LAST-MINUTE BRANDIED CHRISTMAS CAKE

Yes, I know, it’s happened to me too. You meant to make a Christmas cake in early October, feed it weekly with brandy, let it mature, marzipan it two weeks before and ice it a week before the big day – and guess what, you didn’t! All is not lost, though.

There is a very simple home-made version to hand for those who didn’t get round to it, or are fearful of making one for the first time, and it’s also extremely good.

It’s made with a jar of luxury mincemeat, which gives it a beautifully moist texture, and topped with whole nuts, which get nicely toasted during the baking (a great topping for those who don’t like it too sweet).

However, should you wish, it would be easy to put ready-made marzipan and fondant icing (see right) on instead of the nuts.

For the pre-soaking

150ml (5fl oz) brandy 1 x 400g (approximately) jar luxury mincemeat (or see page 34 for my Home-made Mincemeat) 110g (4oz) no-soak prunes, roughly chopped 50g (1¾oz) glacé cherries, quartered 175g (6oz) dried mixed fruit 50g (1¾oz) whole candied peel, finely chopped

For the cake

225g (8oz) self-raising flour, sifted 3 teaspoons baking powder 150g (5½oz) softened butter 150g (5½oz) dark muscovado sugar The grated zest of 1 small orange The grated zest of 1 small lemon 50g (1¾oz) Brazil nuts, roughly chopped 50g (1¾oz) mixed chopped nuts 3 eggs 1½ teaspoons mixed spice For the topping Approximately 18 walnut halves, 18 pecan halves, 20 whole Brazils (or any other mixture you like) 1 heaped tablespoon sieved apricot jam 1 tablespoon brandy A 20cm (8in) round cake tin, lightly oiled, the base and sides lined with baking parchment. Begin the cake a few hours before you want to make it (or even the night before) and simply place all the pre-soaking ingredients into a bowl, stir really well, then cover with a cloth and leave in a cool place to settle for some time.

When you are ready to make the cake, preheat the oven to 170°C/gas 3. Take a roomy bowl and simply place the soaked ingredients plus all the rest of the cake ingredients in it, all in one go (it’s helpful to tick them off as they go in).

Now, preferably using an electric hand whisk (or a wooden spoon), beat everything together as thoroughly as possible, which will probably take you in and around 1 minute.

Then pour it into the prepared tin, level the top and arrange the whole nuts either in rows or in circles on the surface.

Finally, cover the top of the cake with a double square of baking parchment with a hole the size of a 50cent piece cut in the centre.

Then place the cake on the centre shelf of the oven and bake it for about 1½-2 hours or until the centre springs back when lightly touched.

Then let it cool in the tin for 30 minutes before turning it out to finish cooling on a wire rack, removing the lining papers.

The finishing touch is to heat the apricot jam and brandy together and brush the nuts with the mixture to give them a lovely glaze or decorate with marzipan and fondant icing.

Store the cake in an airtight tin or in double baking parchment and foil and it will keep beautifully moist for 3 to 4 weeks.

For a festive touch you might like to tie a ribbon and bow all round for the big day.