Recipes that have stood the test of time – that’s what this series is all about. Expert recipe writer Debbie Major has perfected these festive favourites to ensure you get the best results

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The ultimate Christmas cake

RECIPES: DEBBIE MAJOR. PHOTOGRAPHS: ALEX LUCK. FOOD STYLING: LOTTIE COVELL. STYLING: HANNAH WILKINSON

SERVES 14. HANDS-ON TIME 55 MIN, OVEN TIME 3 HOURS 45 MIN, PLUS OVERNIGHT SOAKING

”This cake is on the lighter side, but bursting with boozy soaked fruit (whisky is my preference). As with any rich fruitcake, it improves with age.”

MAKE AHEAD

Make the cake at least 4 weeks (and up to 3 months) ahead. Take out of the baking tin and cover with non-stick baking paper, then foil. Store in an airtight tin in a cool, dark place.

FOOD TEAM’S TIP

The cake is great on its own but if you want to marzipan and ice it, look out for next month’s issue.

• 250g currants

• 250g sultanas

• 100g ready-to-eat dried figs, cut to the same size as the sultanas

• 100g natural glacé cherries, halved

• 25g stem ginger from a jar, chopped

• 100g chopped mixed peel

• 125ml whisky, plus 3-4 tbsp for feeding

• Finely grated zest 1 large unwaxed lemon

• 130g plain flour

• ½ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp each ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground allspice and freshly grated nutmeg

• ½ tsp salt

• 50g ground almonds

• 125g unsalted butter, at room temperature

• 125g dark muscovado sugar

• 4 medium free-range eggs, lightly beaten

• 50g whole blanched almonds, chopped

YOU’LL ALSO NEED…

• Heavy-gauge, deep 20cm cake tin greased and lined with 2 layers of non-stick baking paper; newspaper for wrapping; string

1 Mix the dried fruit, cherries, stem ginger, mixed peel, 125ml whisky and the lemon zest in a bowl. Cover and set aside to soak overnight. Sift the flour, baking powder, spices and salt into another bowl and stir in the ground almonds. Cover and set aside overnight alongside the fruit.

2 The next day, tie a thick, wide band of folded newspaper around the outside of the tin and secure it with string, then fold a newspaper into a rectangle and place it on a baking sheet (see tips, right). Heat the oven to 140°C/120°C fan/gas 1 and set an oven rack towards the bottom of the oven.