Simnel cake

Any favourite fruit cake recipe will do for this cake – I have used one with mixed fruit, figs and dried bing cherries. Makes a 2kg cake – serves 15 Ingredients 250g salted butter, softened 250g soft light brown sugar 200g plain flour 50g ground almonds 4 eggs, beaten 2 level tsp ground mixed spice 1 grated apple 2 tbsp black treacle 400g dried mixed fruit 100g chopped Smyrna (soft) figs 100g dried bing cherries (or natural apricots) To decorate 500g marzipan; icing sugar for rolling; warmed apple jelly or sieved apricot jam; a blow torch (optional) Method • I like to use a 20cm tin for this cake, and line it with several 8in-wide strips of baking parchment so the cake can rise high for a good effect. Alternatively, bake in a 25cm tin. Butter the base of the tin, then dust with flour before lining sides with four strips of baking paper to insulate the cake well. • Preheat the oven to 140C/275F/Gas 1 (130C/250/Gas ½ if using a fan oven). Mix together the butter and sugar (no need to cream them), then add all the other ingredients. Stir until well mixed (and there are no flour pockets). Pour into the tin and bake for four hours, or until a skewer, inserted into the centre, comes out clean. Remove from the tin and cool on a rack. • Brush the surface of the cake with the jelly or jam. Cut the marzipan in half and roll out one piece, on a work surface dusted with icing sugar, until 0.5cm thick. Cut a circle to fit the cake (scallop the edges if you want) and lay on top of the cake. Make 12 balls of marzipan, and press on to the cake in a circle, using a little jam to stick them. To finish, “brulée” the cake with the blow torch until lightly browned in places