Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time. Combine the flour, salt, currants, sultanas, lemon rind and spices and fold into the creamed mixture. Add sufficient milk to give a ‘dropping’ consistency.

Spoon half of the cake mixture into the prepared tin. Level the surface. Roll out one third of the marzipan to a 20cm round. Place on top of the cake mixture. Top with remaining cake mixture and level the surface. Bake in the oven at 150℃ (300F/mark 2) for about 2½ hours, or until firm to the touch. Cool in the tin.

The next day roll out half of the remaining marzipan to a 20cm round. Brush with apricot jam and press on to the top of the cake. If you wish, flute the edges, and with a knife, mark a lattice effect on top.

Use the remaining paste to make eleven balls. Position these round the top edge of the cake with a little apricot jam.

adapted from the Cranks recipe book and bbcgoodfood.com.