Luxury Christmas Cake

1. Heat the oven to 180°C, gas 4. Line a 20cm round cake tin.
2. Cream the butter, sugar and the orange and lemon zest until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the eggs, one at a time, and add some flour if the mixture starts to curdle.
4. Fold in the flour alternately with the sultanas, cherries, pineapple, candied peel, citron peel, crystallised ginger, walnuts and blanched almonds.
5. When fully mixed, stir in the orange and lemon juice and the sherry.
6. Pour into the tin and make a deep hollow in the centre.
7. Tie a band of brown paper around the outside of the tin and fold over to cover the cake. Place in the oven with the top of the cake in the centre for 20 minutes.
8. Reduce the heat to 150°C, gas 2, and bake for a further 2 hours 40 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
9. Remove from the tin and leave to cool before removing the lining paper.

Tips

• Unlike most Christmas cakes, this one doesn’t need maturing: it can be made just a week or so before eating.