Last-minute Christmas cake

Last-minute Christmas cake Melt butter in a large saucepan on medium. Stir in the brown sugar. Add the dried fruit, baking soda, brandy and 1½ cups water. Increase heat to high and stir thoroughly until sugar melts. Reduce heat to low and cook for 5 minutes, stirring once or twice. Cover. Leave overnight to soak.

Preheat oven to 150½C. Grease a 22cm round cake tin. Line base and sides with 1 layer of brown paper, then 2 layers of baking paper.

Add eggs to the fruit mixture and mix well. Sift flours and mixed spice together. Fold into fruit mixture. Spoon into prepared tin. Level the top and then drop tin sharply onto the benchtop to settle mixture.

Bake for 2 hours 40 minutes, until a skewer inserted comes out clean. Remove from the tin. Sprinkle with extra brandy. Wrap in a tea towel and place on a wire rack until cool. Wrap cake in baking paper and foil and store in a cool, dark place.

Using an electric mixer, beat together all icing ingredients until pale and smooth. Spread over cake.

For the cranberry decoration, beat the egg white until frothy and brush lightly over cranberries. Sprinkle lightly with caster sugar and set aside for 5-10 minutes to dry. Top cake with frosted cranberries to serve.

From Taste magazine, December 2009.