Jo Pratt's Easy Christmas Cake

For a richer, moister and altogether more delicious Christmas cake, the sooner you get baking the better.

1. 1

   For the cake:
   
   Place the mixed dried fruit, dried cranberries, apricots, orange zest and juice and 100ml (3½oz) Grand Marnier in a large saucepan and very gently bring to the boil. Stir in the butter and, once it has melted, simmer gently for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool while you prepare the tin.
   
   Preheat the oven to 150°C/130°C fan/gas 2. line the base and sides of a greased 20cm (8in) round cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment so that it comes about 5cm (2in) above the tin.
   
   Stir the brown sugar, eggs and ground almonds into the fruits, and then sift in the flour, baking powder and spices. Mix gently until the flour is no longer visible.
   
   Spoon into the prepared tin and smooth over the surface. Place in the oven for 45 minutes before reducing
   
   the temperature to 140°C/120°C fan/gas 1. Continue to cook the cake for a further 1½ -2 hours until the surface is deep golden and firm to touch. insert a skewer - if it comes out clean, the cake is cooked. if not, then continue to cook for a further 10 minutes at a time. To prevent the surface becoming too dark, cover loosely with foil.
   
   Remove the cooked cake from the oven and pierce it with a skewer. Slowly pour over the 4tbsp of Grand Marnier until it has soaked in. leave the cake to cool in the tin and, once cold, take out, remove the parchment and wrap tightly in a layer of parchment and then in a layer of foil.
   
   Store in a cool, dark place until Christmas (or up to 3 months). The cake is now ready to serve or decorate.
   
   For the icing:
   
   Brush the crumbs off the cake, and sit it on a cake board or cake stand. Warm the jam and brush a thin layer all over the cake. knead the marzipan to make it pliable.
   
   Roll out on a surface dusted with icing sugar to about 5mm (¼in) thick. Using your cake tin as a guide, cut out a circle and place on the top of the cake.
   
   Re-roll the remaining marzipan, and cut into a strip long enough to cover around the side of the cake. Smooth over the surface with the flat of your hands, trimming any excess and tucking the edges underneath the cake.
   
   Roll out the icing on a surface dusted with icing sugar, to about 5mm (¼in) thick. Brush the top of the marzipan with a little of the boiled water and then drape the icing over the top, smoothing it out with the flat of your hands.
   
   Trim any excess and tuck the edges underneath the cake for a neat finish.
   
   Any excess icing can be re-rolled to cut out shapes, such as the stars, above, for decoration. if you prefer a rough icing finish to your cake, you will need about 500g of instant royal icing.
   
   Prepare according to the instructions, whisking until it holds its shape.
   
   Spoon on top of the marzipan-covered cake and, using a palate knife, spread over the top and sides, lifting the knife to form peaks.
   
   Add decorations and leave to dry for a few hours, before storing in a cool, dark place.