Fruitcake Bites with Marzipan

In large bowl, combine golden and sultana raisins, citrus peel, currants and 1/4 cup (50 mL) of the brandy; toss well. Cover and let stand for 4 hours, stirring occasionally. Add walnuts and pecans.

In bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, salt, nutmeg and cloves; remove 1/2 cup (125 mL) and toss with fruit mixture.

In large bowl, beat butter with sugar until fluffy. Beat in eggs, 1 at a time. Beat in vanilla. Stir in remaining flour mixture just until incorporated. Stir in fruit mixture until combined. Scrape into parchment paper–lined 9-inch (2.5 L) square metal cake pan, smoothing top.

Bake in 250°F (120°C) oven until cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, about 2 hours. Let cool in pan on rack.

Remove cake from pan; peel off paper. Soak double-thickness cheesecloth in remaining brandy; wrap around cake. Wrap in plastic wrap then foil; refrigerate for 1 week. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate for up to 1 month.)

Topping: Unwrap cake; brush with brandy. On icing sugar–dusted surface, roll out half of the marzipan into 8-inch (20 cm) square; drape over fruitcake. Cut into 36 squares.

Roll out remaining marzipan; using small snowflake cookie cutter, cut out 36 snowflakes. Lightly brush tops of squares with water; place snowflake on each. Press silver dragée into centre of each.

Additional information : Variation
Marzipan-Covered Fruitcake Bites: Cut fruitcake into 36 squares. Increase marzipan to 3 packages. Working with half package at a time on icing sugar–dusted surface, roll into 9-inch (23 cm) square. Cut into 9 squares. Cut 3/4-inch (2 cm) diagonal slit in each corner; drape over each fruitcake square, folding edges neatly. Finish as directed with snowflakes and dragées.

Source : Canadian Livng Holiday Cookbook: Fall 2009