Easter chocolate marzipan cake

1. Grease a 23 cm springform cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
2. Sift the flour and cocoa into a bowl and set aside.
3. Cream butter with 90 g of the castor sugar until light. Gradually beat in the egg yolks, beating well after each addition until the mixture becomes light and aerated. Set aside.
4. Gently fold in the sifted flour and the cocoa, then the nuts.
5. Beat the egg whites until soft peaks form. Gradually add the remaining castor sugar and continue beating to dissolve. Gently fold a quarter of the egg white mixture into the batter. Then fold in the remaining egg white mixture.
6. Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and level. Bake in preheated 180ºC oven for 35-40 minutes until firm to touch. leave to cool slightly in tin.
7. Remove from tin and place on a wire rack to cool completely, overnight if possible so that the cake has time to firm. Cut cake into 4 layers.
8. FILLING Warm the jam in a small saucepan, and add the brandy or whisky. Spread over the top of three cake layers. Sandwich all four layers together.
9. Spread remaining jam over the top and sides of cake.
10. Roll out the marzipan on a lightly dusted surface, to form a circle to cover the top and sides of the cake. Set aside.
11. GLAZE: Place the sugar, chocolate and 150 ml water in a saucepan and slowly bring to the boil. The sugar must be dissolved before the mixture boils. Simmer until the mixture reaches 116 ºC (soft ball stage). Leave to cool slightly. Stir in the rum essence. Pour mixture over the top of cake so that it runs down the sides and coats it completely.
12. Place the cake on a serving plate and then decorate cake with chocolate leaves.
13. Chill until ready to serve.