Simnel cake

1. Preheat oven to 160 ºC. Grease and line a 20 cm round cake tin. Cream butter and sugar together until creamy. Beat in eggs 1 at a time.
2. Sift flour and spices together and fold into creamed mixture. Mix in fruit and sufficient milk to give a dropping consistency.
3. Place half the mixture in the prepared tin and level the surface.
4. Divide marzipan into 3 pieces and, on a sugared board, roll out 1/3 into a round slightly smaller than the tin. Place on cake mixture in tin and cover with remaining cake mixture. Bake in the oven for 1 1/2 hours, or until cake is firm to the touch.
5. Allow to cool a little in tin before turning out on to a wire rack to cool completely. Do not remove the lining paper, wrap cake in foil and store for at least 2 weeks.
6. When required, unwrap cake. Heat jam and brush over the top of the cake. Roll out one of the reserved pieces of marzipan into a round to put on top of the cake, place on the apricot glaze and press down lightly. Brush marzipan topping with beaten egg.
7. Divide the remaining ball of marzipan into 11 equal parts. Roll these into small balls.
8. Arrange balls in a ring around the edge of the cake and glaze them with beaten egg.
9. Place on a baking sheet under a hot grill for a few seconds or until nicely coloured. Cool cake on wire rack.