Have you made your Christmas cake yet?

One of the first, and probably most pleasurable, of the advance preparations for Christmas is making the cake. For me, it's all the more enjoyable because I haven't yet got caught in the build-up of panic and pressure that will be inevitable later on. I am still under the happy illusion that this year is going to be well-planned and ordered – after all, here am I making the cake weeks ahead! 

Ideally, and if everything is going to plan, we are at the end of October or the beginning of November. Cakes made now, and 'fed' regularly in the meantime, will have matured and be at their very best for Christmas. The first mouthful may be a long way off yet, but making the cake will provide the first evocative preview as all the fruits and spices, citrus peels and booze combine to fill the house with that unmistakable Christmassy baking aroma. The joy of anticipation starts right here.

If you haven't made a Christmas cake before, the first step is to choose which kind of cake you want: the dark, spicy, moist, traditional variety, or perhaps one of the lighter versions? Maybe you've been making the same kind for several years, and you'd like to try something new? On the website you will find a cake for every taste.

The top five rules of cake-making

It is absolutely crucial to use the correct-sized tin.
You must have a reliable recipe.
You need to weigh the ingredients correctly.
Once the cake is in the oven, don't open the door.
Make sure your oven is functioning correctly.