ulv4X8L_-MKTFqpe_LyAwCKgB/s200/IMG_20160806_131945.jpg)
![](https://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ZDLwVUTJnG0/V8CjqMaStsI/AAAAAAAAmOQ/WdZ-UXQnJrUZqid1xYpRqI_MR838aduPACKgB/s200/IMG_20160806_134601.jpg)
![](https://4.bp.blogspot.com/-7bwIvW5BuPU/V8CjqHi3QGI/AAAAAAAAmOQ/wN4fBpOibn425doMuHufqpPZpMpSaPMLgCKgB/s200/IMG_20160806_144125.jpg)