Preheat the oven to 325°F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and line the bottom and sides with parchment paper for easy removal.
In a large bowl, combine all the cake ingredients: butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, salt, mincemeat, currants, and chopped almonds.
Beat the ingredients together for about 1 minute, ensuring everything is fully mixed and smooth.
Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan, leveling the surface with a spatula to ensure even baking.
Bake for approximately 1¾ hours, or until a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean and the cake begins to shrink slightly from the sides. If the cake starts browning too much after 1 hour, cover it loosely with foil.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, turn it out onto a wire rack, peel off the parchment paper, and allow it to cool completely.
Once the cake is fully cooled, carefully slice it horizontally into two even layers using a serrated knife. Add a thin rolled-out layer of marzipan between the layers before stacking them back together. Gently press to secure. (Optional)
About a week before icing, cover the cooled cake with almond paste, pressing it gently to fit.
Once ready to decorate, prepare the royal icing and spread a thick, even layer over the top and sides of the cake using an offset spatula. Spoon extra icing on top to create a slightly domed, textured surface, then use the back of the spoon to form soft peaks around the edges for a hand-finished, traditional look. Allow the icing to set for a few hours before adding any additional decorations such as the almond-paste stars.
After the royal icing has set slightly but is still soft enough to hold decorations, roll out a piece of almond paste or fondant to an even thickness of about 1 cm. Use a small star-shaped cutter to punch out several clean, defined stars. Gently lift each star and place them on top of the cake, spacing them out in a scattered pattern for a festive look. Press them very lightly into the icing so they adhere without sinking.
If you like a more rustic, aromatic touch, tuck a few whole star anise pieces between the almond-paste stars. They add a subtle holiday fragrance and give the cake a charming, old-fashioned Christmas feel. Allow the cake to rest until all decorations are fully set in place, giving the finished cake its elegant, snowy appearance.
