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Rich and fruity gluten-free bake
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 stars. 1 Rating
Rate this recipe
- Difficulty: Easy
- Serves 8+
- Gluten Free
Preparation
- Total time
- 3 Hrs 50 Mins
- Preparation time
- 20 Mins
- Cooking time
- 3 Hrs 30 Mins
450g currants
170g sultanas
170g raisins
55g mixed peel
55g glace cherries
Grated rind of 1 lemon
Grated rind of 1 orange
4 tbsp brandy or rum
140g ground almonds
55g rice flour
30g cornflour
2 tsp mixed spice (check for wheat flour in the ingredients)
1/2 tsp salt
225g butter or dairy-free margarine
225g soft dark brown sugar
4 eggs, beaten
2 tbsp black treacle
55g almonds, roughly chopped, raised
Place the dried fruit, orange and lemon zest in a bowl. Stir in the brandy or rum, cover and soak overnight.
Preheat the oven to 150°C. Grease a 20cm round, deep cake tin and line the base and sides with greaseproof paper.
Mix the ground almonds, rice flour and corn flour in a bowl with the mixed spice and salt.
In a separate mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugar together with a wooden spoon until pale and fluffy. Beat the eggs (or fruit purée) into the creamed butter and sugar, a tablespoon at a time. If the mixture starts to curdle, mix in a spoonful of flour and almonds.
Fold the flour mixture into the butter and egg (or purée) mixture. Stir in 1 to 2 tablespoons of tepid water if the mixture is a little stiff.
Stir the treacle and chopped almonds into the soaked fruit and fold this into the cake mixture. Do not beat or the air you have incorporated will be lost. Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top with the back of spoon.
Secure a double layer of brown paper around the outside of the tin with string, extending 5cm above the tin.
Cover the top of the cake with two pieces of greaseproof paper cut to the size of the tin and make a hole in the centre to allow the steam to escape.
Bake for 3½ - 4 hours. Do not open the oven door until the cake has been cooking for 3 hours or it may collapse. Remove the greaseproof paper, cover and allow the cake to brown for the last half an hour. The cake is cooked when the cake is evenly browned on top, feels firm in the centre and a skewer, inserted into the middle of the cake, comes out clean.
Turn the cake out of the tin and allow to cool in its lining paper on a wire rack. Once cold, make holes 2.5cm apart through to the bottom of the cake and carefully drizzle 2 tablespoons of brand or rum over the surface of the cake.
To store, leave the cake in its lining paper and wrap tightly in 2 or 3 layers of cling film, then in foil. Place in an airtight container and store somewhere cool and dry. Once a month, unwrap the cake and pour over 1-2 tablespoon of alcohol.
The cake can be covered with marzipan and icing up to three weeks before it is to be eaten.
Tips
Got gluten-free guests or family members to cook for this Christmas? Simply swap a classic Christmas cake recipe for this delicious gluten-free version. Not only will everyone be able to have a slice, no-one will be able to taste the difference.
Don't forget to add some festive figurines to your Christmas cake - whether it's Santa and his sleigh, a red robin, or Rudolph!
You don't have to eat it all in one go either; store your fruitcake wrapped in parchment and then foil - it’ll keep for around six weeks in a clean tin.
Remember - kids under five shouldn't eat large pieces of nuts, so use crushed or ground almonds if they're likely to want to tuck in too.
If you're worried about the top of your cake browning too much, simply place a circle or square of greased baking paper on top of the cake before it goes in the oven.
Variations
To make this cake egg-free, swap the eggs for 225ml apple puree instead. If you want to make it vegan, switch out the butter for a dairy-free version.
If you're not keen on adding alcohol to your cake mixture, you can omit it, or replace with orange juice instead. By pre-soaking your fruit overnight and choosing lighter and more flavoursome fruits, you'll still get the same delicious taste and texture.
If you DO fancy a boozy Christmas cake though, you can feed the cake with spiced rum, sloe gin, whisky, sherry or madeira.
Try adding apricots or dates if you like a particularly sweet Christmas cake.
How to serve:
With its fondant icing and marzipan, your Christmas cake should be sweet enough, but if you like, you could heat it up and serve it with single cream too.
Love gluten-free cakes?
Check out these alternatives:
- Gluten-free sticky toffee layer cake
- Gluten-free Battenburg cake
- Gluten-free hot chocolate cake
- Gluten free Simnel cake
Reviews
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 stars. 1 Rating
Rate this recipePolly L(45)
★★★★★ Rated 5 out of 5 stars.
Made this as a present for my bestie, and she said it was the best GF cake she's ever had!
Reviewed on 16/04/20
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