Gifts from THE PANTRY

Festival cake

This spectacular-looking cake is surprisingly simple to make, with most of the effort being in preparing the fruit and nuts. Delicious and impressive, it is a cake that will take pride of place at any special occasion.

SERVES 24

150g mixed candied peel
150g organic dried apricots, roughly chopped
450g sultanas
250g crystallized pineapple, chopped
130g crystallized ginger, chopped
250g whole glacé cherries, assorted colours, roughly chopped
160ml brandy
200g salted butter, soft
160g light muscovado sugar
6 eggs
360g plain flour
150g chopped pecans
260g chopped Brazil nuts topping
75g organic dried apricots
100g whole glacé cherries, assorted colours
30g whole blanched almonds
50g pecan halves
3 tablespoons apricot jam (optional) empty 400g can (such as a baked bean can) 23cm/9inch round, loose-based cake pan, lined with baking parchment

the day before you want to bake it. Put the mixed peel, chopped apricots, sultanas, crystallized pineapple and ginger and chopped