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1
Preheat the oven to 140C/120C fan/gas 1.
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2
Line a 23 cm round cake tin with greaseproof paper (top and sides).
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3
Put the raisins, cherries, ground almonds and currants in a large mixing bowl.
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4
Add the flour, nutmeg, mixed spice, ground cinnamon, margarine and sugar and beat everything together with a hand-held electric mixer or by hand with a wooden spoon.
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5
Add the eggs, beating in one at a time.
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6
Add a teaspoon (or 2!)
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7
of brandy and mix well.
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8
Leave to rest while you make the marzipan.
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9
For the marzipan: beat all of the ingredients together in a bowl until it comes together in a smooth dough.
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10
Wrap in cling film and store in an airtight container until you are ready to assemble your cake.
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11
To assemble the simnel cake, roll out the marzipan on a surface lightly dusted with icing sugar to about 1 cm thick.
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12
Cut out 2 circles the same size as the cake tin.
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13
Then, with the leftover marzipan, shape 11 little balls about 3 cm in diameter and then 1 slightly bigger ball.
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14
Pour half of the cake mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface.
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15
Top with one of the marzipan discs.
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16
Then pour in the rest of the cake mixture.
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17
Bake in the preheated oven for about 3 hours.
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18
Leave it to cool in the tin, then turn it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
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19
Brush the top of the cake with apricot jam and cover with the other marzipan disc.
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20
Dip the balls in a little of the jam and place them around the cake, finishing with the big one in the middle.
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21
Preheat the grill, then put the cake under to just brown the top - keep an eye on it as it will brown quickly (about 1 minute).
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22
Alternatively, use a cook's blowtorch.
