Instruction

• Heat oven to 160C/fan 140C/gas 3
• Line the base and sides of a 20 cm round, 7
• 5 cm deep cake tin
• Beat the butter and sugar with an electric hand mixer for 1-2 mins until very creamy and pale in colour, scraping down the sides of the bowl half way through
• Stir in a spoonful of the flour, then stir in the beaten egg and the rest of the flour alternately, a quarter at a time, beating well each time with a wooden spoon
• Stir in the almonds
• Mix in the sherry (the mix will look curdled), then add the peel, cherries, raisins, cherries, nuts, lemon zest, spice, rosewater and vanilla
• Beat together to mix, then stir in the baking powder
• Spoon mixture into the tin and smooth the top, making a slight dip in the centre
• Bake for 30 mins, then lower temperature to 150C/fan 130C/gas 2 and bake a further 2-2¼ hrs, until a skewer insterted in the middle comes out clean
• Leave to cool in the tin, then take out of the tin and peel off the lining paper
• When completely cold, wrap well in cling film and foil to store until ready to decorate
• The cake will keep for several months