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 by Rick Stein
Make this anytime from October onwards then ice about a week before Christmas
Serves 24-30
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 Preparation time: Up to 24 hours soaking fruit then ½ hour plus up to another hour for decorating (optional)
Cooking time: 2½ – 3 hours
Ingredients
500g currants
225g raisins
225g sultanas
60g cut mixed peel
60g glace cherries, halved
4 tbsp brandy
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 orange
Finely grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
250g unsalted butter
250g dark muscovado sugar
5 eggs, beaten
275g plain flour
1/2 teaspoon ground mixed spice
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
60g chopped almonds
For the decoration
500g white marzipan
4 tbsp sieved apricot jam
700g ready to roll white icing
Broad ribbon
Method
1. Combine the dried fruit, peel, cherries, brandy and citrus zest and juices in a bowl and leave to soak overnight, or up to 24 hours, stirring occasionally.
2. Line the sides of a 20–23cm round cake tin with thin cardboard and then line the tin with a double thickness of greaseproof paper.
Preheat the oven to 150C/300F/gas mark 2.
3. Cream the butter and sugar together until soft and fluffy, then start adding the beaten eggs slowly. If the mixture starts to split add a small amount of flour to hold the mixture together, then fold in the rest of the flour sifted with the spices and salt.
4. Fold in the soaked fruit and almonds until evenly combined. Transfer the mixture to the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake for 2 ½–3 hours until risen and firm to the touch.
5. Test with a fine skewer into the centre of the cake – it should be dry when the cake is fully cooked. Leave to go cold in the tin then wrap and store in a cool place until required.
Decoration
For the marzipan
1. Using a piece of string or a tape measure, calculate the girth and height of the cake.
2. Thinly roll out the marzipan on a surface lightly dusted with a mixture of sifted cornflour and icing sugar and cut 2 strips to fit the sides exactly. Brush with apricot jam and use to cover the sides.
3. Re-roll the rest of the marzipan to a neat round, trimming to fit then use to cover the top of the cake, brushing with apricot jam to secure. Ideally leave for 1–2 days to dry the surface a little before adding the white icing.
For the white icing
1. Brush the marzipan lightly with apricot jam.
2. Roll the white icing on a surface lightly dusted with sifted icing sugar and cornflour to around 38cm diameter then very carefully lift it over the cake using the rolling pin. Gently press it into position starting in the centre of the top and working down the sides to cover, ideally without making any creases! Trim the edges.
3. Re-roll the icing and cut out stars, or any other shape, of varying sizes and stick onto the surface of the cake using a dab of cold water. Leave to set for 24 hours then wrap a broad ribbon around the cake for the final touch.
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