For some, a classic Christmas cake might feel too heavy, but Mary Berry has revealed a lighter version.

Mary Berry's light Christmas cake recipe is the perfect bake for the season, but the baker shared some key words of wisdom.

"It is very, very important to drain and dry the pineapple well," she said of her fruity bake.

A soggy cake won't appeal to anybody, and it can soon spoil if it's made with wet ingredients.

Here's how to make a deliciously light Christmas cake with Mary Berry's impressive recipe.

Light Christmas cake

Ingredients

• 350g glacé cherries
• 200g can pineapple pieces in natural juice
• 350g no-soak dried apricots
• 100g whole blanched almonds, chopped finely
• Grated rind of two lemons
• 350g sultanas
• 250g self-raising flour
• 250g caster sugar
• 250g butter, softened
• 75g ground almonds
• Five large eggs

To decorate

• Whole blanched almonds
• Glacé cherries, halved

To finish

Method

Preheat the oven to 160C (fan 140C/gas three). Grease a 23cm deep round cake tin, and line the base and sides with a double layer of greased greaseproof paper.

Cut each cherry into quarters, rinse and drain well. Drain and roughly chop the pineapple, then dry both the cherries and pineapple on absorbent kitchen paper. Snip the apricots into raisin-sized pieces.

Place the prepared fruits and nuts in a large mixing bowl with the grated lemon rind and sultanas, and mix. Add the remaining ingredients and beat well for one minute until smooth. Turn the mixture into the prepared cake tin.

Level the surface and decorate the top with blanched whole almonds and halved glacé cherries. Bake in the preheated oven for about two hours and 25 minutes, until golden brown. Insert a skewer to test – if it comes out clean, the cake is cooked.

Mary Berry added: "It may be necessary after one hour to cover it loosely in foil to prevent it getting too brown." Leave to cool in the tin for about 30 minutes, then turn out and cool completely on a wire rack.

Glaze the cake

Mix the sifted icing sugar with enough water to give a thin icing and drizzle over the top of the cake.