Christmas cake

1. Heat the oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3 and line the base and sides of a 20cm round, 7.5cm deep cake tin. Beat the butter and sugar with an electric mixer for 1 to 2 minutes until very pale and creamy, scraping down the bowl halfway. Stir in a spoonful of the flour, then add the beaten egg and the rest of the flour alternately, a quarter at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the almonds.
2. Mix in the sherry; the batter will look curdled at this point. Add the peel, cherries, raisins, currants, nuts, lemon zest, spice, rosewater and vanilla, beat to combine, then stir in the baking powder.
3. Spoon into the tin and smooth the top, making a slight dip in the centre. Bake for 30 minutes, then lower the heat to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2 and bake for a further 2 to 2¼ hours, until a skewer comes out clean.
4. Leave to cool in the tin, then turn out and peel off the lining. Once completely cold, wrap well in cling film and foil and store until you are ready to decorate; it keeps for several months.

Tips from the ZestyPlate Kitchen

• Cream the butter and sugar thoroughly, then add the eggs a little at a time so the mixture doesn't curdle.
• Make a shallow dip in the centre of the batter and the cake will bake level instead of doming.
• Keep the oven low and cover the top with foil if it starts to brown too fast.
• Once cool, wrap it well and spoon over a little sherry every so often to keep it moist and build the flavour.