Combine all dried fruits with brandy, orange zest, and juice in a bowl and soak overnight.
Line a 23cm cake tin with double layers of parchment paper and insulate the outside with newspaper.
Preheat the oven to 150°C.
Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
Beat in the eggs gradually, then stir in the fruit with its liquid and the macadamia nuts.
Fold in the flour gently until just combined.
Spoon the batter into the tin and bake for 3 to 4 hours until a skewer comes out clean.
Cool the cake completely in the tin before wrapping and storing.
Sieve and warm the apricot jam with 15ml of water.
Brush the jam over the inverted cake and apply the marzipan layer.
Cut out stars from the 0.5cm thick ready-to-roll icing and let them harden.
Cover the cake with prepared royal icing, top with stars, silver balls, and a dusting of sugar.