the house with the wonderful scents of Christmas puddings and cakes.

Fortunately, many traditional holiday cakes can be made well before the hustle and bustle of the yuletide season starts to engulf you.

So here are a few festive cake recipes which will get a head start on your holiday baking.

POUND CAKE 4 cups flour 1 pound butter 2 1/2 cups sugar 2 tablespoons gin 2 tablespoons lemon juice 12 eggs separated 1 teaspoon salt IN order for this cake to be a success the butter must be very soft. In a large bowl cream butter and flour. Set aside. In another bowl beat egg yolks and sugar together. Set aside.

Beat eggs whites until they stand in peaks. Add egg whites to egg yolks and sugar mixture. Stir well. To this mixture add gin, lemon juice and salt.

Combine this mixture with the butter and flour mixture. Mix well.

Pour the mixture into 2 well greased loaf pans. Use shortening to grease pans.

Bake at 350 degrees for about 1 hour. Once baked remove cakes from pans promptly and cool on wire racks.

FRUIT CAKE 2 packages seedless raisins 2 pounds mixed peel 1/2 pound cherries 3 cups black rum PLACE raisins, mixed peel and cherries into a large bottle. Add 3 cups black rum and allow to stand for one month or longer. Turn the bottle occasionally so that all the fruit will be well soaked with rum.

4 cups flour 1 teaspoon salt 1 pound butter 12 eggs (separated) 2 1 cups brown sugar 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon allspice 1 teaspoon cinnamon 1 teaspoon essence of almonds, lemon and vanilla IN a large bowl cream together butter and flour. Set aside. In another bowl beat together egg yolks and brown sugar. Set aside.

In yet another bowl beat egg whites until stiff. Add egg whites to egg yolks and sugar mixture. Add all liquid flavourings and salt. Stir well.

Add this mixture to flour and butter. Stir well. Add spices, baking soda and soaked fruit. Mix thoroughly to distribute fruit. Pour into 3 greased loaf pans. Bake at 250 degrees F for two hours.

CHERRY NUT CAKE 1 cup sugar 1/2 pound unsalted butter 6 medium eggs, separated 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1/2 teaspoon lemon extract 1 tablespoon Gosling's Black Seal Rum 1 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons flour 1 pound glazed cherries, chopped 1 pound walnuts, chopped Brown paper or baker's parchment Additional 2 tablespoons Gosling's Black Seal Rum IN a mixer, cream together the butter and the sugar until light and fluffy. In a separate bowl, beat the egg yolks until pale and creamy. Add the vanilla, lemon and Gosling's Black Seal Rum.

Beat this mixture into the butter and sugar mixture until well combined.

Slowly beat in the flour a little at a time. Beat the egg whites to stiff peaks and fold into the flour mixture. Toss the cherries and walnuts with a little flour to give them a dusting.

Grease and flour a standard loaf pan and line the bottom and sides with brown paper or baker's parchment. Put sightly less then half the batter in the pan.

Sprinkle with a layer of cherries and walnuts. Top with remaining batter. Bake in a pre-heated 300 degree oven for up to 11 hours, or until the tester comes out clean.

Cool 10 minutes before turning out on to wire racks to cool completely. Remove paper. Sprinkle with additional Gosling's Black Seal Rum.

Recipe from Spirit of Bermuda Cookbook.

SPICED BUTTERMILK POUND CAKE 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, softened 1 1/4 cups sugar 3 large eggs 1 1/2 teaspoons orange extract, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract plus finely grated zest of 1 orange 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon salt 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1 cup (scant) buttermilk PREHEAT the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a 5- by 9-inch loaf pan. Line the pan with wax paper and butter the paper.

In a bowl, cream the butter, gradually adding the sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until smooth and fluffy after each addition. Mix in the orange extract or vanilla and zest.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and spices.

Mix about one-third of the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture. Blend half of the buttermilk into the batter, followed by another third dry, the rest of the buttermilk, then the rest of the dry. Mix the batter until uniformly blended.

Scrape the batter into the loaf pan and level the top. Bake for about 65 to 70 minutes, until a tester inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

Cool the cake in the pan, on a rack, for 15 minutes. Invert the cake onto a plate, then turn it back over so it rests on the rack on the wax paper bottom.

Peel down the sides of the paper. When the cake is cool, finish peeling off the paper. Slice and serve.

LUXURY FRUIT CAKE Makes one 25cm (9in) Round Cake 100 millilitre (31 fluid ounces) dark rum 100 millilitre (31 fluid ounces) medium-dry sherry 90 millilitre (3 fluid ounces) water l kilogramme (2 pounds) luxury dried mixed fruits 2 tablespoons ground mixed spice 1 tablespoon unrefined molasses sugar 225 grammes (71 ounces) butter 350 grammes (111 ounces) soft light-brown sugar 5 medium eggs, beaten 225 grammes (71 ounces) self-raising flour 100 grammes (31 ounces) mixed nuts, chopped TO COMPLETE 4 tablespoons sieved apricot jam, warmed 1 kilogramme (2 pounds) white marzipan 1 tablespoon vodka or gin 1 kilogramme (2 pounds) ready-to-roll icing or 1 kilogramme (2 pounds) royal icing mix (made according to packet instructions) POUR the rum, sherry and water into a pan and stir in the dried mixed fruit, mixed spice and molasses sugar. Bring to the boil, then simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Leave to cool.

Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C/325 degrees F/Gas 3, then grease and line a deep nine-inch round cake tin. Cream the butter and sugar until pale and light, then gradually beat in the eggs. Sift the flour and fold it into the cake mixture using a large metal spoon. Stir in the nuts, then the cooled fruit mixture and liquid.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared cake tin. Level the surface and make a shallow well in the centre to ensure a level top once cooked. Bake for 3 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin. Remove the lining paper and wrap in fresh greaseproof paper and foil.

Store in a cool, dry place for up to one month. The cake can be iced up to two weeks before serving.

To marzipan the cake, first brush it with the warmed apricot jam. Roll the marzipan into a round large enough to cover the top and sides of the cake.

Once in position, smooth the marzipan using your hands or an icing smoother.

Leave to dry for at least 1 hour.

Brush the marzipan with the vodka or gin. Roll the ready-to-roll icing into a round large enough to cover the top and sides of the cake. Carefully position it over the cake and smooth. If using royal icing, spread on to the cake and smooth or make peaks using a fork.