Christmas Cake from Real Irish Food by David Bowers

Ingredients

• 1 cup dark raisins
• 2 teaspoons Mixed Spice
• Confectioners’ sugar (optional)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 4 eggs
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup ground almonds
• 1 cup candied cherries, halved
• Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
• 1 cup light brown sugar
• ¼ cup whiskey, plus more for drizzling
• 1 cup(2 sticks ) butter, softened
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon
• Royal Icing (optional, see sidebar)
• 2 cups golden raisins
• 1 cup currants
• 1 tube(7 ounces ) marzipan (optional)
• ½ cup candied peel, chopped