Serves: 16-20

Ingredients

Fruit:

• 350g dried mixed fruit
• 150g dried cranberries OR currants
• 100g glace cherries, chopped
• 75ml brandy
• zest and juice 1 orange (75ml)
• zest and juice 1 lemon (35ml)

Cake:

• 175g unsalted butter, softened
• 175g dark brown sugar
• 50g black treacle
• 3 medium eggs
• 175g plain flour
• 1.¾ tsp baking powder
• 50g ground almonds
• 50g roughly chopped almonds/walnuts
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• ¼ tsp allspice

Marzipan Layer:

• 1 tbsp apricot jam, sieved
• 800g ready-roll marzipan
• 50g icing sugar

Royal Icing:

• 2 medium egg whites
• 400g-500g icing sugar (approx)
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• ¼ tsp glycerine

 Method

1. Make cake 8 weeks before Christmas.
2. Fruit: Zest and juice orange and lemon.
3. In large Pyrex bowl; Soak zests, juices, dried fruit, cherries and brandy overnight.
4. Cake: Grease and line 18cm (7") cake tin, with removable base.
5. Preheat oven to 130°C Fan/Gas Mark 2. Drop shelf to lower-middle.
6. In large mixing bowl; Whisk butter, sugar and treacle until paler and fluffy.
7. Whisk in eggs one at a time, beating well between additions.
8. In medium Pyrex bowl; Mix flour, ground almonds and mixed spice, thoroughly.
9. Add dry ingredients to butter mixture. Fold until thoroughly combined.
10. Add soaked fruit, juices and nuts. Fold until thoroughly combined.
11. Turn mixture into cake tin, filled ⅔ high. Level. (Use excess to make 2 muffins!).
12. Bake for 2 hrs. Cover with foil from 1 hr 30 mins.
13. Drop oven temp to 120°C for 30 mins, until brown, springy, and skewer comes out clean. (Rises by ¼ in tin, remains level).
14. Remove. Cool for 1 hr in tin. Turn out. Cool completely.
15. Pierce 1" deep all over with skewer, 16-20 times. Drizzle over 2 tbsp brandy.
16. Wrap in parchment and foil/clingfilm. Store in tin for 4 weeks. Feed weekly;
    • Week 1: 1.½ tbsp brandy on top
    • Week 2: 1.½ tbsp brandy on top
    • Week 3: Flip cake, pierce 1" deep all over with skewer, 16-20 times. 1.½ tbsp brandy on bottom
    • Week 4: 1.½ tbsp brandy on bottom
    • Week 5-6: Leave to stand
17. Marzipan: Boil apricot jam to soften. Cool. Brush over entire cake.
18. Dust work top with icing sugar. Roll out marzipan to 1cm thick (stack yellow and green guide bands).
19. Drape over cake and smooth from top down, easing out bubbles. Cut off excess.
20. Dry marzipan on cake, covered with a clean tea towel, for 3 days, or until a crust forms.
21. Icing: Stir sifted icing sugar gradually into egg whites and lemon juice until icing falls thickly from spoon. Note: may NOT need all 500g icing sugar.
22. Whisk for 10 mins until icing stands in stiff peaks. Stir in glycerine.
23. Spread over cake, making soft peaks.
24. Set for 24 hrs before boxing up.
25. Decorate with silver balls/glitter/sprinkles.
26. Once cut, eat within a month.

Tip: To increase soaking speed, microwave fruit and liquid on high for 3 x1 minute bursts, on high, stirring between. Leave to cool for 2 hours stirring occasionally.

Tip: Do not let foil touch brandied fruit. It will react and spoil the flavour.

Tip: Do not use flour/cornflour to roll marzipan or the flour will ferment, causing mold.

Tip: To prevent royal icing from setting too firm add ½ tsp glycerine per 500g icing, after the icing forms stiff peaks. When adding to cakes, use 1 tsp of glycerine per 100g flour.