Christmas cake is usually baked in advance, but if you haven’t tried your hand at baking but would like to get into the spirit of the season, here’s a Christmas fruit cake recipe that would be just perfect for you.

You’ll need:

500g raisins

200g glacé cherries, halved

110g cut mixed peel

400g mixed dry fruits, roughly chopped

1 small orange, grated zest and juice

150ml brandy

Soak the fruits in the brandy, and over the next week, mix with a wooden spatula everyday, turning around to make sure every piece gets well soaked in the brandy.

For the cake:

255g unsalted butter

200g dark sugar

5 eggs

300g plain flour

Directions:

• Line the base of a 9-inch cake tin with glazed paper and preheat at 150 degrees Centigrade.

• Beat together the butter and sugar till the mix is pale and fluffy, then add flour in small quantities, just stirring it in.

• Add the fruit mixture folding it in gently.

• Spread the mixture onto the bake tin.

• Bake for about three hours at low heat.

Once the cake is done, take it out and cool.

The next day, make a few holes with a skewer and over the next week (till Christmas), feed it with a bit of alcohol — sherry or brandy every five days.

For decorating it, you can slap a sheet of marzipan and add glazed cherries. Sieving on icing sugar to the decorated top makes it the perfect cake for a white Christmas.