Name: Christmas cake
Total time: 16200 s
Yield: 8
Ingredients: 400 gram sultanas; 250 gram raisins; 200 gram currants; 150 millilitre 5 years aged XO French brandy; 130 gram unsalted butter; 180 gram dark brown muscovado sugar; 3 large egg; 160 gram self-raising flour; 1 teaspoon mixed spice; 1 teaspoon salt; 25 gram candied mixed peel; 150 gram glacé cherry; 1 orange; 50 gram flaked almonds

Step 1

Soak the sultanas (400 g) , raisins (250 g) and currants (200 g) in 100ml M&S Distilled 5 years aged XO French brandy (150 mL) overnight, or for at least 1 hour.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 150°C/130°C fan/gas mark 2. Grease and line a round, deep 8-inch cake tin with parchment, ensuring the parchment protrudes a few centimetres above the top of the tin.

Step 3

Cream together the butter (130 g) and sugar (180 g) , then beat in the eggs (3) one at a time.

Step 4

Mix together the flour (160 g) , mixed spice (2 g) and salt (6 g) , then mix with the butter and sugar until smooth. Add the candied mixed peel (25 g) , glacé cherries (150 g) , orange zest (1) and almonds (50 g) . Stir in the soaked fruit and its liquids. Pour the mixture into the tin and gently smooth out the top.

Step 5

Bake for 2¾-3 hours, or until the cake feels springy in the centre when lightly touched and a skewer in the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Step 6

Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the tin for 30 minutes before turning out onto a cooling rack.

Step 7

Make small holes across the surface of the cake using a clean skewer. With a pastry brush, brush over 50ml brandy until it soaks into the cake. Wrap it tightly in a double layer of parchment paper and foil, then store in a cool, dry place until required.

Christmas cake

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