It still isn’t too late to make your own Christmas Cake. I usually make mine in
September and then spend the next few months “feeding”it. This loosely translates to pouring more brandy over it as it matures. My recipe for Christmas Cake is adaptable to your own tastes and preferences, which I’ll point out as we go.This Christmas Cake can be left plain with a simple ribbon for decoration. Or, if you are feeling more traditional cover it with marzipan and icing. Each year my decoration varies depending on my mood but the cake recipe never changes. It took me a few year to perfect my own recipe so now I stick to it.
Christmas Cake
Ingredients for an 8inch/20cm square tin (preferably loose bottomed)
350g plain flour
100g ground almonds
1 1/2 teaspoon mixed spice
4 large eggs
150ml milk or 1/2 milk & 1/2 brandy or 1/2 milk & 1/2 whisky
225g softened butter
225g caster sugar or 1/2 caster & 1/2 golden caster sugar
225g currants
250g sultanas
250g raisins
200g glacé cherries or 1/2 glacé cherries & 1/2 cut mixed peel
Method
Preheat the oven to 150c fan and grease and line your cake tin.
Sieve together the flour, ground almonds and mixed spice.
Beat the eggs with the milk and alcohol of choice.
Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Stir in the flour mixture and egg mixture alternatively until everything is combined.
Finally stir in all the dried fruit until it is evenly spread throughout the mixture.
Turn the mixture out into the prepared tin and press into the corners.
Before putting the tin into the oven you need to wrap it in greaseproof paper.
Cut a length of greaseproof paper long enough to go around the length of the tin.
Fold the paper in half lengthways so it stands higher than the tin.
Fasten the paper to the tin with a piece of string. It looks like your raw Christmas Cake is wearing a tall hat!
This stops the top of the cake getting too brown and dry when it is in the oven for a long time.
Place in the oven and cook for 3 – 3 1/2 hours. After 3 hours check to see if the cake is cooked by inserting a skewer and see if it comes out clean.
When the cake is cooked remove from the oven and leave in the tin to cool for 15-30 minutes. If you turn it out too soon the cake will fall apart. A loose bottomed tin helps as you can push the cake upwards from underneath.
When the cake is completely cool place into an airtight container and store in 
a cool place. Between this moment and mid December every week or so I drizzle 30ml of Brandy over the surface of the Christmas Cake and leave it to mature. The burning alcohol flavour evaporates leaving deep flavours inside the cake, it also leaves behind lovely moistness.
Decorating your Christmas Cake
How and when you decorate your Christmas Cake is entirely up to you. If you like it simple a beautiful tartan ribbon round the outside will fit the bill. The 
cake will also keep for a lot longer as there is no icing or marzipan to go off. The Cake freezes very well so if there is any left you can pop a chunk in the freezer for another day. My decorating starts about two weeks before Christmas.
If you decide to ice your cake you will need to start with some Apricot Jam. I generally buy the cheap supermarket own brand Apricot Jam as we never eat what is left in the jar.
Warm up 2-3 tablespoons of the jam, you can do this in the microwave for 10-20 seconds. Just warm the jam enough so you can spread it over the top and sides of your cake with a pastry brush. Spread the jam generously and cover all of the cake except the bottom. This is the glue that holds the marzipan on!
Marzipan
I buy two blocks of ready made marzipan and kneed them together. Using icing sugar I dust the work surface and rolling pin and roll out the marzipan to about twice the thickness of a £1 coin. I have quite a thick layer as my husband loves marzipan and it also hides the lumps and bumps of the fruit. Lower the marzipan onto the jam and smooth over the cake. I tend to cut the corners with a knife and take out a small triangle of marzipan so it all lays flat. I simply use my hands to smooth it over and trim the bottom with a sharp knife.
Icing
The easiest way to ice your cake is to buy a block of white ready to roll icing 
and cover the cake. Using the same method as with the marzipan but not using jam simply roll out the icing and smooth onto the marzipan. You can now add other decorations of your choosing.
If you are feeling more daring you can rustle up a batch of Royal Icing to cover your cake.
1kg Icing Sugar
5 egg whites
10ml lemon juice for a firm icing or 10ml glycerine for soft icing
Lightly beat the egg whites with the lemon juice/glycerine.
Sieve the icing sugar, add half to the egg whites and beat well.
Gradually add the rest of the sugar and stir well until the mixture holds itself in stiff peaks.
Spread over the surface of the cake – smooth it over or make swirls. As the icing hardens it holds it’s shape.
