Ingredients

• 175g (6oz.) Stork margarine
• 175g (6oz.) castor sugar
• 3 eggs, size 3
• 175g (6oz.) plain flour, sieved
• 3 teaspoons mixed spice, sieved with flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder, sieved with flour
• 125g (4oz.) currants
• 50g (2oz.) mixed peel
• 2 tablespoons milk
• 450g (1lb) almond paste
• 1 tablespoon apricot jam, sieved
• 60g (2oz.) icing sugar, beaten together with water until smooth
•   water, beaten with icing sugar until smooth
•   chicks and chocolate eggs, to decorate

Method

1. Place all cake ingredients together in a mixing bowl and beat together with a wooden spoon until well mixed (3–4 minutes).
2. Place half the mixture in a deep lined and greased 18cm (7 inch) round cake tin. Smooth the top.
3. Roll out one third of the almond paste to an 18cm (7 inch) round and place on top of the cake mixture in the tin.
4. Place the remaining cake mixture into the tin and smooth the top.
5. Bake on the middle shelf of a pre-heated slow oven at 150°C (300°F), Gas No. 2 for 2¼–2½ hours. Test with a skewer before removing from oven.
6. To decorate: brush the top of the cooled cake with the sieved apricot jam.
7. Roll out one third of the remaining almond paste to an 18cm (7 inch) round and place on top of the cake.
8. Divide the remaining paste into 3 long strips to make a plait. Brush the top of the cake with beaten egg and place the plait around the edge of the cake.
9. Pour the icing into the centre of the cake and decorate with chicks and chocolate eggs.

Notes