I need marzipan to cover a rich fruit cake before covering with fondant. i would like to make it myself if its not too difficult. can it be done or should i just buy it ready made? how easy is it to find ready made?
also does anyone know of anything that could be used in place of the marzipan? thanks for your time.

I made marzipan once using a recipe from the Food Network website. I researched many recipes and this one looked easiest with no grinding of your own almonds, just uses almond paste. And it was tasty too.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/marzipan-recipe/index.html

I make marzipan a couple times a year because my sister loves it.

This is my recipe:

1 lb almond meal
2 lbs powdered sugar
1 cup corn syrup
1 tablespoon almond extract
enough rum to make the dough stick together easily

Mix everything but the rum and you'll probably have a dry, crumbly mess. Add the rum a little bit at a time and knead it in until you have a nice smooth dough. Don't use your mixer, marzipan has more body than fondant and is tougher on the mixer. Store the marzipan in a bag and let it ripen overnight.

You can find almond meal with the specialty flours at the grocery store or at the health food store. It's used in gluten-free cooking pretty often so it's not impossible to find.

Thank you texas rose, it looks easy enough to do so i will try that x

when you say "1 cup of corn syrup" how much is 1 cup? and where will i find corn syrup? thanks again x

If you are in the UK, I believe you can use golden syrup. One cup is 284 UK ml.

perfect thank you. this recipe has just gone into my recipe book! x