Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350° degrees.

2. Mix the dried fruit, chopped almonds, cherries and candied peel with the grated zests. Add the whiskey and set aside for at least one hour.

3. Cream the butter and brown sugar until light a fluffy with a mixer.

4. In a separate bowl, sift together flour, baking power, salt and spices.

5. Add eggs to the butter mixture one at a time, beating well. Add one tablespoon of flour with each egg to prevent curdling.

6. Add the golden syrup and mix gently.

7. Fold the flour gradually into the mixture, adding a tablespoon or two of milk with the flour. Grate the apple and add it to the soaking fruit. Gently fold all of the fruit into the cake mixture.

8. Add half of the cake mixture to a parchment paper-lined 9" round baking pan.

9. Roll out roughly 1/3 of the almond paste and cut into a 9" round. Place on top of the cake mixture in the tin. Cover with the remaining cake mixture.

10. With the back of a large spoon, make a slight hollow in the center to prevent the cake rising. Cover the top of the cake with a piece of brown paper to prevent it from burning.

11. Place the baking pan in the pre-heated oven. Reduce heat to 325 degrees after thirty minutes and bake for another 2 hours. Test the center with a skewer. It should come out clean when cooked.

Allow the cake to fully cool. When cool, decorate as follows:

1. Roll out half of the remaining almond paste (roughly 1/3 of the original 1. lb.) into 9-inch round.

2. Brush the cake with a lightly beaten egg white. Place the round of almond paste on top. Make eleven balls with the remaining almond paste. Brush the top of the cake with beaten egg white and place almond paste balls around the top in a circle. Brush with beaten egg.

3. Toast in a preheated 425° oven for 15 minutes or until the top is slightly golden.