Christmas cake

1.In a large ceramic bowl, combine fruit and brandy. Mix well. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside overnight.

2.Preheat oven to very slow, 120°C. Line base and sides of a 23cm square cake pan with 2 layers of brown paper and baking paper, allowing it to come 2.5cm above the rim of pan.

3.In the large bowl of an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in marmalade and vanilla. Transfer to a very large bowl.

4.Fold half fruit and half flour into creamed mixture. Fold in remaining fruit and flour. Pour carefully into pan, smoothing top.

5.Bake for 2 1/2-3 hours, until a skewer inserted in centre comes out clean and dry. Brush with extra brandy. Cool completely in pan, covered with a layer of foil and a clean tea towel.

6.DECORATION: Brush top and sides of cake with sugar syrup. Using a rolling pin, roll icing out between two sheets of baking paper to a 35cm square. Lift icing onto rolling pin and drape over cake. Gently smooth over edges with cornfloured hands. Trim edges, if required. Using star-shaped cookie cutters as a guide, brush icing inside cutters with extra sugar syrup. Sprinkle cachous over syrup. Carefully lift off cutter shapes. Wrap ribbon around base of cake and secure with a pin or double-sided tape.