In a bowl, add dried fruits and 4 Tbsp. of rum. Stir the mixture and cover with cling film. Let it sit for overnight to absorb the liquid.
Preheat the oven to 130ᵒC with fan (for gas, mark 2 or 150ᵒC)
Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add in eggs one at a time alternating with a tablespoon of flour.
Fold in the remaining flour and ground allspice then add in the soaked fruits and mix.
Transfer the cake mixture into the lined cake tin and level the surface with a wet hand to smoothen.
Place the cake in the center of the oven and Bake for 3-3.5 hours or until the cake tester comes out clean.
Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool for 15 minutes, then drizzle the remaining rum on top. Let the cake cool completely in the tin.
If the cake will not be decorated immediately, wrap the cake in parchment paper and foil. Store in a cool and airy place for up to 3 months.
In time for Christmas, I like to feed my cake with 1 to 2 tablespoons of rum every 2 weeks.
- Decorating your Cake
Turn the cake upside down and place it in the center of the cake drum.
Warm the apricot glaze and brush the sides and top of the cake.
Knead the marzipan until soft, then roll out on a surface dusted with icing sugar until 5mm thick. Transfer the marzipan over the cake and secure no air bubbles by pressing down.
Trim the excess marzipan.
Knead the white sugar paste until soft and roll it out on a surface dusted with icing sugar until 5mm thick.
Brush the cake with cool boiled water and transfer the sugar paste over the cake and secure no air bubbles by pressing down the top and sides.
Trim the excess sugar paste.
Decorate your cake with a choice of festive decorations.