Preheat the oven to 180°C, 350°F, Gas Mark 4.

To make the cake: Cream the fat and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a 15 ml spoon of flour with the second egg. Fold in the remaining flour with a metal spoon, then the hot water.

Turn the mixture into two 2 x 30 cm Swiss roll tins. Bake in the oven for 20 to 25 minutes, cool on a wire rack.

To make the butter icing: Beat the butter with half the icing sugar until smooth. Beat in the remaining icing sugar with the milk. Sandwich the cakes together with a quarter of the icing. Cut to tree shape. Stick 2 cut out pieces together with a little icing and shape to form the tub.

Make the apricot glaze by heating the jam and water in a small pan gently until dissolved. Add the lemon juice and sieve, returning to the pan. Simmer until syrupy. Whilst warm, brush the cut edges of the cake with the apricot glaze and leave to dry. Colour one quarter of the icing red, 2 x 15 ml spoons yellow and the remainder green. Spread the green icing over the tree, then fork up.

Spread the red icing over the tub, attach to the tree and pipe yellow rosettes around the tub. Stick on the star, silver balls, sweets and candles.