Gluten-free Christmas Fruit Cake

This recipe has been in the family for as long as I can remember. I have converted it to a gluten-free cake, but it is just as yummy as ever (if not even yummier!). It is a deliciously fruity Christmas cake and if you leave it to mature a little (with a healthy dose of sherry poured over it), it will last in the pantry for months.  It is also great to take a piece on a long run or cycle for some extra energy.

Ingredients for one large round cake tin, or two smaller loaf tins:
500g mixed cake fruit
250g dates (no pits!)
250g glacé cherries
1/2 cup of sugar (or xylitol if you prefer)
1 cup of water
125g butter
1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda
3 eggs
250g gluten-free cake flour
1 tablespoon of all spice
1 tablespoon of ground ginger
1 teaspoon of baking powder

In a nice deep pot, add the following: cake fruit, dates, cherries, sugar, water and butter. On a medium to low heat, bring the fruit to a gentle simmer and allow the butter and sugar to melt completely. Once it is bubbling gently, turn the heat right down to a low heat and keep it there for 20 minutes. Give it a stir every now and then to ensure that none of the fruit gets stuck to the bottom of the pot.

After 20 minutes on the stove, remove it from the heat and add 1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda. The heat will make it foam up. Pop a lid on and leave it to cool completely.

Place the cooled fruit mixture into a large bowl and add 3 eggs. Mix together.

Then add the cake flour, all spice, ginger and baking powder. Mix it gently until it is completely combined. Do not overbeat the cake mixture, or it will sink in the middle when you cook it. The mixture will be quite sticky.

Cut out a piece of baking paper to line your baking tin and prevent it from sticking. I also sprayed a non-stick baking spray around the cake tin for extra protection.

Spread the cake mixture into the baking tin.

Bake at 180'C for 10 minutes. Then, turn the oven down to 125'C and cook it for a further 90 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

When the cake comes out of the oven, pour about 30 ml of sherry over the cake and allow it to soak in. For best results, do this again after one week and again after a second week. Store it in an airtight container in the pantry.