Clare Latimer of Clare’s Kitchen in Primrose Hill has a great seasonal cake recipe for those of you who have left it a bit late to make a Christmas pudding

Panic, we are into December and the Christmas cake has not been made yet. This happens to me every year but it is not too late.
This year’s best reminder of the time of year was the turning on of the Christmas lights in Regent’s Park Road in Primrose Hill. It gets better every year and this year we had had the children from St Paul’s School in Elsworthy Road to sing carols and even Father Christmas dropped in with some presents and £500 was raised for The Children’s Cancer Trust.
One drama hit the high street when the waterwork repair men announced they were shutting the road for the three weeks leading up to Christmas but luckily the voice of Primrose Hill was heard and they have decided to postpone work until into the New Year. A big thank you from the shopkeepers who have paid for the decorations.
Popping into all the shops that had stayed open I realised how many places have many hidden treasures.
For example, the newly refurbished Blanchard Interiors has a host of wonderful presents starting at very low prices.
In fact I have nearly bought up the shop and they tell me that they are getting many more items this week.
Also Fitzroys Flower Shop which to my mind takes the award for their own Christmas decorations this year has much more than flowers. Truly stunning Christmas cards that are worthy of a frame after sitting on the mantelpiece, beautiful albums, scented candles and much more.

CHRISTMAS CAKE

Ingredients
• 500g 1lb currants
• 500g 1 lb raisins
• 500g 1 lb sultanas
• 125g 4 oz glace cherries
• 125g 4 oz blanched almonds
• 125g 4oz citrus peel
• Eight tbsp brandy
• 550g 18 oz plain flour
• Half teasp salt
• 1 level teasp mixed spice
• 1 level teasp ground nutmeg
• 1 level teasp cinnamon powder
• Half level teasp ground cloves
• 125g 4 oz ground almonds
• Rind and juice of 1 large lemon
• 350g 12oz unsalted butter
• 285g 10oz soft dark brown sugar
• Eight to nine large eggs
• Marzipan, Royal icing

Instructions
Preheat the oven to 130C 250F Gas 1/2
Butter a 10-inch cake tin and line it with greaseproof paper. Put all the dry ingredients, from the list above, down to and including the brandy into a bowl and leave for a few hours.
Sift all the dry ingredients down to and including the ground almonds into a large bowl. Cream together in another bowl the grated lemon rind, butter and sugar until fluffy and then beat in the eggs one at a time. Stir in the fruit and flour mixtures.
The mixture should be soft and moist.
If necessary add a little milk and stir again.
Spoon the mixture into the cake tin, level off the top and bake for 1 hour. Reduce the heat and bake for a further 3 1/2 to 4 hours at 125C 225F Gas 1/4. The cake is done when it starts to shrink from the sides. Remove from tin and cool on a wire rack.
When cold, wrap well in greaseproof paper and then foil. Seal and hide until a few days before Christmas. I will give you the Royal recipe icing then.