James Martin make a delicious classic Christmas cake with malt whisky and candid fruit on Home Comforts at Christmas.

James says: “The key to a good Christmas cake, is to feed it with a good amount of alcohol. Which alcohol you choose is up to you.”

The ingredients for the cake are: 100g chopped dried apricots, 175g sultanas, 150g raisins, 100g glacé cherries, washed, dried and halved, 75g stem ginger, chopped, 125ml single malt whisky, plus extra for feeding, 1 orange, zest and juice, 175g soft dark brown sugar, 175g butter, softened, plus extra for greasing, 3 free-range eggs, 175g plain flour, 1 tsp ground mixed spice and 1 tsp ground ginger.

For the icing: 200g icing sugar, 1 free-range egg white, 1 tbsp glycerine and 150g mixed whole glacé fruit, such as dates, cherries and oranges, halved or sliced, to decorate.