Christmas Genoa cake recipe
 Mary Berry's delectably moist and fruity cake is a wonderful alternative to traditional Christmas cake. It serves 12. 350g/12oz red or natural (uncoloured) glacé cherries, rinsed, dried and cut into quarters225g/8oz tinned pineapple in pineapple juice, drained, dried and roughly chopped50g/2oz ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped100g/3½oz blanched almonds, roughly chopped2 lemons, finely grated zest only350g/12oz sultanas250g/9oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing250g/9oz caster sugar5 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten250g/9oz self-raising flour75g/2½oz ground almonds 350g/12oz red or natural (uncoloured) glacé cherries, rinsed, dried and cut into quarters 225g/8oz tinned pineapple in pineapple juice, drained, dried and roughly chopped 50g/2oz ready-to-eat dried apricots, chopped 100g/3½oz blanched almonds, roughly chopped 2 lemons, finely grated zest only 350g/12oz sultanas 250g/9oz unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing 250g/9oz caster sugar 5 large free-range eggs, lightly beaten 250g/9oz self-raising flour 75g/2½oz ground almonds small handful blanched whole almondssmall handful walnut halvessmall handful red or natural (uncoloured) glacé cherries, halved50g/1¾oz whole orange peel (available from health-food shops), cut into pieces100g/3½oz apricot jam small handful blanched whole almonds small handful walnut halves small handful red or natural (uncoloured) glacé cherries, halved 50g/1¾oz whole orange peel (available from health-food shops), cut into pieces 100g/3½oz apricot jam Method Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3. Grease a deep, 23cm/9in round cake tin with butter, then line the base and sides with a double layer of baking parchment.In a bowl, gently mix together the cherries, pineapple, apricots, almonds, lemon zest and sultanas until well combined. Set aside.In a food processor, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Pour in the beaten eggs a little at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour to prevent the mixture from curdling and pulsing after each addition. Carefully fold the remaining flour and ground almonds into the cake mixture using a metal spoon, then gently fold in the fruit and nut mixture until just combined. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface using a palette knife.For the topping, decorate the cake with the blanched whole almonds, walnut halves, glacé cherry halves and orange peel.Bake the cake in the oven for 2-2¼ hours, or until golden-brown on top and cooked through. (The cake is cooked through when a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.) Cover the cake loosely with aluminium foil after one hour to prevent the top from becoming too dark.Set the cake aside in its tin to cool for 30 minutes, then remove from the tin, peel the baking parchment away from the sides and place onto a wire rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, heat the apricot jam in a small pan over a low heat, then strain through a fine sieve to remove any pieces of fruit. When the cake has cooled, brush the top all over with the warm apricot jam. Wrap a ribbon around the cake and tie with a bow, if desired, then serve. Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3. Grease a deep, 23cm/9in round cake tin with butter, then line the base and sides with a double layer of baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 160C/140C Fan/Gas 3. Grease a deep, 23cm/9in round cake tin with butter, then line the base and sides with a double layer of baking parchment. In a bowl, gently mix together the cherries, pineapple, apricots, almonds, lemon zest and sultanas until well combined. Set aside. In a bowl, gently mix together the cherries, pineapple, apricots, almonds, lemon zest and sultanas until well combined. Set aside. In a food processor, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Pour in the beaten eggs a little at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour to prevent the mixture from curdling and pulsing after each addition. In a food processor, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Pour in the beaten eggs a little at a time, adding a spoonful of the flour to prevent the mixture from curdling and pulsing after each addition. Carefully fold the remaining flour and ground almonds into the cake mixture using a metal spoon, then gently fold in the fruit and nut mixture until just combined. Carefully fold the remaining flour and ground almonds into the cake mixture using a metal spoon, then gently fold in the fruit and nut mixture until just combined. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface using a palette knife. Pour the cake mixture into the prepared tin and smooth the surface using a palette knife. For the topping, decorate the cake with the blanched whole almonds, walnut halves, glacé cherry halves and orange peel. For the topping, decorate the cake with the blanched whole almonds, walnut halves, glacé cherry halves and orange peel. Bake the cake in the oven for 2-2¼ hours, or until golden-brown on top and cooked through. (The cake is cooked through when a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.) Cover the cake loosely with aluminium foil after one hour to prevent the top from becoming too dark. Bake the cake in the oven for 2-2¼ hours, or until golden-brown on top and cooked through. (The cake is cooked through when a skewer inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.) Cover the cake loosely with aluminium foil after one hour to prevent the top from becoming too dark. Set the cake aside in its tin to cool for 30 minutes, then remove from the tin, peel the baking parchment away from the sides and place onto a wire rack to cool completely. Set the cake aside in its tin to cool for 30 minutes, then remove from the tin, peel the baking parchment away from the sides and place onto a wire rack to cool completely. Meanwhile, heat the apricot jam in a small pan over a low heat, then strain through a fine sieve to remove any pieces of fruit. When the cake has cooled, brush the top all over with the warm apricot jam. Wrap a ribbon around the cake and tie with a bow, if desired, then serve. Meanwhile, heat the apricot jam in a small pan over a low heat, then strain through a fine sieve to remove any pieces of fruit. When the cake has cooled, brush the top all over with the warm apricot jam. Wrap a ribbon around the cake and tie with a bow, if desired, then serve.