Dust the work surface with icing sugar, shape the marzipan into a ball and roll into a circle so it is slightly bigger than the diameter of the cake. The traditional Christmas dessert tends to be quite rich, so we would suggest serving alongside a cup of tea for elevenses, or later in the afternoon.

Regardless, you’re in safe hands here – the Good Housekeeping Institute has been testing Christmas cakes for over 20 years, so our experts know exactly what they’re looking for. Our criteria? Rich, sweet and perfectly spiced cakes filled with plump fruits, a good splash of booze and just the right ratio of marzipan to icing. Mr Rix Stop using polystyrene tubes as a filler. It would have been 5 stars apart from the horrid polystyreme tube wotsit looking thigs that you used as a filler this year underneath the shredded straw. It has always just been shredded straw in previous years. The polystyrene this year looks cheap and nasty. Prepare the tin: line the base and sides with a double layer of baking paper. Then make a 'lid' out of baking paper. Do this by cutting a circle slightly smaller than the diameter of the cake tin. Cut a 20p sized hole in the centre and set aside. Marks and Spencer's cake is a great alternative if you don't have the time, or baking skills to make your own. Not only does it look really pretty, but it tastes rich and full of all those lovely spices that go down so well at Christmas. It was hard to find fault with this cake. Spoon the mixture into the tin and smooth the surface level. Make a deep well in the centre of the cake and place the prepared lid on top.

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Asda's Christmas bar stood out for its texture. Unlike the others which were rather dense, this one was a lot lighter and somewhat fluffy. I would describe it as 'cake-y'. The sultanas were big and juicy and the crumbs were nice and soft. The icing was very sweet.

The cake will be a dark golden brown with a soft spring when gently pressed and a thin aerated crust layer on the top. null Christmas in a basket. Wow. So many delicious and naughty Christmas treats. Some lovely wines and chocolates, biscuits and nuts. Tried to buy more of the Christmas pudding flavour biscuits, but sold out everywhere. The non alcoholic juice came in handy for visitors who helped share the bounty. Basket was very sturdy and will no doubt be useful for years to come. Looking forward to next years hamper already.Minimum life based on 'use-by' date of product. Average life based on last week's deliveries. Life guarantee shown based on delivery tomorrow with the Life guarantee starting the following day.