I’ve always enjoyed Christmas cake, especially when it’s moist with lots of sweet fruit. It’s the cake that ‘looks’ healthy! Well it mostly is…. but really it’s not Christmas without a little sugar and grog.
With normal flour the Christmas cake can become very filling and if you’re sensitive to gluten or gluten intolerant, then when mixed with the sugars in the fruit and alcohol you will feel very bloated and gassy, and your symptoms may flare up. So we’re using Gluten Free Flours.
I’ve deliberately not included nuts, as so many people are sensitive to nuts, especially children or those with asthma and skin allergies.
A small slice of this rich gluten free Christmas cake will be very rewarding and add to the festivities of Christmas.
Serves: 14 slices Time: 2 hrs cooking plus ½ hr preparation
Gluten free and Nut Free Christmas Cake
Ingredients
- 200 g prunes or cherries (de-stoned)
- 40 g candied fruit
- 200 g raisins
- 200 g currants
- 200 g dried cranberries
- 140 g glacé cherries
- 125 ml dark rum
- 125 ml port or brandy
- 250 g unsalted butter (room temperature, plus extra for greasing)
- 250 g gluten-free plain flour (plus extra for dusting )
- 1 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Fine sea salt
- 300 g dark brown sugar
- 5 large free-range eggs
WHITE CHRISTMAS ICING
- 3 large free-range eggs
- 700 g icing sugar
- ½ a squeezed lemon juice
Method
- Roughly chop the prunes or cherries and candied fruit, then place in a large bowl with the other dried fruit. Pour over half the dark rum and half the port/brandy. Cover and leave to soak overnight.
- The next day. Preheat the oven to 150°C/300ºF/gas 2. Grease a springform cake tin (roughly 26cm) with butter, then sprinkle a small amount of gluten free flour around the sides and the bottom of the tin, tipping out any excess.
- Sift the GF flour, allspice, nutmeg and a pinch of salt into a large bowl.
- In another bowl, beat the butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. Crack in the eggs, one at a time, beating well before adding the next, then stir in the soaked fruit and soaking liquid. Fold in the flour mixture until combined.
- Spoon the cake mixture into the prepared cake tin, then place in the hot oven for around 2 hours, or until golden and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Once ready, poke holes all over the top of the cake, using a skewer. Combine the remaining port and rum in a jug, then pour it over the cake while it’s still warm.
- Set the cake aside to cool completely, then remove from the tin and place on a large plate.
- WHITE ICING: Separate the egg whites (keep the yolks for another day) and place into a large bowl, then whisk well until frothy.
- Sift the icing sugar into another large bowl, then gradually add it, a tablespoon at a time, to the egg whites, mixing continuously until combined. Stir in the lemon juice, then beat the icing until stiff peaks form.
- Take a palette knife to spread the icing all over the whole cake, drawing it up slightly so you get little peaks. Let it harden, then serve.