Place dried fruit in a bowl, cover with milk and leave to soak overnight in the fridge.

The next day, preheat oven to 160°C and line a medium (23cm diameter) springform cake tin with baking paper.

Stir flour into fruit mixture until evenly combined and smooth into prepared tin.

Bake until it is risen, set and golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean (check after about 1¼ hours and return to oven for a little longer if needed).

Remove from oven and, while still hot, brush with sherry, rum or whisky, if using.

Cool in the tin before turning out.

Stored in an airtight container, it will keep for 3-4 weeks.

Just before serving, dust with icing sugar, using paper doily cut-outs or snowflake stencils to create festive patterns.

For a vegan version use almond milk instead of milk. Fruit juice and ginger ale also work well. For a gluten-free version use gluten-free self-raising flour and if you are highly sensitive to gluten use sherry or rum instead of whiskey.