This cake will benefit from being made 2 to 3 days prior to serving.
INGREDIENTS
500gms good quality mixed dried fruit
90gms Glace Cherries, washed, dried and halved
100gms light muscovado sugar.
225mls freshly made strong tea - Assam is good for this.
Grated zests of 1 orange and 1 Lemon
Juice of one orange
100gms softened unsalted butter.
700 (1lb 8oz) marzipan.
225gms self - raising flour
2 Level teaspoons Mixed Spice
1 Level teaspoon ground nutmeg
3 eggs, beaten
HEAT THE OVEN TO 160°C Line and grease a 20cm (8") round cake tin.
METHOD
1. Put the dried fruit, glace cherries, tea, sugar, orange and lemon zests plus the orange juice in a large saucepan.
2. Bring to the boil, remove from the heat and stir in the butter until completely melted. Set aside to cool for 10-15 minutes.
3. Roll out 250gms of the marzipan on a surface (lightly dusted with icing sugar) to a 20cm (8in) circle.
4. Sift in the flour, mixed spice and nutmeg.
5. Add the beaten eggs and mix thoroughly..
6. Pour half the mixture into the tin and top with the circle of marzipan, but don't press it down. Add the remaining mixture and level it out evenly.
7. Bake for 1¼ - 1½ hours, checking after about 1 hour. If the cake looks to be browning too much, lightly cover with foil until done.
8. Leave to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then turn it out on to a wire rack and remove the lining paper.
9. Shape 11 balls weighing approx 12 grams each from the remaining marzipan.
10. Roll out the rest into a circle that will cover the top of the cake. Gently lift it on to the warm cake ensuring that you don't have too many fingerprints and smooth it over. You can crimp the edge for a prettier finish.
11. Arrange the balls around the edge, sticking them on with some egg white and then lightly glaze the marzipan with the egg white.
12. Heat the grill on the hottest setting and brown the top of the marzipan for about 30 seconds.. Alternatively you can use a catering blow torch.
13. Leave to cool before storing in a cake tin or carrier.
