Cooking time: 3 1.4-3 1/2 hours
Preparation time: 1 hour
Main cooking utensils: 8-9 inch spring form pan, brown and wax paper, pastry bag and nozzles
Oven temperature: 325-350° for 1 hour, then 275-300°F. for rest of time.
Oven Position: Center
For 20-26 servings
1/2 lemon
1 cup butter
1 cup brown sugar, firmly packed
5 eggs
1 tablespoon brandy, sherry or lemon juice
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon and mixed spice
1/2 cup ground almonds
14 cup candied cherries
scant 1/2 cup shopped candied peel
2 cups seedless white raisins
2 cups currants
2/3 cups raisins

Royal Icing:
4 egg whites
7 cups sifted confectioners’ sugar
juice of 2 lemons
pink, green, and yellow food coloring

1. Grate rind from the lemon, squeeze the juice if using instead of brandy.

2. Cream butter, sugar, and lemon rind until soft, then gradually add the eggs beaten with the brandy. Fold in a little sifted flour if the mixture shows signs of curdling.

3. Add the rest of the ingredients.

4. Put mixture into prepared pan and bake for the time and temperatures given. TO test if cooked listen carefully: a faint humming indicates it is still not cooked. With this type of cake you can cover the top with wax paper to prevent it becoming too dark.

5. Cool in cake pan for 10 minutes. Finish cooling on a wire rack. Store in airtight tin until ready to ice.

6. Whip egg whites and confectioners’ sugar until very shiny and white, beat in lemon juice. Tint half icing pale pink, coat cake, spreading icing evenly with warm damp spatula. Cover remainder of icing with with damp paper or cloth.

7. To decorate the sides – color some icing green and pipe around the sides as shown in the picture. Top – use writing nozzle for greetings. Roses – color half remaining icing yellow, half pink. Using a petal nozzle, pipe center of rose on wax paper, then carefully build up petals around this until you have the desired shape. All to harden. Remove from wax paper and secure to top and sides of cake with icing. Trellis around edge – use pink icing and writing nozzle and work lines of trellis.

Printed in Canada. ©Copyright Paul Hamlyn Ltd 1967