In a bowl, cream the margarine and sugar together until slightly pale and fluffy.
Add the treacle to the bowl and beat in.
Add the eggs, one by one. Sprinkle some flour in the bowl and mix again. Keep alternating until all of the eggs and all of the flour is added.
Add the mixed fruit, mixed peel, glace cherries, blanched almonds, ground almonds, mixed spice and nutmeg.
Finally, grate your lemon rind into the bowl.
Mix and make a wish!
Pour your cake mix into your prepared tin.
Bake your Christmas cake in the oven for 3 to 3 1/2 hours. It’s ready when a skewer pushed into the centre of the cake comes out clean.
Once baked, allow the cake to cool in its tin for 15 minutes.
Then, transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely.
Cover your Christmas cake with marzipan
When your cake has cooled, turn upside down so that the flat edge is on top and brush all over with a thin layer of apricot jam. This will help the marzipan stick.
Dust your work surface with icing sugar to stop any sticking, then knead your marzipan until it’s soft and smooth.
Dust your surface again, if necessary and roll your marzipan out into a rough disc shape, large enough to cover the whole cake with a little to spare.
Roll the marzipan over your rolling pin, then gently lay on top of the cake, smooth off down the sides with the palm of your hand. Trim the base with a sharp knife.
Cover your Christmas cake with white sugar paste
Dust your work surface with icing sugar again.
Roll your sugar paste out into a rough disc shape, large enough to cover the whole cake with a little to spare.
Roll the sugar paste over your rolling pin, then gently lay on top of the cake, smooth off down the sides with the palm of your hand. Trim the base with a sharp knife.
Extra decorations for your Christmas cake
Knead your white sugar paste back into a ball and divide into two.
Flatten each ball of sugar paste. Put 2-3 drops of green food colouring on one and 2-3 drops of red food colouring on the other.
Knead each ball until they are evenly coloured.
Dust your work surface again and roll the green sugar paste out thinly.
Use a sharp knife to cut out holly leaf shapes. If you like, you can use the point of the knife to score veins onto the leaves.
Take small pieces of the red sugar paste and roll into balls to form holly berries.
Your hands may have colour on them so wash and dry them before you continue or you may stain the white sugar paste.
Apply your leaves and berries to the cake, using a wet finger to help them stick.