Moist cupcakes crammed with raisins, candied fruit and pecans give a wink to classic Christmas cake. And since the marzipan layer was always our favourite part of the old-fashioned original, we whipped it into the icing here.
MARZIPAN ICING
Break half a 200-g pkg of marzipan into the bowl of a food processor and whirl until crumbly. Slowly add 1/2 cup (125 mL) unsalted butter at room temperature and pulse until creamy. Add 11/2 cups (375 mL) icing sugar, 1/8 tsp (0.5 mL) almond extract, 1 tsp (5 mL) milk and zest of half an orange. Pulse until smooth. It should be thin enough to spoon over a cupcake. If not, whirl in more milk, a teaspoon (5 mL) at a time.
