Precious Art By Precious People

A beautiful cake to share on Easter

Ingredients:

• ¾ cup unsalted butter, plus extra for greasing
• Scant 1 cup light brown sugar
• 3 eggs, beaten
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp apple pie spice
• Finely grated rind of 1 small lemon
• Scant ½ cup currants
• Scant ¾  cup golden raisins
• 1/3 cup chopped candied peel
• 1 lb 9 oz marzipan
• 3 tbsp apricot jelly

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F. Grease and line an 8 inch round deep cake pan with parchment paper.

Place the butter and sugar in a bowl and cream together with an electric whisk until pale, light and fluffy. Gradually beat in the eggs. Sift together the flour, baking powder and apple pie spice. Use a large metal spoon to fold into the creamed mixture. Stir in the lemon rind, currants, golden raisins and candied peel, mixing evenly. Spoon half the batter into the prepared pan and smooth level.

Roll out 9 oz of the marzipan to an 8 inch round and place over the batter in the pan. Add the remaining cake batter and smooth level. Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 2 ¼ – 2 ½ hours, or until firm and golden and the sides are beginning to shrink away from the pan. Let cool in the pan for 30 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling.

Brush the top of the cake with apricot jelly. Roll out two thirds of the remaining marzipan to a round to cover the top of the cake. Use a knife to mark a lattice design in the surface and pinch the edges to decorate. Roll the remaining marzipan into eleven small balls and arrange around the cake. Place under a hot broiler for 30-40 seconds to brown lightly. Cool before storing.

Serves 16

Tested in the THASC kitchen. Photo by THASC.

THASC is a unique small American business producing cards and other promotional products.

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