Baking the cake:

Step 1

Preheat oven to 140°C/275°F/gas mark 1.

Step 2

Grease and line an 18cm ring cake tin with baking paper.

Step 3

Cream the butter and soft brown sugar together until pale and fluffy.

Step 4

Add the egg, little by little, beating well between each addition. Sift in the plain flour, salt and mixed spice and mix in thoroughly

Step 5

Finally, add the mixed dried fruit and grated lemon zest and stir into the mixture.

Step 6

Take 300g of Renshaw Original Marzipan and knead until pliable. Roll out on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar to a 12mm thickness.

Step 7

Place the cake tin on top of the marzipan & gently cut around it with a knife.

Step 8

Then use a cutter the same size (we used 5cm diameter) as the middle of the ring cake tin and cut out a hole in the centre of the piece of marzipan.

Step 9

Add half the cake mixture to the tin and smooth the top to create a flat surface.

Step 10

Place the disc of marzipan over the cake mixture and then pour the rest of the cake mixture on top of the marzipan.

Step 11

Bake in the pre-heated oven for 1 1/2 hours. Test if the cake is ready by inserting a skewer in the middle. If the skewer comes out clean, the cake is ready.

Step 12

Leave to cool in the tin on a wire rack.

Decorating the cake:

Step 13

When the cake is cool, warm the apricot jam and paint the cake using a pastry brush.

Step 14

Take 300g of Renshaw Original Marzipan and knead until pliable. Roll out on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar to a 12mm thickness.

Step 15

Place the cake tin on top of the marzipan & gently cut around it with a knife.

Step 16

Then use a cutter the same size (we used 5cm diameter) as the middle of the ring cake tin and cut out a hole in the centre of the piece of marzipan.

Step 17

Place the marzipan on top of the cake.

Step 18

Using your fingers, gently pinch the marzipan around the edge of the cake to create a crimped effect. Repeat this for the hole in the middle of the cake too.

Step 19

If you want to create a burnt effect, use a blow torch to quickly colour the marzipan. You can also achieve this effect by grilling on a high heat for approx. 20 seconds.

Step 20

Using the remaining marzipan, knead until pliable, and shape into eleven balls of different sizes.

Step 21

Take three food bags, and place four balls into two and three balls into the third.

Step 22

Place a sprinkle of Rainbow Dust Sparkle Dust into each bag (one colour for each bag) and give them a good shake until the dust has been even distributed over the marzipan balls.

Step 23

Attach the balls to the cake using the Rainbow Dust Edible Glue Brush.