Christmas Cake and Festive Mood...

My Christmas cake drinks alcohol like crazy...Is now all soaked with brandy. Cannot wait to try it, my first Christmas cake! Now I am debating if decorating it with icing is necessary. It will look pretty but I am not a big fan of icing, it is way to sweet. Well, maybe I find a way to decorate it with something else, will see.

125g butter
150g dark brown soft sugar
250g mix dried fruits (sultanas, raisins, candied orange peel etc.)
200g currants
120g glacé cherries, quartered
Juice and grated zest of 1 large orange
100ml brandy, plus extra for "feeding"
2 eggs, lightly beaten
250g self-raising flour, sifted
½ tsp baking powder
½ tsp ground mixed spice
½ tsp ground cinnamon

Grease a deep, 20cm, loose-based cake tin and lay with baking paper. Preheat the oven to 150°C
Put the butter, sugar, dried fruit, cherries, orange zest and juice and 100ml brandy into a pan. Heat gently until the butter melts, then bring to the boil. Simmer gently for 5 minutes. Leave to cool for 30 minutes.
Mix the remaining ingredients with the fruit. Spoon into the tin and smooth out. Bake in the centre of the oven for 2-2½ hours. If the top gets too brown, cover with scrunched up foil. After 2 hours, test with a skewer to see if it is done - it should come out clean. When done, cool in the tin for 30 minutes. 
Remove from the tin, peel off the paper. Prick the top of the cake all over with a skewer. Drizzle over 2 tbsp brandy. Leave to cool completely. Wrap in 2 layers of greaseproof paper and a layer of foil. "Feed" with brandy every 2 weeks until Christmas. 

These says my kitchen smells of cinnamon, ginger, cranberries and mulled wine. Outside everything is covered with snow and I really think that this year Christmas is going to be just perfect..