Lace Wedding Cakes

1. You will need 2 x 12-hole muffin tins and 48 silver foil cake cases, a filigree laser-cut cake stencil from www.squires-shop.com or www.lakeland.co.uk, a 6cm (2½”) round 6cm fluted cutter and a fine artist’s brush.
2. Beat the butter and Tate & Lyle Dark Muscovado Sugar in a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer for 4-5 minutes until soft and creamy. Beat in the eggs, little by little, until combined.
3. Next, stir in the marmalade, all the dried fruit, the almonds and 175ml (6floz) sherry and mix really well together.
4. Sift over both the flours and the spice and mix well.
5. Preheat the oven to 150°C/Fan130°, 300°F, Gas 2.
6. Line the muffin tins with half the cake cases, then divide half of the mixture between them, with about 2 level tablespoons in each, filling to not quite three-quarters full. Smooth the tops. It’s fine to leave the rest of the mixture standing at room temperature whilst you cook the first batch.
7. Bake the cakes on the top and middle shelves of the oven for 40-45 minutes, swapping the trays over halfway through, until they spring back when pressed in the centre and when a fine skewer poked through the middle comes out clean. Remove to a wire rack to cool, then bake the rest of the cakes. When all the cakes are cool, brush them with the remaining 3 tablespoons of sherry.
8. Put the marmalade and water in a small pan over a low heat until melted then lightly brush over the tops of the cakes.
9. Sift the Tate & Lyle Fondant Icing Sugar into a large bowl and make a well in the centre. Add the water, a tablespoon at a time, and stir with a wooden spoon until it is too stiff to stir any more. Turn out onto a surface lightly dusted with Tate & Lyle Fondant Icing Sugar, roll into a ball and knead for a few minutes until it becomes completely smooth, soft and pliable. If it feels too dry splash with a very little cold water and carry on kneading until the water is absorbed. If it’s too wet, dust the surface with extra Tate & Lyle Fondant Icing Sugar.
10. Roll out the fondant to about 3mm (1/8”) thick. Starting at the edge, place the stencil on top of the fondant and roll firmly with a rolling pin to indent the pattern. Repeat until the fondant is patterned all over. Using the fluted cutter, stamp out 48 circles, re-rolling as necessary. Keep covered with cling film whilst you work to stop the fondant from drying out.
11. Place the circles of fondant of top of the cakes and very lightly press down so they stick to the marmalade. Dip the artist’s brush into the metallic dust lustre and lightly brush over the embossed area to highlight the pattern. Arrange the cakes on a cake stand, decorate with flowers and serve.

Make-ahead

Make and freeze the cakes in a lidded container up to one month ahead.  Decorate with the icing the day before and store in a lidded container.