Name: Fruit cake with marzipan icing
Prep time: 30 min
Cook time: 180 min
Total time: 210 min
Yield: 0 serving
Cuisine: Bake
Ingredients: 225.00 g raisins seedless; 225.00 g sultanas; 225.00 g currants; 225.00 g dates finely chopped; 225.00 g mixed citrus peel; 160.00 g glacé cherries quartered; 50.00 g almonds flaked; 420.00 g flour cake; 7.00 ml Baking powder; 2.00 ml salt; 5.00 ml mixed spice ground; 5.00 ml nutmeg ground; 2.00 ml ginger ground; 230.00 g butter; 210.00 g castor sugar; 6.00 eggs extra-large; 60.00 ml golden syrup; 80.00 ml brandy; 60.00 ml jam smooth, apricot; 15.00 ml icing sugar; 225.00 g marzipan; 6.00 glacé cherries halved; holly leaves; 1.00 organza ribbon

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Ingredients (24)

CAKE

225.00 g	raisins — seedless
225.00 g	sultanas
225.00 g	currants
225.00 g	dates — finely chopped
225.00 g	mixed citrus peel
160.00 g	glacé cherries — quartered
50.00 g	almonds — flaked
420.00 g	flour — cake
7.00 ml	Baking powder
2.00 ml	salt
5.00 ml	mixed spice — ground
5.00 ml	nutmeg — ground
2.00 ml	ginger — ground
230.00 g	butter
210.00 g	castor sugar
6.00	eggs — extra-large
60.00 ml	golden syrup
80.00 ml	brandy

ICING

60.00 ml	jam — smooth, apricot
15.00 ml	icing sugar
225.00 g	marzipan
6.00	glacé cherries — halved
	holly leaves
1.00	organza ribbon

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Method:

Preheat the oven to 150 ºC (300 ºF). Line a 24 cm cake tin with two layers of aluminium foil, shiny side facing down. Line the bottom of the tin with a layer of wax paper and grease well.
Place all the fruit and almond flakes in a mixing bowl. Sift the cake flour, baking powder and spices together and add to the fruit. Mix well, ensuring that each piece of fruit is coated with flour.
Cream the butter and gradually add the castor sugar while beating continuously. Add the eggs one by one, beating well after each addition. Mix in the golden syrup. Add the fruit mixture, alternating with the brandy. Mix well after each addition. Turn the mixture into the prepared cake tin, cover with aluminium foil and bake for 2 3/4 to 3 hours or until a testing skewer comes out clean when inserted into the centre of the cake. Cool the cake in the tin before turning it out. Wrap in aluminium foil and store until needed.
ICING
Heat the apricot jam until melted and brush over the top of the cake.
Dust a clean surface with icing sugar and roll out the marzipan till the circle is just large enough to cover the cake. Tidy the edges and place over the cake. Make 24 hollows along the outer edge of the cake with your fingertip and lightly mark the cake into slices after each alternate hollow. Turn on the oven grill and place the cake underneath it for about 2-3 minutes or till the marzipan just turns golden brown. Take care that it does not burn!
Dip each glacé cherry in the remaining apricot jam and decorate the edge of the cake with the glacé cherries which have each been dipped in the remaining apricot jam. Complete the picture with the holly leaves or sprigs of fresh herbs, and tie the ribbon around the cake.
Makes a large cake.