Brandy-Soaked Fruit Cake with Marzipan and Royal Icing

What you need

• 450 g (3 cups) dried currants
• 300 g (2 cups) sultanas
• 250 g (1 1/2 cups) raisins
• 90 g (2/3 cup) glace cherries, halved
• 60 g (1/3 cup) chopped candied peel
• 1 orange, finely grated zest
• 1 lemon, finely grated zest
• 120 ml (1/2 cup) brandy, plus about 4 tbsp for feeding
• 225 g (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for the tin
• 200 g (1 cup) dark brown sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten
• 1 tbsp black treacle or molasses
• 275 g (2 cups + 3 tbsp) plain flour
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 pinch salt
• 60 g (1/2 cup) chopped almonds or walnuts
• 3 tbsp apricot jam
• 500 g (1 lb) marzipan
• 2 egg whites, pasteurized
• 500 g (4 cups) icing sugar, sifted, plus extra for dusting
• 1 tsp lemon juice

Method

Restated from the original video

1. 1

   The day before baking, put the currants, sultanas, raisins, cherries, candied peel, orange zest and lemon zest in a large bowl. Pour over the brandy, stir, cover and leave overnight.

2. 2

   Heat the oven to 150 °C (300 °F). Grease a deep 20 cm round tin and line the base and sides with a double layer of baking paper that stands 5 cm above the rim.

3. 3

   Beat the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, 3-4 min.

4. 4

   Add the eggs a spoonful at a time, beating well after each, then beat in the treacle.

5. 5

   Sift the flour with the mixed spice, nutmeg and salt.

6. 6

   Fold the flour mixture into the batter in 3 additions, alternating with the soaked fruit and its liquid, then fold in the nuts.

7. 7

   Spoon into the tin, level the top and make a shallow dip in the centre so the cake rises flat.

8. 8

   Bake until dark golden and a skewer pushed into the middle comes out clean, 3-3 1/2 hours. Lay a sheet of paper over the top after 2 hours if it is browning too fast.

9. 9

   Prick the top all over with the skewer and spoon over 2 tbsp of brandy. Leave to cool completely in the tin overnight.

10. 10

    Wrap the cake in fresh baking paper and foil and store in a cool place. Feed it with 1 tbsp brandy every week for up to 6 weeks.

11. 11

    A few days before serving, warm the jam with a splash of water, sieve it and brush it all over the cake, top and sides.

12. 12

    Dust the work surface with icing sugar and roll the marzipan into a circle large enough to cover the cake about 5 mm thick. Drape it over, smooth it down and trim the base. Leave to dry for 1-2 days.

13. 13

    The icing uses raw egg whites, so use pasteurized eggs, especially for anyone young, elderly, pregnant or immunocompromised.

14. 14

    Whisk the egg whites until frothy, then beat in the icing sugar a few spoonfuls at a time with the lemon juice until the icing stands in stiff peaks.

15. 15

    Spread the icing over the marzipan and pull it into rough peaks with a palette knife. Leave to set for at least 12 hours before cutting.

Imported from cookingwithnanaling.com. Recipe Grab pulled out what you need to cook it; the video stays where its author put it.