Orange and Almond Yule Cake

Heat the oven to 180°C (160°C in a fan oven), 350°F, gas 4 and line a square springform cake tin (approx. 20 cm) with grease-proof paper.

Knead the marzipan together with 1 egg yolk to form a smooth mixture. Beat the margarine with 100 g sugar until creamy then stir in the remaining egg yolks, the vanilla sugar, a pinch of salt, the cinnamon, orange juice and zest and the marzipan.

Whisk the egg whites with the remaining sugar until stiff. Mix the flour with the ground almonds and stir into the egg yolk mixture, then fold in the egg whites. Spoon the mixture into the tin and smooth the top flat. Bake in the oven for approx. 25 minutes (test with a cocktail stick).

Allow the cake to cool briefly before removing from the tin and cooling on a wire rack.

For the filling, soak the gelatine in cold water.

Knead the marzipan with the Amaretto until soft, add the quark and stir together until smooth.

Dissolve the dripping wet gelatine in a small pan over a low heat. Stir in a little of the quark mixture, then add this to the remaining quark mixture and stir in well.

Whisk together the cream and icing sugar and fold into the quark mixture.

Cut through the cake twice, horizontally, to make three layers. Put the bottom layer in a square edge mould or back in the tin and top with half of the filling. Put a second layer on top and spread with the remaining filling, before putting the final cake layer on top. Chill the gateau in the refrigerator for approx. 3 hours.

Take the gateau out of the refrigerator and remove the mould. Heat the marmalade, stirring, and brush over the gateau. Allow to cool briefly.

Roll out the fondant to a thickness of 3-4 mm on a work surface lightly dusted with cornflour.

Using a cake lifter, position the fondant over the gateau. First smooth the top and press it down gently, then, very carefully, smooth the sides all around and press these into the cake.