Mary Berrys Ultimate Boozy christmas Cake

Serves 16

Collect cake mixes October 5th 

Mary Berry’s been making her traditional Christmas cake recipe for as long as Paul Hollywood’s been alive. this has a BBC rating of 4.9 stars. 

You get everything you need ( You will need to add eggs, butter brandy, if you don't drink alcohol. Seeped tea or fruit juice works really well also.)

All your ingredients will be prepared and wait for you along with a detailed method of how to make your cake. And how to feed it right up until Christmas?.

Ingredients

For the cake

175g/6oz raisins

350g/12oz natural glacé cherries, halved, rinsed, and thoroughly dried

500g/1lb 2oz currants

350g/12oz sultanas

150ml/¼pt brandy or sherry, plus extra for feeding

2 oranges, zest only

250g/9oz butter, softened

250g/9oz light or dark muscovado sugar

4 large free-range eggs, at room temperature

1 tbsp black treacle

75g/3oz blanched almonds, chopped

275g/10oz plain flour

1½ tsp mixed spice

For the covering

about 3 tbsp apricot jam, warmed and sieved

icing sugar

675g/1lb 8oz marzipan

For the royal icing

3 free-range eggs, whites only

675g/1½lb icing sugar, sifted

3 tsp lemon juice

1½ tsp glycerine