Christmas cake icing questions - fairly urgent

[MuffinMclay]

I am hoping to ice the cake this morning and am omitting marzipan because nobody likes it (and we don't have any).

Idiot question 1:
Do I just stick the icing onto the cake with a smearing of jam underneath? Will that work? I don't want it sliding off!

Idiot question 2:
Recipes (admittedly based on there being a marzipan layer) say to use apricot jam, but we don't have any. Does it really matter if it is another flavour? Thinking of quince (strawberry or blackberry seem downright odd in this context).

Humour me, this is my first icing experience.

I always use strawb jam as don't like apricot. I assume you are using fondant icing not royal?

I'd just do a thicker layer of fondant stuck on with jam of whatever flavour ...mine has been marzipanned a week, may get iced today, if not it will be after Christmas!

yes you can - we don't use marizpan either as almonds cause dh to swell up alarming as we found out 3 christmases ago in A&E. You definitely need to use jam first though so icing will stick. Apricot is not vital I think its popular 'cos no bits in it. I usually use marmalade as I think it compliments the cake. Gently warm and strain your choice with a sift to get out any seeds or peel etc and ice away.

Thank you both. That is really helpful. I didn't know about warming the jam.