Step 1

Tie a thick, wide band of folded newspaper around the outside of the tin. Fold another wad of newspaper into a pad to fit under the tin and put it on a baking sheet. Heat the oven to 160°C/140°C fan/gas 3 and position one of the oven racks on the bottom rung of the oven.

Step 2

Sift the flour, baking powder, salt and spice into a large mixing bowl (or the large bowl of a stand mixer). Add the ground almonds, softened butter, sugar and eggs and beat for about 1 minute with an electric hand mixer (or in a stand mixer) until thoroughly mixed. Stir in the rum butter mincemeat, mixed dried fruit, glacé cherries, stem ginger and chopped almonds.

Step 3

Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin and level the surface with the back of the spoon.

Step 4

Tear off a double thickness sheet of non-stick baking paper, large enough to cover the top of the tin generously, then cut a hole in the centre about the size of a £2 coin. Put the cake on top of the wad of newspaper, then slide the tray into the oven on the bottom shelf. Lay the sheet of non-stick baking paper over the top of the tin and bake for 2 hours or until a skewer pushed into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Step 5

Leave the cake to cool in the tin on a wire cooling rack. When it’s completely cold, remove from the tin and peel away the baking paper (see Get Ahead). Wrap tightly in non-stick baking paper and foil and store in an airtight tin, feeding with rum every week if you want to. Store in a cool, dry place until ready to add marzipan and ice the cake.