Christmas cake

Method

1. Line the base and sides of a 9 inch (23 cm) round, or an 8 inch (20.5 cm) square tin, with brown paper and greaseproof paper.

2. Wash the cherries and dry them out. Cut in two or four as desired.

3. Blanch the almonds in boiling water for 1-2 minutes, rub off the skins and chop them finely. Mix the dried fruit, nuts, ground almonds and grated orange and lemon rind. Add about half of the whiskey and leave for 1 hour to macerate.

4. Preheat the oven to 180°C and cover with a sheet of brown paper.

5. Cream the butter until very soft, add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Whisk the eggs and add in bit by bit, beating well between each addition so that the mixture doesn’t curdle. Mix the spice with the flour and a pinch of salt and stir in gently.

6. Add the grated apple to the fruit and mix in gently, but thoroughly (don’t beat the mixture again or you will toughen the cake).

7. Put the mixture into the prepared cake tin. Make a slight hollow in the centre, dip your hand in water and pat it over the surface of the cake: this will ensure that the top is smooth when cooked. Lay a sheet of brown paper over the top. Put into the preheated oven; reduce the heat to 160°C after 1 hour.

8. Bake until cooked; test in the centre with a skewer — it should come out completely clean, 3-3½ hours in total. Pour the rest of the whiskey over the cake and leave to cool in the tin. Next day remove from the tin. Do not remove the lining paper, but wrap in some extra greaseproof paper and tin foil until required. Almond paste or ice closer to Christmas.