Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease an 8-inch square pan, then line it with a parchment divider down the middle to create 2 separate lanes.

Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well, then mix in the almond extract.

Fold in the flour and baking powder until just combined.

Divide the batter evenly into 2 bowls, tinting one bright pink and leaving the other plain.

Spoon each color into its own lane of the prepared pan, smoothing the tops level.

Bake for 25 to 28 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of each lane comes out clean.

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely, about 45 minutes.

Trim each cake to the same height, then slice each into 2 long strips so you have 4 strips total, 2 pink and 2 plain.

Brush the sides of the strips with warm apricot jam and stack them in a checkerboard pattern, alternating colors, pressing gently to stick.

Roll the marzipan out on a sugared surface into a sheet long enough to wrap around the cake block, brush the outside with more jam, then wrap the marzipan around it, pressing the seam closed and trimming any excess.

Chill for 20 minutes to firm up, then slice into 16 bites, revealing the checkerboard in each piece.