This gluten-free Christmas cake is a rich, gently spiced fruit cake made with familiar UK ingredients and no special equipment. Soaking the fruit keeps it moist, while ground almonds and a suitable flour blend help give it a tender crumb that slices neatly after maturing.
Ingredients
- 500g mixed dried fruit, such as raisins, sultanas and currants
- 100g glacé cherries, rinsed, dried and quartered
- 150ml brandy, rum or orange juice, for soaking
- 150g unsalted butter, softened, plus a little for greasing
- 150g soft dark brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 225g gluten-free plain flour blend
- 50g ground almonds
- 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder
- ½ tsp xanthan gum, only if your flour blend does not already contain it
- 1½ tsp mixed spice
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- Finely grated zest of 1 unwaxed orange
- 1 tbsp black treacle
- 2 tbsp milk, dairy or unsweetened plant milk, if needed
- To decorate: 2–3 tbsp brandy or orange juice, 500g marzipan and 500g ready-to-roll fondant icing, optional
Instructions
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Put the mixed dried fruit and prepared cherries in a large bowl. Pour over the brandy, rum or orange juice and stir well so the fruit is evenly moistened. Cover and leave for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight, stirring once or twice if convenient. The fruit should absorb much of the liquid. If a noticeable puddle remains, drain it before mixing the cake; excess liquid can make the centre heavy.
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Prepare a deep 20cm round cake tin. Grease it, then line the base and sides with two layers of baking parchment, making the paper around the sides a few centimetres higher than the tin. Heat the oven to 140°C fan, or 160°C conventional. If your oven tends to brown cakes quickly, have a loose piece of foil ready to cover the top later. Weigh out the flour, almonds, baking powder, xanthan gum if required, and spices into a bowl, then whisk them together.
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In a separate large bowl, beat the softened butter and dark brown sugar for about 3 minutes, until creamy and lighter in texture. It does not need to become pale and fluffy in the way a sponge mixture would. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl between additions. If the mixture looks slightly curdled, add a spoonful of the measured flour mixture and continue; this is common and will not spoil the cake.
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Mix in the orange zest and black treacle. Add the dry ingredients and fold gently until you can no longer see dry flour. Tip in the soaked fruit and fold again, distributing it throughout the batter without crushing the cherries. The mixture should be thick but spoonable. If it seems unusually stiff, add milk a tablespoon at a time; gluten-free flour blends differ in how much moisture they take up.
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Spoon the batter into the lined tin and press it gently into the corners. Smooth the top with the back of a spoon, making a small dip in the centre so the cake is less likely to dome. Tap the tin lightly on the work surface once or twice to release large air pockets. Do not bang it hard, as the heavy fruit can settle and the mixture may spill over the sides.
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Bake on the centre shelf for approximately 2 hours 15 minutes to 2 hours 45 minutes. Avoid opening the oven during the first 2 hours, when the cake is setting. Begin checking at 2 hours 15 minutes: a skewer pushed into the centre should come out without wet batter, although a little sticky fruit on it is normal. If the top is getting dark before the middle is baked, loosely cover it with foil and continue cooking in 10-minute intervals.
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Leave the cake in its tin for 20 minutes, then lift it out using the parchment and set it on a wire rack. Allow it to cool completely before peeling away the paper. For a simple finish, serve it plain. To mature and decorate it, prick the cooled cake in several places with a skewer and spoon over 1–2 tablespoons of brandy or orange juice. Wrap it well and leave it for at least a day before icing.
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For a traditional iced finish, brush the cake lightly with a little warmed apricot jam or the chosen feeding liquid. Roll out the marzipan and cover the cake, smoothing it over the top and sides. Leave the marzipan to dry for several hours or overnight before covering with fondant. Trim the edges neatly and decorate as you like. If using ready-to-roll icing, check its packaging for gluten-free suitability, particularly if serving someone with coeliac disease.
Tips
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Check every packaged ingredient for a gluten-free label, including the flour, baking powder, dried fruit and decorations. If baking for someone with coeliac disease, use clean bowls and utensils, and avoid wooden spoons or surfaces that may have picked up crumbs from ordinary flour.
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Use a flour blend intended for cakes or baking, rather than a single flour such as rice flour. Some blends already contain xanthan gum, so read the packet and do not add extra if it is included. Too much gum can make a dense, slightly gummy crumb.
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Bring the butter and eggs to room temperature before mixing. Cold ingredients are more likely to make the butter mixture split. If it does split, a spoonful of flour usually helps bring it back together; avoid beating the batter for a long time once the flour is added.
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Ovens and tin depths vary, so use the baking time as a guide rather than a guarantee. The centre must be cooked before you take the cake out. If the skewer shows wet batter, return the cake to the oven and check again after 10 minutes rather than relying on colour alone.
Serving Suggestions
For a classic Christmas serving, cut the cake into small wedges and offer it with tea, coffee or a glass of dessert wine. It is rich and full of fruit, so modest slices are usually enough. A spoonful of brandy butter, softly whipped cream or vanilla custard makes it a more substantial pudding; check that any accompaniment is suitable for your guests’ dietary needs.
If you have iced the cake, use a sharp, long-bladed knife and wipe it between cuts for cleaner slices through the fondant and marzipan. For an undecorated cake, a light dusting of icing sugar looks festive without adding another sweet layer. It also works well on a Christmas dessert board alongside clementines, nuts and a few pieces of dark chocolate.
Variations
For an alcohol-free cake, soak the fruit in orange juice or strong, cold tea. Orange juice gives a bright, fruity note, while tea adds depth without making the cake taste strongly of citrus. Since juice is more perishable than spirits, store the finished cake especially carefully and do not keep it for as long as an alcohol-fed cake.
Adjust the fruit to suit what you have: replace some raisins or sultanas with chopped dried apricots, dates or figs, keeping the total dried fruit weight close to 600g including the cherries. Larger pieces should be chopped so they spread evenly and do not create gaps when you slice the cake. You can also swap the orange zest for lemon zest, or add a small handful of chopped crystallised ginger for a warmer, sharper flavour.
For a nut-free version, replace the 50g ground almonds with 50g of the gluten-free flour blend. The cake will be a little less moist and tender, but it should still hold together well. If you are avoiding dairy, use a firm plant-based baking block in place of butter and plant milk if the batter needs loosening; a soft spread from a tub can make the mixture greasy, so check that it is suitable for baking.
Storage and Reheating
Once completely cool, keep an undecorated cake in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. If it has been made with alcohol and handled cleanly, it will generally keep well for around 2–3 weeks; the flavour often improves over the first week. Feed it sparingly, no more than about a tablespoon of brandy at a time, and allow the liquid to soak in before wrapping it again. Too much feeding can make a gluten-free cake damp or cause it to crumble.
An alcohol-free cake is best eaten within about 7–10 days, particularly if the fruit was soaked in juice. Keep it airtight and check for any signs of spoilage before serving. Once covered with marzipan and fondant, store it in a cool, dry place rather than the fridge, where condensation can make the icing sticky. Follow the icing or marzipan packet’s storage guidance if it differs.
To freeze the plain, fully cooled cake, wrap it tightly in baking parchment and then a layer of foil, or place it in a well-sealed freezer container. Freeze for up to 3 months for best quality. Thaw while still wrapped at room temperature, usually overnight for a whole cake or a few hours for slices. Avoid freezing a fondant-covered cake if you can, as thawing may affect the finish. Christmas cake is normally served at room temperature, so reheating is unnecessary; if you prefer a warm slice, heat it briefly in the microwave and serve straight away.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make this gluten-free Christmas cake in advance?
Yes. Make it several weeks ahead if you use alcohol for soaking and store it well wrapped in an airtight tin in a cool place. The flavours settle as it rests, and you can feed it occasionally with a small amount of brandy. If you use juice instead, make it closer to Christmas and follow the shorter storage time above.
Why has my gluten-free fruit cake crumbled?
It may have been cut before it was completely cool, baked for too long, or made with a flour blend that does not hold moisture well. Let the cake cool fully before slicing, and check the centre as it bakes so you do not leave it in the oven after it is done. A blend containing xanthan gum, or the measured amount in this recipe, helps the crumb hold together.
Can I use gluten-free self-raising flour instead?
You can, but check the packet first. If it already contains raising agents, omit the teaspoon of baking powder to avoid adding more than necessary. Follow the flour blend’s guidance about xanthan gum as well. Different mixes absorb liquid differently, so keep the optional milk nearby and add it only if the batter is too stiff to spoon.
How do I know when the cake is fully baked?
Insert a skewer into the middle, avoiding a cherry if possible. It should come out without liquid batter; sticky fruit or a few moist crumbs are fine. The centre should feel set rather than wobbly. If the top is already dark but the skewer shows batter, cover the cake loosely with foil and continue baking in short intervals.
Do I have to ice the cake?
No. This cake is flavourful enough to serve plain, and leaving it undecorated makes it quicker to prepare and easier to store. You can dust it with icing sugar before serving, or add marzipan and fondant for the traditional finish. If decorating for a gluten-free guest, check the labels on the icing, jam and decorative pieces rather than assuming they are suitable.