Keep beating the almond paste and butter and slip in one yolk at a time from the cup or bowl they are in, beating after adding each yolk. Add the rum, vanilla, and salt, and beat well. Set aside.

Scoop out about ¼ of the beaten whites and stir them into the yolk mixture until they are incorporated, but not deflated. This step is important, as it tempers the yolks, helping them incorporate more smoothly into the whites when you fold them together.Brush the top of the cake with a good layer of marmalade, then run a knife around the outside of the cake. Leave to cool, then cover with clingfilm and chill for a few hours, or overnight, to set. Sift the self-raising flour and cornflour into a bowl, mix together, then, using a large metal spoon, gradually fold into the cake batter. Now spread another 3-4 tablespoons of batter onto your first layer of tin number one. Maybe you’ll scrape off a bit of your first layer in the process, because it didn’t set entirely. It happens. It won’t be the end of the world, I promise. Again, spread a layer so thin you can almost see through it.

A couple of hours before you’re ready to serve, break the chocolate into pieces and melt with the remaining 50g butter in a heatproof bowl set over a small saucepan of simmering water. Once completely melted and glossy, stir through the rum, then set it aside for 10 minutes to cool.

Husband and Birthday Boy had fun playing a game of frisbee with the sugarless, lumpy-battered #Failcakes at Christmas time: A German Baumkuchen, or Baumtorte, (Tree Cake) is one to bring out for a special occasion; one to wow your guests and bring on the 'ooohs' and 'ahhhhs'. It's a showstopper. Finally, separate and beat in the egg yolks one at a time (save the whites), then the vanilla extract. Finely grate in the orange zest. Baumkuchen’s popularity in Japan is phenomenal. The German tree cake is readily available from fancy pastry shops to convenience stores and supermarkets. Japanese love Baumkuchen and so do I! This cake is the king of cakes in Japan definitely. And probably it is more famous and popular in Japan than it is in Germany.