Traditional British Mothering Sunday Simnel Cake

Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F). In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Fold in the flour, mixed dried fruit, candied peel, and ground almonds. Spoon half of the mixture into a greased and lined cake tin. Roll out a third of the marzipan and place it on top of the cake mixture. Spoon the remaining cake mixture on top of the marzipan. Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour and 30 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once the cake is cool, brush the top with apricot jam and roll out the remaining marzipan to fit the top of the cake. Place the marzipan on top of the cake and use a fork to create a decorative pattern. Place the cake under a hot grill for a few minutes until the marzipan is golden brown. Allow the cake to cool before serving.