Christmas baking recipes

Traditional Christmas cake

To start, zest 1 orange and 1 lemon with a fine grater and juice both fruits. Add all zest and juice into a bowl with 500g of dried mixed fruit and 60g of glace cherries. Depending on which you prefer, add 85ml of either cooking brandy or cold tea to your mixture. Cover with clingfilm and soak for 1-hour or overnight.
Next, grease and line a 20cm cake time, preferably with a removable base, but this isn’t essential. Preheat the oven to 150°C, gas 3, fan 130°C.
If you have one, use an electric mixer to beat 175g of butter with 175g of dark brown sugar and 1tbsp of black treacle, until fluffy and pale in colour. Gradually add 3 eggs, beating each one in thoroughly before adding the next one. (This avoids curdling the mixture)
In a separate bowl, combine 175g of self-raising flour, 50g of ground almonds and 1 tsp of ground mixed spice. Then add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, and fold in gently until thoroughly combined.
Now add the soaked fruit and all the juices, plus 60g of whole almonds, walnuts or pecans. (Depending on what you like!) Fold everything gently together until the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Slowly scoop the mixture into your prepared cake tin and flatten the surface. Place in the centre of the oven and bake for 2 hrs or until golden brown and springy to the touch. Use a sharp knife or skewer to test the cake. If there is still wet mixture on the blade, bake for another 20-30 mins.
When the cake is fully cooked, cool for an hour in the tin and then turn out onto a wire rack. You can pierce the cake all over with a skewer and add another tbsp of brandy to soak in, but this is up to you. The cake can be kept wrapped in foil or clingfilm in a tin for up to 2 months.
When you are ready to finish the cake, warm 1 tbsp of apricot jam to soften, and brush over the whole cake. Dust the work surface with a little icing sugar and roll out half the ready-made, ready-rolled marzipan.
Cut a 20cm circle drawing round the cake tin as a pattern. Cut out a band of marzipan, again using the side of the tin as a guide. Place the circle on the top, and stick the band around the sides, pressing into place and filling any gaps. If possible, allow the marzipan layer to dry overnight.
To make the icing, sift 350g of icing sugar and beat with 1 egg white and 1 tsp of lemon juice until smooth and glossy. Spread over the cake with a palette knife, forming soft peaks to look like snow drifts. Decorate with edible silver balls or other decorations.