Iced Fruit Cake Slices

The day before you make the cake, soak the dried fruit in alcohol.

Chop the dried apricots and dried dates. Put into a deep container with the washed and dried raisins and add 300 ml whisky. Cover with foil and leave to stand overnight.

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Next day, drain the soaked fruit in a sieve, drain well but retain the alcohol that has not been absorbed.

Chop the glace cherries. Finely chop the candied peel or puree roughly with a little flour or cornflour. Cream the butter. Add the sugar and continue mixing until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Mix in the black treacle. Mix the flour with the baking powder, cinnamon and a pinch of salt. Then gradually sieve over the creamed mixture and stir in. Add the grated lemon zest.

Fold the chopped dried fruit, raisins, cherries, candied peel and almonds into the mixture in several stages. Butter a loaf tin and dust generously with flour. Turn the mixture into the tin and smooth the top.

Bake in the preheated oven (middle shelf) for 60–70 minutes. Test to see if it is done by inserting a wooden cocktail stick. Take out of the oven, leave to cool slightly, then carefully turn out of the tin. Prick the still warm cake a couple of times with a knitting needle or a wooden cocktail stick and pour some of the remaining soaking alcohol over it. Leave to cool on a cake rack.

Knead the marzipan paste with a little icing sugar, roll out and use to cover the cake. Then knead the fondant icing, roll out and place over the marzipan.