Ingredients
2 ⅓cupsall-purpose flour,plus 1½ tbsp
½cupcocoa powder,plus 3 tbsp
1tbspbaking powder
½tspsalt
1cupunsalted butter,softened
1⅓cupswhite sugar
4eggs
2tspvanilla extract
1cupmilk,plus 1½ tbsp
¼cupcherry jam
3cupschocolate buttercream frosting
14ozMarzipan
5dropsred food coloring,or as needed
1tbspconfectioners’ sugar,or as needed
Preparation
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease and flour two 9-inch square cake pans.
Sift flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl.
Beat butter and white sugar together in a bowl with an electric mixer for about 4 minutes or until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla extract. Add flour mixture alternately with milk, mixing batter gently between each addition.
Divide batter evenly between the prepared cake pans.
Bake in the preheated oven for 30 to 4 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes in the pan. Invert onto a wire rack to cool completely for about 30 minutes.
Trim tops of cake layers to make sure they are flat. Set 1 layer on a serving platter. Spread jam on top; cover with second layer. Spread chocolate buttercream frosting over top and sides of the cake, reserving about 2 tablespoons frosting.
Pinch off a piece of marzipan the size of a golf ball. Add red food coloring and knead until color is evenly distributed.
Dust a flat work surface with confectioners’ sugar and roll out remaining, undyed, marzipan. Cut out a 9-inch square; carefully transfer to the top of the cake.
Roll trimmings of marzipan and cut into four 9×1½-inch strips. Cut 3 rectangular notches into 1 edge of each strip. Press strips onto the sides of the cake, notches facing down; gently press top and strips of marzipan together to adhere.
Roll out red marzipan and cut into squares of varying sizes. Spread a little of the reserved frosting on the back of each square to act as a glue; arrange in a random Minecraft pattern on top of the cake.
