Mary Berry's classic Christmas cake Archive

Ingredients

• 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 muscovado sugar
• 4 free-range eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tbsp black treacle
• 75g/3oz blanched almonds, chopped
• 250g/9oz plain flour
• 1½ tsp mixed spice
• about 3 tbsp apricot jam, warmed and sieved
• icing sugar
• 675g/1lb 8oz marzipan
• 3 free-range eggs, whites only
• 675g/1½lb icing sugar, sifted
• 3 tsp lemon juice
• 1½ tsp glycerine