Ingredients

• 100g/3½oz ground almonds
• 50g/1¾oz caster sugar
• 50g/1¾oz icing sugar
• sifted
• plus extra if the mixture is too wet and to dust
• 1 free-range egg
• ½ tsp almond extract
• 75g/2½oz unsalted butter
• melted
• plus extra for greasing tin
• 5 free-range eggs
• at room temperature
• 1 tsp almond extract
• 1 unwaxed lemon
• finely grated zest only
• 150g/5½oz golden caster sugar
• 150g/5½oz plain flour
• 1kg/2lb 4oz ready-made white fondant icing
• 1 lemon
• juice only
• violet food colour gel
• 150g/5½oz unsalted butter
• softened
• 225g/8oz icing sugar
• sifted
• 15g/½oz ground almonds
• 1 tsp almond extract
• violet food colour gel
• 100g/3½oz black cherry conserve
• 1 tbsp almond liqueur
• 200g/7oz fresh cherries
• stones removed
• halved
• edible glitter (optional)

Directions

• For the marzipan
• combine the almonds
• caster sugar and icing sugar in a large bowl. Create a well in the middle and add the egg and almond extract. Stir until just combined. Knead briefly until the marzipan is smooth
• adding more icing sugar if the mixture is too wet. Wrap in cling film and put in the fridge until needed.
• For the sponge
• Preheat the oven to 180C/160C fan/Gas 4. Grease and line a 23cm/9in square deep baking tin with butter and baking paper.
• In the bowl of a freestanding mixer fitted with the whisk attachment
• add the eggs
• almond extract
• lemon zest and sugar. Beat on a high speed for 7–10 minutes
• or until the mixture is thick
• smooth and trebled in size and the whisk leaves trails which sit on the surface of the mixture when lifted out.
• Sift a third of the flour over the surface and very gently fold into the mixture using a large metal spoon until combined. Repeat this process once more
• then pour in the cooled
• melted butter around the rim of the bowl and fold in with the last third of flour. Make sure the butter and flour are completely folded in
• but be careful to keep as much air in the mixture as possible.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for 30 minutes until golden-brown and coming away from the edges. Allow to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Wrap in cling film and place in the freezer.
• For the fondant icing
• tear the fondant into small pieces into the bowl of a freestanding mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Add 100ml/3½fl oz water and the lemon juice gradually (you might not need it all) beating on medium speed until a thick pourable consistency. Add a drop of colour to the fondant
• mixing thoroughly
• until it is a pale lilac colour. Transfer to a bowl
• cover with cling film and set aside.
• For the almond buttercream
• beat the butter in a freestanding mixer fitted with a paddle attachment until smooth. Gradually add the icing sugar and almonds and beat until light and smooth. Add the almond extract
• to taste. Cover and leave in a cool place.
• For the filling
• mix the cherry conserve with the almond liqueur.
• Remove the sponge from the freezer and carefully trim the edges to straighten. Measure the cake and mark out a grid of 5 equal columns and rows on the surface of the cake (which will be cut later to make 25 squares of cake). Using a small knife
• cut out a dip in the middle of each square – but be careful not to cut through to the bottom. Fill each hole with a little cherry conserve.
• On a surface dusted with icing sugar
• roll out the marzipan to a square slightly larger than the cake and drape over
• trimming the edges so it covers the top neatly. Place in the freezer for 10 minutes to set. Re-measure the 5 x 5 grid as before and cut the cake into individual fancies using a serrated knife.
• Using a palette knife smooth a crumb coat of buttercream around the sides of each sponge. Place in the freezer to chill for a minute. You may want to do a second coat to make very neat edges.
• Place a large cooling rack over a sheet of newspaper. Dip the chilled cakes into the lilac fondant to cover the sponges. Set the fondants onto the rack to drip dry.
• Place the remaining buttercream in a piping bag fitted with a medium star nozzle. Once the fondant is slightly set
• pipe a small swirl of buttercream on top of each fondant fancy. Place half a fresh cherry on top of each swirl. Sprinkle each cherry with a little glitter
• if using.