“This fruitcake with a marzipan layer is a traditional Easter treat, the 11 balls on top representing the 12 apostles, minus Judas. The fruit needs to be soaked in whisky overnight, but it’s worth the wait. ”
Ingredients
- 4 pieces of stem ginger
- 200 g sultanas
- 150 g currants
- 60 g mixed peel
- 50 g glacé cherries
- 1 orange
- 100 ml Scotch whisky
- 240 g unsalted soft butter
- 240 g light brown sugar
- 220 g self-raising flour
- 4 large free-range eggs
- ½ teaspoon mixed spice
- FILLING & TOPPING
- 500 g marzipan
- 4 tablespoons apricot jam
- 1 large free-range egg
Method
- The night before you want to bake the cake, chop the stem ginger, then place in a bowl with all the dried fruit, the orange zest and whisky. Set aside to soak.
- The next day, drain the soaked fruit (discard any whisky that hasn’t been absorbed), line a 20cm cake tin, and preheat the oven to 150ºC/gas 2.
- In a bowl, beat together the butter, sugar, flour, eggs and mixed spice with an electric whisk for 2 to 3 minutes until combined, then stir through the soaked fruit.
- Spoon half of the mixture into the tin and level the surface.
- Take a third of the marzipan, roll it out to 20cm in diameter, then place it on top of the cake mix in the tin.
- Spoon the rest of the mixture on top and level it out evenly.
- Pop it in the oven and bake for 2 hours, or until golden. Test the cake by inserting a skewer – if it comes out clean, it’s cooked (remembering there’s a layer of marzipan in the middle). If it doesn’t, bake for 10 more minutes, covering it with tin foil if it’s browning too much.
- Remove it from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 20 minutes, then take it out and allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Melt the apricot jam in a pan, then brush the top of the cake with it. Roll out another third of the marzipan to 20cm in diameter, and place on top, pinching the edges to decorate.
- Take the final third of marzipan and roll out 11 balls, arranging them around the edge of the cake.
- Brush the top with beaten egg, then pop it under a hot grill for a couple of minutes, or until the marzipan is golden.
Source: Jamie Oliver
