Marzipan recipe
To make 450g (1 lb) marzipan, you will need 225g (8oz) ground almonds, 125g (4oz) golden caster sugar 125g (4oz), sifted golden icing sugar, 1 large egg, 2 tsp lemon juice, 1 tsp sherry, 1-2 drops vanilla extract.
1) Put the ground almonds and sugars into a bowl and stir to combine. In another bowl, whisk together the remaining ingredients, then add to the dry ingredients.
2) Stir well to mix, pounding gently to release some of the oil from the almonds. Knead with your hands until smooth, then cover until ready to use.
Covering a cake with marzipan
Once you have marzipanned the cake, you need to allow time for it to dry, for at least 12 hours and up to 2 days, before covering with icing. Home-made marzipan takes a little longer to dry out than the ready-made variety.
1) Trim the top of the cake level if necessary, then turn the cake over to give a flat surface to work on. Place on the cake board, which should be at least 5cm (2in) larger than the cake. Brush the cake with warmed apricot glaze.
2) Dust the worksurface with sifted icing sugar. Roll out half the marzipan to fit the top of the cake. Lift the marzipan on top of the cake and smooth over, neatening the edges.
3) Cut a piece of string the same height as the cake with the marzipan topping, and another to fit around the diameter of the cake. Roll out the remaining marzipan and, using the string as a guide, trim it to size. Roll up the marzipan strip loosely. Place one end against the side of the cake and unroll the marzipan around the cake to cover it. Use a palette knife to smooth over the sides and joins. Leave the cake in a cool, dry place to dry out for at least 24 hours before covering with ready-to-roll icing (see step-by-step guide here). Leave to dry for at least two days before applying royal icing.
Apricot glaze
To make 450g (1 lb), you will need 450g (1 lb) apricot jam and 2 tbsp water. Put the jam and water into a saucepan and heat gently, stirring occasionally, until melted. Boil the jam rapidly for 1 minute, then strain through a sieve. Using a wooden spoon, rub through as much fruit as possible. Discard the skins left in the sieve. Pour the glaze into a clean, hot jar; then seal with a clean lid and cool. Store in the fridge for up to 2 months.
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