1. Grease and line a 8″ round deep cake tin. Tie with brown paper around the outside to give extra protection.

2. Weigh out and place all the chosen fruit, in a large mixing bowl. Add the brandy and mix, leave for a couple of hours, longer if possible.

3. Preheat oven to 140°C (Fan 120°C, Gas Mark 1). Sift the flour, salt and spices into a bowl.

4. Whisk the butter and sugar in a separate bowl until light and fluffy. Beat the eggs and add slowly to the butter and sugar.

5. Fold in the flour and spices to the egg mix, then fold in the fruit plus the lemon peel and treacle.

6. Put the mixture into the prepared tin and cook on the lowest shelf in the oven for about 4 hours.

7. Remove from the oven and leave to cool slightly in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack. When cold feed the cake by poking little holes with a skewer in the top of the cake and feeding with teaspoons of brandy. Double wrap the cake with greaseproof and then tin foil and store in an airtight container.

8. You can feed your cake every now and again up until you ice it.

9. To decorate the cake, Cut in half (horizontally) and spread one half with some apricot glaze. Roll out your marzipan and cut a circle the same size as your cake. Place this on top of the cake and sandwich with the top of the cake. Make some royal Icing and spread over the top of the cake.

10. To make sugar glazed cranberries, mix some egg white in a bowl, dip the cranberries in and then roll in caster sugar. Leave to dry individually, then place on top of the icing.