the foodies handbook

Preheat an oven to 140C/275F/ Gas 1. Cream the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy. Gradually beat the 3 in eggs into the butter/sugar blend until well incorporated. Sift the flour, salt and mixed spice together and add, a little at a time, to the mixture. Blending slowly. Add the dried fruit, mixed peel, stem ginger, orange liqueur and the grated lemon rind, blend until an even mixture is obtained. Grease and line a 18cm/7in cake tin. Place half of the mixture into the tin. Roll out a third of the almond paste to make a circle of 18cm/7in in diameter. Smooth over the cake mix and cover the circle of marzipan. Add the remaining cake mixture and again smooth the top, this time leaving a slight dip in the centre to allow for the cake to rise. Bake in the preheated oven for 1½ hours. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. Increase the oven temperature and heat to 180C/350F/Gas 3. Brush the top of the cooled cake with apricot jam. Divide the remaining marzipan into two balls. Roll one into a circle 18cm/7in in diameter and cover the top of the cake. Roll the remaining marzipan into 11 small roses. Lift the marzipan circle onto the cake, score lightly with a knife to create a crisscross effect. Brush the base of each of the roses with jam and place around the edge of the cake at even intervals. Brush the top with a little beaten egg. Return the completed cake to the preheated oven for about 10 minutes, or until the marzipan is a golden brown colour