Sodding, effing, damn cake

I'm not a baker nor a cake decorator.  

This cake is for Gill's 70th surprise party, baked whilst she was in the Maldives.  Cooking with a new oven, using ingredients that are ever-so-slightly different, including treacle so old it had to be prized out of the jar (none to be found in the shop).  The treacle came back to haunt me as it then leaked from the tin all over the oven, baked itself onto the drip tray and nearly smoked us out of the house when I happily lit the oven to cook the following day's baked potatoes.... 

The marzipan took three shops to find and the icing was done quickly after our weekend in the Matopo's, having never before iced a cake, I'd love to say I'm proud of the results, I'm not.  A little more planning, a little less rushing would have been way more beneficial. 

The party is on the 16th August and I hope to goodness that it has turned out alright. It seemed such a good idea when I said I'd bake a cake, I'm already gearing myself up to baking the Christmas cake...