Cherry and Almond Marzipan Cake

This is probably my absolute favourite cake and I am always asked for the recipe by friends.

As you will see from my recipes, I am not a fan of lots of icing or fussy decorative cakes. So traditional fruit cakes like this are much more my thing.

It is filled with glace cherries and has a layer of marzipan in the middle for a lovely combination of flavours. So when you cut out a slice, the marzipan should run perfectly through the middle like a filling.

It is the type of sponge that once baked, you only have to sprinkle with icing sugar. Or I sometimes drizzle with icing and sprinkle with cherries and toasted flaked almonds. You don't even need to do anything, it is fine on its own.

The cake doesn't require any skill or artistic talent (things I lack). So it most definitely qualifies as a minimum effort, maximum output recipe.

The cake keeps well for approx 6-7 days and is perfect with a cup of tea.

Ingredients:

Oven temp 160c fan oven (180c non fan oven)
Required: 1 x round movable bottom cake tin 8 or 9 inches approx

200g (8oz) Self raising flour
200g (8oz) Caster Sugar
200g (8oz) Stork Margarine or (soft unsalted butter)
4 free range eggs
100g (4oz) Ground almonds
200g glace cherries (chopped into half if you like, or whole or chopped into 1/8s - it really is up to you)
250g marzipan (half a shop bought packet)
200g flaked almonds


Method:

1. Preheat your oven to 180c (160c fan).

2. Roll out the marzipan into a flat circle so it is ready for when needed.
Using the base of the cake tin as a guide, place the marzipan on the base of the tin and use a rolling pin to roll out into a circle spanning the entire diameter of the cake tin, but not over lapping.
Put to one side.

3. Prepare the cherries. I like to cut mine in half, but if you prefer chopping them into smaller pieces feel free, then place in a bowl to one side.

4. Line an 8-9 inch round cake tin. Line the bottom and the sides. Or for 'minimum effort maximum output' use a silicone coated cake liner. I buy them from poundland. The Jane Asher range has cake tin and loaf tin liners in packs of 15 for £1!

5. The sponge:

There are two way of making the sponge. When I make a sponge, I generally follow the Delia 'all in one' method. However, if I have time, I always like to follow the Victoria sponge method, which I think results in a lighter sponge. I have tried and tested both ways and there is not a massive difference. So choose based on your personal preference or what you are used to and works!

All in one:

1. Weigh out the flour, then sieve from a height into a large roomy mixing bowl. 
2. Weigh out the sugar, butter and ground almonds and add to the bowl along with the eggs.
3. Give a good mix with an electric whisk or a good old wooden spoon. 
4. Scatter in cherries whilst mixing to get them evenly dispersed into the mix.

Victoria Sponge:

1. Weigh out the sugar and butter and put into a large roomy mixing bowl. Cream them together with a wooden spoon or electric hand whisk.
2. Beat the eggs in a small measuring jug. Then very slowly add the beaten eggs to the butter and sugar mixture whilst mixing with a spoon. A tiny bit at a time is fine. Too much and the mix will curdle. 
3. Then when the egg is incorporated. Weigh out the flour and sieve it slowly into the cake batter, mixing as you go. 
4. Add the ground almonds and place cherries and mix slowly to get the cherries evenly dispersed into the mix.

6. Now put half of the cake mix into your prepared tin. Place the rolled out marzipan circle on top of and place the remaining mix on top.

7. Lastly, scatter the top of the cake evenly with flaked almonds. You will probably need 1/2 of the amount specified. But entirely up to you.

8. BAKE for approx 1 hour 15mins. My own oven cooks the cake in 1 hour 15mins perfectly. But I have tried it whilst on holiday in a slower oven and it needed 10 mins longer. So I would say: Set the timer for 1 hour 15 mins. Then check on the cake, covering in foil if the top of the cake and almonds are brown, but the cake fails the skewer test. Then bake for no more than 1 hour and a half.

When the cake is baked, place on a wire rack in the tin to cool for approx 20 before removing from tin. I once tried to cut a slice as soon as it came out of the oven. The marzipan was quite liquid and it was a gooey mess!

When cool enough to eat. Dust with icing sugar, or if you fancy, drizzle with white water icing and add more flaked almonds (toasted lightly first). You can't have enough almonds in my opinion!

ENJOY!