White Christmas Cake

Put the dried fruit, cherries and ginger into a bowl. Warm the ginger wine in a small pan and pour over the fruit. Set aside.

Preheat the oven to 160°C (fan 140°C, gas mark 3). Grease and double-line a 20.5cm (8inch) cake tin with greaseproof paper. Wrap a double layer of greaseproof paper around the outside of the tin, secure with string, making sure the paper comes at least 5 cm (2 inch) above the top of the tin. This will stop the cake from burning.

Put the butter and sugar into a large bowl and beat together until light and creamy, about 5 minutes.

Gradually beat in the eggs. Fold in the flour, mixed spice, walnuts and soaked fruit, plus any liquid left in the fruit bowl.

Spoon the mixture into the tin and cook for 3 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the cake starts to brown too quickly, cover the top with baking parchment.

Leave cake to cool in tin for 10 minutes, then take out and cool completely on a wire rack, leaving the greaseproof paper wrapped around the outside of the cake.

To store, wrap a few layers of clingfilm around the cooled cake in its paper, then cover with foil. Store in an airtight container in a cool place for up to two months. If you like, prick the cake a few times with a skewer and pour over extra ginger wine every week. Re-wrap and store as before.

To ice, warm the apricot glaze and brush all over cake.

Roll out the marzipan, and use to cover the cake according to pack instructions. Trim off any excess. Dab marzipan with cooled boiled water from the kettle.

Roll out the icing and use to cover the cake according to pack instructions. Trim off excess and use to decorate cake as in the picture.