Marzipan Cake Bars

[Olga Drozd]

MARZIPAN CAKE BARS:

Fruitcake lovers will enjoy the dense, chewy texture that comes from the combination of dried fruit and marzipan.  This rich butter cake has ground almonds and sliced almonds with just a touch of almond extract.  Soaking the cranberries in rum softens them and gives the bars extra zing. 1/4 cup rum or brandy (50 mL) 1 cup dried cranberries or dried cherries (250 mL) 1 cup butter, softened (250 mL) 2 cups granulated sugar (500 mL) 4 large eggs (I used extra large) 1 Tablespoon pure vanilla extract (15 mL) 1/2 teaspoon almond extract (2 mL) 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour (625 mL) 1/2 cup ground almonds (almond meal such as Bob's Red Mill) (125 mL) 2 teaspoons baking powder (10 mL) 1/4 teaspoon salt (1 mL) 1 cup sliced almonds (250 mL) Cranberry mixture (above) 1 package (200 g) marzipan, diced (Odense Marzipan used) (7 ounces) Sifted icing sugar for topping about 1 Tablespoons

Grease 13 x 9 inch metal cake pan (3.5 L); line with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking spray.  Set aside.

Preheat oven 350º F.  Place oven rack in centre of oven.

In small saucepan, bring rum to boil; stir in cranberries. Stir and remove from heat and let cool.

Meanwhile, in bowl of electric mixer beat butter with sugar until fluffy.  Beat in eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition; beat in vanilla and almond extract.

In separate bowl, whisk flour, ground almonds, baking powder and salt.

Remove bowl from mixer and with a spatula stir butter mixture into the flour just until combined. Stir in sliced almonds, cranberry mixture and diced marzipan. Scrape into prepared pan.

Bake in centre of 350º F.  (180ºC) oven until golden and cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean, 45 minutes.  Let cool completely in pan on rack.  Dust with icing sugar.  Cut into bars.  Makes 40 bars.

NOTE: Make-ahead:  Layer between waxed paper in airtight container; store for up to 4 days or freeze for up to 1 month.