I know we're barely into Summer but I start thinking about Christmas cooking as soon as the children go back to school.

This is my step-by-step guide to a scrummy Christmas Cake. I tend to start this towards the end of October.

Step 1: Ingredients

Group 1 Ingredients

450g currants

175g sultanas

175g raisins

50g chopped glacé cherries

50g mixed chopped candied peel

100ml brandy

Group 2 Ingredients

225g plain flour

½ teaspoon salt

¼ level teaspoon nutmeg

½ level teaspoon ground mixed spice

Group 3 Ingredients

225g dark brown soft sugar

4 large eggs

1 dessertspoon black treacle

225g spreadable butter

Group 4 Ingredients

50g chopped almonds (skin on)

zest of 1 lemon and 1 orange

You will also need extra brandy (for feeding) and either 100g whole blanched almonds or icing.

Step 2: Equipment

2 LARGE mixing bowls

20cm round cake tin. (I use a loose bottomed one)

Greaseproof paper

Brown paper

String

Scissors

Pen or pencil

Wooden spoon

Spatula

Step 3: Twas the Night Before Baking

The night before you intend to bake gather up the ingredients from group 1.

So that's the currants, raisins, sultanas, cherries, candied peel and brandy.

Try to remove any little stalks from the fruit, it's a bit fiddly but worth it. Otherwise, some of the more expensive brands have less stalks and would save a bit of time but put the cost of the cake up.

Mix all the fruit in a large mixing bowl, pour on the brandy and give it a good mix.

Cover the bowl with a clean tea towel and leave overnight.

Feel free to give it a stir from time to time during the evening, I just love the smell!

Step 4: Baking Day

The cake will be in the oven for 4-5 hours so make sure you have no plans to go anywhere!

Preheat the oven to 140°C, gas mark 1.

Sift group 2 ingredients into a large mixing bowl.

Add group 3 ingredients. (The treacle might be easier to use if warmed a little)

Beat until well mixed.

You can use an electric mixer for this part, or a wooden spoon. A strong wooden spoon. I have been known to break wooden spoons trying to mix this cake!

Fold in the soaked fruit, and the group 4 ingredients.

Pop to one side while you prepare the tin.

Step 5: Preparing the Tin

It's worth taking a little time to prepare the cake tin.

Firstly, lightly grease the inside. I find the spray oils quite useful here, a few squirts then brush round with a pastry brush.

Stand the tin on top of a doubled over piece of greaseproof paper, draw round the tin and cut out the circle. (You'll have 2 circles now.

Put one circle of greaseproof paper in the bottom of the tin.

Next cut out a length of greaseproof paper to line the insides of the tin.

You will also need a double length of brown paper for outside the tin (make sure this will extend past the top of the tin) and 2 brown paper circles for the top of the tin.