Cherry Marzipan Cake Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3 and butter and line a 20cm round, loose-bottomed deep cake tin. Beat the butter and sugar together with electric beaters or a tabletop mixer until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, 250g flour, baking powder, orange zest and juice and beat well till thick, creamy and evenly mixed.
• Toss cherries in the extra 2 tbsp flour and fold into the batter along with grated marzipan and almond essence (if using). Spoon into the prepared tin, level and bake for 1 hr 30 mins, or until well risen and golden. A skewer will come out clean when ready. Leave to cool in tin for 10 mins, then turn onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
• Mix the icing sugar with just over 1 tbsp water to make a loose but not-too-runny icing. Scatter the almonds over the top of the cake and position the 12 glace cherries around the edge, using a dot of the icing to fix. Drizzle the icing over the cake and finish with a scattering of orange zest.

Steps:

• Lightly and evenly grease a 25cm bundt tin with soft butter, making sure you get well into any flutes or ridges. Sift 1 tbsp flour over the tin, then tilt and turn the tin until the inside is completely covered with a very thin layer of flour. Tap to gather any excess at the bottom a few times as you go. Once the butter is coated, tap and tip out the excess flour. Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4.
• For the marzipan middle, dust the work surface with a little more flour, knead the marzipan briefly, then work in the cherries and orange zest. Roll into a sausage about 3cm thick, then press the ends together to make a ring.
• To make the cake, put the butter, flour, sugar, eggs, baking powder, almonds, spices and 1/4 tsp salt in a large bowl. Use an electric whisk to mix until smooth, then fold in the squash, fruit and walnuts.
• Spoon half the batter into the prepared tin, then press the ring of marzipan on top. Cover with the rest of the batter and smooth the top. Bake for 30 mins then - without opening the oven - reduce to 160C/140C fan/gas 3 and bake for another 30 mins. The cake will be risen, golden and shrunk away from the sides when it's ready. Cool in the tin for 15 mins, then give the tin a sharp tap on the bottom before turning the cake out onto a cooling rack.
• To make the frosting, beat together half the cream cheese with the icing sugar and butter until evenly blended. When smooth, beat in the remaining cream cheese along with the milk and vanilla to make a thick, but still flowing, frosting - it should have a consistency similar to semi-whipped cream.
• When the cake is cold, spoon over the frosting, letting it drip down the sides. Sprinkle with a little cinnamon, then chill for 10 mins to set the frosting a little. Decorate with whole cherries and walnuts. Keep in the fridge and eat within 5 days.