1. Place the rooibos tea bags in a saucepan or heatproof bowl and pour over the boiling water. Leave to steep for about 10 minutes.
2. Remove the tea bags, squeezing out every last drop before discarding them.
3. Add the fruit cake mix, chopped cherries, butter, and sugar to the tea.
4. Bring the mixture to a gentle boil and simmer for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda, then leave the mixture to cool completely.
6. Preheat your oven to 170°C.
7. Grease and line a 22 cm round or square cake tin with baking paper, then lightly grease the paper as well.
8. Once the fruit mixture has cooled, stir in the flour, beaten eggs, and chopped nuts until everything is well combined.
9. Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the surface.
10. Bake for approximately 1 hour, or until the cake is well risen and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
11. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning it out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
12. Once fully cooled, wrap the cake in foil, followed by cling wrap, and store it in an airtight container until you’re ready to decorate.

Helpful Tips

1. If the top of the cake starts browning too quickly, loosely cover it with foil during the final part of the baking time.
2. For a richer flavour, replace 100 ml of the boiling water with 100 ml of brandy and use 275 ml of boiling water instead.
3. Prefer not to use alcohol? Fresh orange juice makes a delicious alternative.

Feeding the Cake

1. If you’re making the cake a few weeks before Christmas, feed it once a week for up to three weeks.
2. Simply drizzle 2 tablespoons of brandy evenly over the cake, then wrap it up again in foil and cling wrap after each feeding. This helps keep the cake wonderfully moist while allowing the flavours to develop.

Decorating with Marzipan and Fondant

1. Brush the top and sides with a thin layer of warmed apricot jam. This helps the marzipan stick securely.
2. Roll the marzipan out evenly and carefully drape it over the cake, smoothing it into place before trimming away any excess.
3. Next, roll out the white fondant icing and place it over the marzipan. Smooth the surface and trim the edges neatly for a polished finish.
4. Complete your festive masterpiece with Christmas-themed fondant decorations and finish with a ribbon tied around the cake for an elegant holiday presentation.