Christmas cake has a huge significance in Liz Brown’s life as it’s part of a family tradition passed on from mother to daughter for four generations. Emily Hill hears about this annual ritual and the happy memories it evokes

From Proust’s madeleines to Nora Ephron’s key lime pie, life’s most profound moments with those we love are so often defined by the food we taste. For photographer Liz Brown and her mum, Jane Spencer, it’s the taste of Christmas cake that symbolises their bond – family love has been baked into it for generations, even before they were born.

“My grandma and my mum always used to bake their Christmas cake together, then my mum would bake with me as a girl,” says Jane, 71. She, in turn, continues the family tradition with her own daughter Liz. “The day we bake the cake is like a watershed day for us,” says Jane. “Everyone loves the smell of a fruit cake, it warms the whole house and marks the transition from autumn to winter.”

Jane and Liz share the fun as they bake their Christmas cake using the recipe Jane has followed for 50 years