Gluten-free Christmas Cake

October half-term is the traditional time for me to make the Christmas Cake, and I've been using the same recipe for many years.

I've adapted it by using plain gluten-free flour instead of normal wheat flour. The thing about gluten-free flour is that any cake you make can tend to be rather dry. For sponge cakes, you need to add 5 tablespoons of milk to get that springy texture, but that doesn't work for a rich fruit cake which has to be firmer to hold the fruit.

So I also add some extra egg, that is 3 instead of 2½; use chopped dried apricots instead of mixed fruit peel, because they add more moisture; and substitute ground almonds for flaked almonds to help prevent it drying out too much.

Recipe for Gluten-free Christmas Cake

Turn on oven to 150° C, 300° F, or Gas Mark 2.
Grease and line a deep 7 inch cake tin with a double layer of baking paper, or greased greaseproof paper.

Mix together in a large bowl:
8 oz currants
3½ oz sultanas
3½ oz raisins
2½ oz glacé cherries - halved, washed in warm water and dried on paper towel
2 oz chopped dried apricots
2 oz ground almonds
½ rind from one lemon, grated

In another bowl sift together:
6 oz Doves Farm Gluten Free Plain White Flour
½ tspn ground cinnamon
¼ tspn ground mixed spice

In yet another large bowl beat together:
5oz butter
5oz soft brown sugar

Then add 3 large eggs, one by one, adding a little of the flour mixture after each to stop it getting too sloppy.

Fold in the rest of the flour, and then the dried fruit mixture. Turn out into the prepared tin and smooth surface, making a little dip in the middle so the cake rises with a flat top, easier for icing.
Tie a double sheet of newspaper around the tin to extend about 2'' above the top to stop it burning before the centre is cooked.

Cook for about 2½ hours. Test with a skewer. If it comes out clean then your cake is done, if not put it back for 15 minutes and check again.

When cooked, let it cool in the tin and then turn out onto a wire rack. Remove the lining paper and prick all over the bottom with a skewer.

Carefully spoon a few tablespoons of brandy over the cake and wrap in greaseproof paper and foil and store in a cool dry place. This can be repeated monthly until you are ready to ice your cake in December.

This photo shows my favourite stage in the cake-making process when all the dried fruit is mixed together. It smells like Christmas and the colours are magical. I hope that if you try my ideas, they work for you, and you can enjoy a Gluten-free Christmas Cake too!