I'll have my cake, & eat it too

Time to get the Christmas cake sorted, which is something I’ve been meaning to do. Following a trip to Tesco’s (and a to-do in the car park with a mad woman) I now have:

The hardware:

a big new mixing bowl, wooden spoons, wooden spatulas

The software:

175g (6 oz) raisins
350g (12 oz) glace cherries, rinsed, thoroughly dried and quartered
500g (1lb 2oz) currants
350g (12oz) sultanas
150ml (¼ pint) sherry, plus extra for feeding
Finely grated zest of 2 oranges
250g (9oz) butter, softened
250g (9oz) light muscovado sugar
4 eggs
1 tbsp black treacle
75g (3oz) blanched almonds, chopped
75g (3oz) self-raising flour
175g (6oz) plain flour
1½ tsp mixed spice

& odds & sods to finish and decorate:
About 3 tbsp apricot jam, sieved and warmed
Icing sugar
675g shop-bought almond paste
Packet royal icing mix to cover 23cm/9in cake

Can’t you just taste it already?