Christmas cake with almond marzipan and royal icing (non-alcoholic)

Christmas cake with almond marzipan and royal icing (non-alcoholic)

Christmas and cake go hand in hand. This cake has a touch of rich fruits and exotic spices like cinnamon, nutmeg and ginger. This recipe will seem to be long and complicated, but it is simple if you weigh all the ingredients well and grease/ line the cake tin before you begin.

Prepare the fruit cake

Weigh all the ingredients well

Then in pan mix dark brown soft sugar (500gm) , double cream ( 300ml) and spices –mixed spices (1 tbspn), grounded cinnamon ( 2 tbspn), grounded nutmeg (1/4 tbspn) and grounded ginger (1 tbspn). Mix well and bring it to a boil on low heat. (Do not caramelise the sugar). Remove from the heat and keep it aside

In a mixing bowl whisk eggs (6 nos) into a smooth paste now add flour (1 kg) and stir well. Add baking soda (1 tbspn) and Butter. Then add finely diced fruits like :- ( sultans -250 gms), raisins ( 250gms), Currants ( 250 gms), dried apricot ( 250gms), glacier cherries ( 250 gms ), dried pineapple ( 250 gms), citrus peel ( 250 gms) , pitted prunes( 250 gms). Mix the mixture well.

Spoon the mixture in a well prepared tin. Line the round cake tin with a parchment paper. Preheat the oven to 150C/302 F/ GAS 2. Bake the cake for 3-3 1/2 hrs. When the cake is cooked remove from the oven and let it cool in the tin

When cold, remove from the tin and feed the cake with boiled orange juice. Wrap the cake in aluminium foil and leave it in a cold dark place for 2 days. The cake can be preserved for 2 months before icing. However feed the cake everyday with small amount of boiled orange juice or cold brandy or whisky. I have made it non alcoholic by using orange juice

Marzipan the cake

In a pan add brown sugar (100 gms), cinnamon (2 tbspn), egg yolk ( 3 nos) , glucose ( 2 tbspn) mix well and boil on a low heat for 2mins. Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool. Then add finely grounded almonds (300 gms), Glycerine (2 tpsn) and icing sugar (120 gms) .

Knead the marzipan and roll into a disc. Roll the marzipan on a worktop dusted with icing sugar. The diameter of the disc should be wider than the diameter of cake

Apply Apricot jam on the top surface of the cake. Now place the cake upside down on the marzipan disc and fold from all side on the cake .Trim the excess if required.

Now turn the cake upright. You will have a perfectly flat top surface.

Prepare the royal icing

Melt butter on a low heat, add double cream, remove from the heat and pour the mixture over the icing sugar and mix until smooth.

Spread the icing over the cake and make peaks with knife (optional).

Enjoy the cake and wish you a Merry Christmas

Preparation time: 40 minutes

Cooking time: 3 hrs

Recipe: non vegetarian

Contains: Nuts

Non alcoholic

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