CHRISTMAS CAKE (Merry Berry)

175g (6oz) raisins
350g (12oz) cherries, rinsed, dried and quartered
500g (1lb 2oz) currants
350g (12oz) sultanas
150ml (0.25 pint) sherry/brandy, plus extra for feeding
Finely grated zest of two oranges
250g (9oz) butter, softened
250g (9oz) light muscovado sugar
4 eggs
1 tablespoon black treacle
75g (3oz) blanched almonds, chopped
75g (3oz) self-raising flour
175g (6oz) plain flour
1.5 teaspoons mixed spice
To finish and decorate
3 tablespoons apricot jam, sieved icing sugar
1 recipe almond paste
1 recipe royal icing

Grease and line a 23cm (9in) deep round tin with a double layer of greased greaseproof paper. Preheat oven to 140C/Fan 120C/Gas Mark 1.

Put all dried fruit in a container, pour over Brandy and stir in the orange zest. Cover with lid, and leave to soak for three days, stirring daily.

Measure the butter, sugar, eggs, treacle and almonds into a very large bowl and beat well. Add the flours and mixed spice and mix thoroughly until blended.

Remove soaked fruit from bowl and drain off any excess liquid and stir into the flour mix.

Spoon into the prepared cake tin and level the surface.

Bake in the centre of the pre-heated oven for about four hours or until the cake is firm to the touch and a golden brown. If the colour Is perfect after two hours cover it with foil.

A skewer put into the centre of the cake should come out clean. Leave the cake to cool in the tin.

Then turn it upside down on a plate.

When cool, pierce the cake at intervals with a fine skewer and feed with a little extra Brandy. Wrap the completely cold cake in a double layer of greaseproof paper and again in foil and store in a cool place for up to 3 months, feeding at intervals with more sherry. (Don't remove the lining paper when storing as this helps to keep the cake moist.)