Ingredients

•   Marzipan
•   Apricot glaze, apricot jam heated and allowed to cool
•   Icing sugar, for dusting

Method

1. If the cake is not level, carefully shave off some of the top and turn it upside down.
2. Measure around the side with a piece of string, or along one edge for a square cake.
3. Lightly dust a clean work surface with icing sugar and roll out two-thirds of the Marzipan to a strip the length of the piece of string and the depth of the cake, or cut four strips to fit the sides of a square cake.
4. Roll out the remaining marzipan to a circle or square the size of the cake top.
5. Brush the sides of the cake with apricot glaze and, for a round cake, turn it on to its side and roll it along the prepared strip of marzipan. For a square cake, stick on the strips of marzipan. Smooth the joins with a round-bladed knife. Take a jam jar or straight-sided tin and roll it around the sides of the cake to smooth.
6. Brush the top with apricot glaze and, using a rolling pin, lift the other piece of marzipan on to the cake. Seal the edges with the knife and smooth the top with a rolling pin.
7. Leave to dry in a cool, dry place on a cake board 5cm/2in larger all round than the cake.

Notes