This cake is a trip down memory lane. Mum used to make this when I was little and I was fascinated at how she managed to make the cake all different colours. Of course I only wanted to eat the pink bits. I’m all grown-up now, so I’m happy to eat all the colours!

100g (4oz) butter/margarine

75g (3oz) caster sugar

2 large eggs

50g (2oz) corn flour

50g (2oz) potato flour

50g (2oz) rice flour

½ teaspoon xanthan gum

1 teaspoon GF baking powder

2 tablespoons milk (if needed)

1-2 drops natural green and red food colouring

1-2 drops vanilla extract

1. Preheat the oven to gas mark 5/190°C/375°F. Grease and line a 1lb/450g loaf tin with baking parchment.

2. Cream the butter/margarine and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time and beat after each addition.

3. Sieve the flours, xanthan gum and baking powder together in a separate bowl, then add the flour to the egg mixture in three steps, folding it in with a metal spoon rather than an electric mixer, mixing well between each addition. The mixture should be a dropping consistency and if it seems tight, add some milk, half a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture softens.

4. Divide the creamed mixture into three small bowls. In the first bowl, add one to two drops of red food colouring and stir well, until the mixture becomes a soft pink colour. Similarly, in the second bowl, add one to two drops of green food colouring and mix well. In the last bowl, add one to two drops of vanilla extract.

5. Fill the cake tin by alternating with a scoop of each coloured mixture, until all the mixture has been used.

6. Bake in the centre of the oven for approximately 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin before turning out. When the cake is cold and you cut it, you will have a marbled effect of the pink, green and cream colours. CL

Recipes by Denise O’Callaghan from her book Recipes from my Gluten-Free Kitchen (Mercier Press). Denise is the founder of Denise’s Delicious Gluten-Free Bakery, whose product range is available across Ireland from the major supermarkets, artisan food stores and the online store at www.delicious.ie.