INGREDIENTS
- 225g self-raising flour
- 225g butter, softened
- 225g caster sugar
- grated rind of 1 lemon
- 4 eggs
- 250g unsalted butter, softened
- 200g icing sugar
- 200g marzipan
- 3 tbsp apricot jam, heated & sieved
- 1kg white fondant icing, cubed
- 150ml water
- food colouring, as desired
- flavouring, as desired
- 100g white chocolate
- Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F. Grease and line a 28cm square cake tin.
- Beat flour, butter, sugar, lemon rind and eggs together until smooth then place in the cake tin and tap lightly to level out.
- Bake for about 40 minutes and test by inserting a metal skewer into the middle – if the cake is cooked, it will come out clean. Allow to stand in the tin for 10 minutes then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely. Place in the fridge to chill.
- Beat the unsalted butter and icing sugar together until pale and smooth. Place 100g in a piping bag and put in the fridge to firm up. Reserve the remaining buttercream for the cake sides.
- Roll the marzipan out thinly, brush the top of the cake with the jam and cover with the marzipan. Return the cake to the fridge to chill.
- Cut the cake into 25 equal squares making sure all the edges are straight and neat.
- Coat the sides of each square with buttercream then, using the the piping bag, pipe a blob of buttercream on the top of each in the centre. Place in the fridge for 20 minutes.
- Using a food processor or hand mixer, blend the icing until it stars to break down, adding a splash of water if necessary. Very gradually add the water until the icing becomes smooth and more liquid. Add flavouring and food colouring to taste.
- Melt the chocolate in a bowl over a pot of simmering water. Do not allow the bottom of the bowl to touch the water. Once melted, place the chocolate in piping bag and set aside.
- Take the cakes out of the fridge and place one onto a fork at an angle. Dip into the icing and carefully set onto a cooling rack, taking care to avoid getting fingerprints on it. Repeat with each cake then leave on the rack to set.
- Drizzle the chocolate in a zig-zag pattern over the top of the fancies and leave to set.
