Put the dried mixed fruit and dried cherries in a bowl. Drizzle over the brandy, cover with a tea towel and leave overnight.

Preheat the oven to 130 degrees Celsius. Double line a large cake tin with baking parchment.

Put the zest and juice of the orange and lemon, the butter and the sugar into a small pan over a low heat. Cook gently until the butter has melted and the sugar is mostly dissolved.

Tip this mixture into the dried fruit bowl and stir well.

Add the flour, ground and flaked almonds, baking powder, mixed spice, cloves, cinnamon and eggs to the bowl. Mix this really well until everything is combined. Remember to make a wish!

Pour the mixture into the prepared cake tin. Flatten with a spatula, then place the blanched almonds around the edges in a circle.

Put the cake in the oven and cook for 2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Cool completely in the tin.

Remove from the tin, poke holes over the top and drizzle with a little more brandy. Wrap in baking parchment and tin foil. Feed every 2 weeks with a little more brandy.