• 450 grams sultanas, 225 grams raisins, 225 grams dried apricots, 115 grams prunes, 55 grams glacé pineapple, 225 grams glacé cherries, 225 grams chopped candied peel, 115 grams blanched almonds, 1 orange juice, 1 orange finely grated zest, 70 millilitres brandy
  Combine all the dried and glacé fruit, candied peel and almonds in a large bowl. Add the orange zest and juice, and the brandy.
  
• Mix well, cover and leave for several hours or overnight.
  
• Heat your oven to 150˚C. Line the base and sides of a 20cm round deep cake tin with a double thickness of baking parchment, cutting it so that it stands a good 5cm proud of the top of the tin.
  
• 225 grams unsalted butter, 200 grams light muscovado sugar
  In a very large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the butter and sugar together for several minutes until pale and fluffy.
  
• 5 large eggs
  Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a little of the flour with each to prevent the mixture from splitting.
  
• 280 grams plain flour
  Stir in the fruit mixture. Sift the remaining flour over the mixture and fold in, using a large metal spoon.
  
• Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and level the surface.
  
• Bake in the middle of the oven for 3 hours, then check by insert a skewer into the centre – if it comes out clean, the cake is cooked.  If not, give it a further 15–30 minutes. Leave the cake to cool before removing it from the tin.
  

To marizpan your cake

• 2 tablespoon apricot jam
  When your cake is completely cooled – and ideally after a couple of days – you can marzipan and ice it. Warm the apricot jam gently in a saucepan with a splash of water to thin it down.
  
• Turn the cake upside down on a cake board. Brush the top of the cake with apricot jam.
  
• 300 grams quantity marzipan, 1 tablespoon Icing sugar for dusting
  Roll out 300g of the marzipan to a large circle, on a surface dusted with icing sugar. It should be about 4mm thick.
  
• Use the cake tin as a guide and cut a round of marzipan to fit the top of the cake then position it. 
  
• 300 grams fondant icing, 1 teaspoon cornflour (cornstarch)
  Roll out the fondant out on a surface lightly dusted with cornflour (cornstarch) to a thickness of about 4mm. Use the cake tin as a guide and cut a round of fondant icing to fit the top of the cake.
  
• Brush a little water over the marzipan, then position the fondant icing to match the marzipan
  
• Wrap a ribbon around the side of your Christmas cake and finish as you wish with festive decorations.