If you love marzipan, this is the cake for you!
Ingredients:
- 1 cup superfine sugar
- 1 ¼ sticks butter, softened
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 4 large eggs
- Finely grated zest of 1 orange
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 2/3 cups golden raisins
- 1 cup chopped dried apricots
- ¼ cup finely chopped crystalized ginger
- 1 pound marzipan, divided (be sure to use only marzipan, not almond paste)
Topping:
- 2 tablespoons apricot jam
- Unsweetened cocoa powder, to decorate
- Fresh flowers or sugar flowers, to decorate
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Grease a 9 inch round springform pan, and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Mix the sugar, butter, flour, eggs, orange zest and spice together in a mixing bowl until smooth. Add the raisins, apricots, and ginger and mix well. Spoon half of the cake mixture into the base of the pan. Roll one third of the marzipan out into a 9 inch circle and place on top of the cake batter. Spoon the remaining cake batter on top of the marzipan and level.
Bake for 1 ¾ to 2 hours, until gold brown and firm to the touch. Remove from the pan and let cool completely.
Meanwhile, roll another third of the marzipan out to a 9 inch circle. When the cake is cold, melt the jam in a small saucepan, then brush it over the top of the cake and put the marzipan circle on top. Divide the remaining third of marzipan into 11 pieces and shape into little balls by rolling them between your palms. Sprinkle the balls with cocoa powder and position them around the edge of the cake. Arrange fresh flowers or sugar flowers in the center of the cake to finish off the decoration.
Tested in the THASC kitchen. Photo by THASC.
THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.
www.thasc.com
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