Dark Gluten Free Xmas Cake

Deb July 21, 2005

For those that prefer a dark cake, this is beautiful, but because it’s a boiled cake, you don’t need to mature it for a month. It will improve with maturing, but can be eaten the same day, and still be delicious. Again, this is a high carb cake.

Take a large pan, and melt together:

  • 1/2 cup water
  • 1/4 cup brandy, rum or extra water
  • Juice of one orange
  • Rind of the orange, plus rind of a lemon, finely grated
  • 170g butter or coconut oil
  • 1 cup shakkar or other unrefined sugar
  • 2 tsp mixed spice & 1 tsp ginger (or other spices of your choice)

Finely chop:

  • 900g-1kg dried fruit. Use a packeted mix, or choose your own mix, eg: 250g raisins, 250g sultanas, 150g prunes, 150g figs, 100g dates, 100g cherries

Add to the pan & simmer for 5-10 mins, stirring often, till the fruit has soaked up all the liquid. Leave to stand for 30 mins, while you prep the rest of the ingredients.

The full recipe fills a 8” x 8” (20cm x 20cm) square tin, or make a half-mix & bake in a loaf tin. Line tin with a double layer of brown paper, which comes to about double the height of the tin. Then line with a double layer of baking paper. This can also be made in the smaller star tins.

Sift together in a large bowl, and mix well:

  • 1 cup ground almonds
  • 1/2 cup white rice flour
  • 1/2 cup arrowroot
  • 2 tsp pectin, guar gum or xanthan gum
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • OR replace all except the soda with 2 cups Gluten Free Goodies Cake & Biscuit mix

Beat up:

  • 3 large or 4 small eggs

When the fruit mix has cooled to lukewarm, stir through the beaten egg. Then stir through the dry ingredients. The mixture should be a thick batter and quite hard to stir. If it’s too runny, add a little more rice flour or arrowroot. Spoon the mixture into the pan, and bake at 150C for 1.75 – 2 hours for the full recipe, or 1.5 – 1.75 for the half recipe. Use the usual skewer test, or listen – when it stops sizzling, it’s ready.

(Optional: Before cooling, pierce small holes in the top of the cake with a skewer, then carefully pour 2 Tbs brandy over the top).

Cool completely before removing from tin. Wrap in some baking or greaseproof paper, then in a teatowel and store in the bottom of the fridge.

Variation: starch free

  • Replace the white rice flour and arrowroot with ½ cup coconut flour. That’s ½ cup total, NOT ½ cup each.