In a large bowl with mixed dried fruit, Add the brandy and give a good mix. Then cover with clingfilm and soak for 3 nights in the fridge.

On the fourth day(after 3 nights of soaking mixed fruits in brandy), Grease and line a 20cm cake tin, preferably with a removable base.

Preheat the oven to 150°C.

With an electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar and black treacle until paler and fluffy. Gradually add the eggs, beating each one at a time.

Add the flour and mix with spatula. I don't use electric mixer for the flour.

Now add the mixed fruits, almond powder. It might look a bit messy at this point but that's how it would be.

Pour into the pan. Top it with almonds. This will help for good appearance Incase we don't have time to decorate later!

Cover the pan with parchment paper to overturn the top layer. Keep the pan in oven for 3 hours at 140 *C

Switch off oven. Allow cake to cool down.

Keep in airtight container.

On the day of decorating, knead the marzipan and roll it over. I did according to Waitrose video on YouTube.

You need 2 TSP apricot jam a bit heated to apply on cake so that marzipan sticks to it.

12 hours after marzipan dried, I applied the fondant icing similar to how marzipan was kneaded, rolled and stuck on cake. Cut out the edges.

Then stick the edible stars

Keep in airtight cake container until ready to display.