Preheat your oven to 160ºC (140ºC for fan ovens) or Gas Mark 3. Grease a 30 × 20 cm traybake tin and line it with baking parchment.

Soak the chopped apricots in a bowl with 3 tablespoons of brandy overnight to infuse moisture and sweetness.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together 175g of softened butter and 175g of light brown sugar until light and fluffy.

Gently beat in the 4 eggs one at a time, followed by the soaked apricots and remaining ingredients.

Spoon the batter into the prepared tin, smoothing the top with a spatula to ensure even cooking.

Bake for 1 to 1¼ hours, until golden brown and a skewer comes out clean.

Once cooled for 10 minutes, transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. Brush the top with warmed apricot jam.

Roll out the marzipan to cover the cake, followed by rolling out the white icing for a shiny topping.

Allow to cool completely, then slice into bite-sized squares and serve.