The golden anniversary is one of the most celebrated wedding anniversaries. And rightly so! 50 years is a long time to be married - and my lovely in-laws had their 50th Wedding Anniversary last month. As we had a little family get together I thought it would nice to surprise with a cake. 
Trying to decide on a cake was pretty easy, as they both do like fruit cakes, however my father in law would have wanted some marzipan but I did skip that step. I opted for a light fruit cake instead of a dense Christmas type fruit cake.
With 50th year representing gold anniversary I tried to make gold from my fondant colours using ivory with a little yellow. I did sprinkle on some edible gold dust to add a bit of sparkle.
Happy 50th Anniversary Margaret and Ernie - now waiting the 60th celebrations!!
Ingredients
235g Margarine
235g light soft brown sugar
4 large eggs
335g Plain Flour
1 Tsp Baking Powder
3 tbsp milk
1 Tsp Vanilla
1 Small Orange
40g Dried Apricots
100g Glace Cherries
200g Mixed Fruit
160g Sultanas
Beat the margarine and soft light brown sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs, vanilla and milk into a jug and whisk together
Pour the eggs slowly into the mixing while the mixture is on low/medium speed.
Add the plain flour, baking powder to the batter.
Keeping the mixer on slow speed, gently mix in the flour.
Add orange zest and juice of the orange into the batter.
Add chopped dried apricots, chopped cherries, mixed fruit and sultanas to the batter.
Fold in the fruit using a spoon until all mixed.
Into a greased and floured large spring form baking tin spoon the batter.
Bake at 160c for at least 1 hour 30 minutes or until the cake is baked.
Allow the cake to completely cool and then brush on orange jam.
Ensure the cake is fully covered in the orange jam, as this will allow the fondant icing to stick to the cake.
Rollout fondant icing and decorate the cake.
