This is a beautifully rich, super moist, gluten free Christmas cake. It’s got bags of flavour and keeps for months.

 

Square xmas cake wrapped in red ribbon with glass of sherry and some holly

My key success factors are these:

  • one consistent low temperature throughout baking;
  • covering the cake part way through baking with a cardboard ‘lid’ to protect the cake from burning;
  • wrapping the outside of the tin with a layer of brown paper and then brown cardboard;
  • feeding the baked cake by basting it, with a pastry brush, rather skewering it.  Skewering not only opens the cake up to drying but you also end up with concentrated pockets of brandy (or whatever you favourite tipple is).  Basting allows an even absorption of the brandy by simple osmosis and does not create holes to let the drying air in.
  • topping and tailing the cake during basting.  I don’t just baste the top and sides; I turn the cake over and baste the bottom too.
  • basting the cake once every 2 weeks over the course of 8 weeks (so four times) then leaving at least a 2 week gap between the last basting and decorating and eating it.  This allows some time for the brandy to mature and mellow.
Pouring whiskey onto fruit cake

Step by step instructions on how to make this rich, traditional, gluten free Christmas cake

 

First soak the fruit

I recommend soaking it for at least 2-3 days; I have been known to soak it for a week!  You can do it for shorter but it just means that the fruit hasn’t absorbed as much moisture and flavour.  The longer you soak it, the more moist your cake will be.

Dried fruit in a tub with some rum and an orange

Line the tin

You can get ahead and do this several days before you are going to bake or just do it on the day.

 

Lining square tin with parchment

Mix the cake

Mix the cake and bake it.

Four images of fruit cake being made and baked in oven

Feed the cake

Feed the cake with rum, brandy or whiskey.  I recommend once a fortnight over 8 weeks.  Allow at least a two week gap before decorating it and eating it to allow the last addition of brandy to mature.

Basting and feeding square fruit cake with brandy

Decorate the Christmas cake (if you want to)

Decorate the cake with marzipan and sugarpaste and a gold trim. However, you can leave out the decoration altogether.  

4 images demonstrating applying marzipan layer to a fruit cake
Deocrating square xmas cake with sugarpaste and red ribbon

Notes

How long can you keep gluten free Christmas cake?

The gluten free Christmas cake will keep for months wrapped in foil and in an airtight container.

 

Can you freeze gluten free Christmas cake?

Yes you can.  The cake freezes very well.  Wrap it up well in foil or clingfilm.

 

How do you feed a gluten free Christmas cake?

I use either brandy, rum or whiskey to feed my cake.  I don’t recommend using a non-alcohol liquid such as a fruit juice because it will allow bacteria to grow and ruin the cake.

I feed mine once every two weeks for 8 weeks (so 4 times) with two tablespoons of brandy (for this 25cm square cake).  I top and tail the cake so that I am also feeding the bottom of the cake because that is actually going to be the top of the cake if it is decorated.  I then leave the cake for final 2 weeks between the last ‘feed’ before decorating and/or eating.  This is to allow the last bit of brandy to mellow out.

Slices of fruit xmas cake with a glass of sherry
Slices of fruit xmas cake with a glass of sherry

Moist gluten free Christmas cake

The best moist gluten free Christmas cake
Prep Time 45 minutes
Cook Time 2 hours 30 minutes
Fruit soaking 5 days
Total Time 5 days 3 hours 15 minutes
Course Afternoon Tea, Coffee time, Dessert
Cuisine British
Servings 20 servings

Equipment

  • 15cm square loose bottom cake tin

Ingredients
  

  • 112 g currants
  • 112 g raisins
  • 112 g sultanas
  • 112 g cherries rinsed to remove any syrup
  • 112 g peel rinsed to remove any syrup
  • 25 ml rum
  • 1 orange zest & juice
  • 112 g dark soft brown sugar
  • 112 g butter softened
  • 75 g eggs approx. 2½ med eggs, beaten
  • 112 g gluten free self-raising flour
  • ½ tsp cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp mixed spice
  • ¼ tsp nutmeg
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • 112 g ground almonds
  • ½ lemon zest
  • 10 g treacle
  • 10 g glycerine

Instructions
 

Pre-preparation

  • Soak the dried fruit in the rum, orange zest and juice of orange in plastic container for a minimum of 24 hours; 2 to 3 days is better! Give the tin the odd shake to ensure all the fruit is coated with the rum and orange juice.
    Dried fruit in a tub with some rum and an orange
  • Prepare the cake tin:
    Lining square tin with parchment
  • first line the base and sides of a loose bottomed 15cm square tin with a layer of baking parchment.
  • to line the outside of the tin, cut strips of double thickness brown paper the height of the tin and enough to go right round the tin. Once the tin is filled with cake mixture, this will be put around the tin and fastened in place with string.
  • Prepare a 18cm (7 inch) square piece of cardboard or brown paper to form a ‘lid’ to be put over the cake whilst cooking to prevent burning.
  • Prepare a 15cm (6”) square cake board covered with foil which will be used to store the cake on once baked.

METHOD

  • Place oven shelf on the bottom rung and heat the oven to 125C.
  • Cream the sugar and butter in a large stand mixer.
  • Sift the flour and spices.
  • Add the beaten egg a little at a time to the creamed mixture. Mix well after each addition to avoid curdling.
  • Add the flour, spices, ground almonds, lemon zest, glycerine and treacle and mix well.
  • Add the soaked fruit – you may need to complete the final mixing by hand.
  • Spoon the mixture into the lined tin ensuring the mixture is pushed right into the bottom corners of the tin. Level with the back of a spoon or wedged palette knife.
  • Place on bottom shelf of oven and bake for 1 hour uncovered. Cover with the square cardboard lid and bake for further 1½ hours.
    Four images of fruit cake being made and baked in oven
  • Remove from oven and leave to cool for 10 mins. Demould the cake from the tin, and place onto a cooling rack. Leave to cool for 8-10 hours or overnight without removing the base of the tin that the cake is still resting on. Once completely cold, remove the base of the tin and the lining paper and place cake centrally on cake board covered with foil.
  • Baste the whole cake, top, sides and bottom with brandy (approx. 1 tablespoon should do it) using a pastry brush. I don’t pierce with a skewer as this creates concentrate pockets of brandy and opens the cake up to the atmosphere and can dry it out.
    Basting and feeding square fruit cake with brandy
  • Wrap the cake in foil tightly and place in an airtight container. ‘Feed’ every 2 weeks 4 times leading up to Xmas over 10 weeks. You want to leave at least 2 weeks between the last feed and actually eating it to allow the brandy to mature a little.
  • Decorate with marzipan and sugarpaste or leave it without icing if that is your preference; the cake will be fine without!
Keyword Christmas cake decorating ideas, Gluten free Christmas cake, Moist gluten free Christmas cake

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