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Home / Eat Well / Recipes

Gluten-free chocolate Christmas cake

Jan Bilton
By
Jan Bilton

Food writer and cookbook author.

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Store for at least one month before cutting.

Ingredients

200 gCoconut sugar, organic
200 gButter, chopped
100 gDark chocolate, semi-sweet, chopped
¼ cupOrange juice
1 tspVanilla essence
250 gRaisins (Main)
250 gCurrants (Main)
100 gCraisins
100 gDried apricots, diced
200 gGluten-free self-raising flour
3 TbspDark cocoa powder
1 tspMixed spice
100 gGround almonds
3 largeEggs, lightly beaten

Directions

  1. Place the sugar, butter, chocolate, orange juice, vanilla essence and dried fruits in a large heavy saucepan. Place on low heat until the butter and chocolate are melted — stir often and mix well. Cool.
  2. Preheat the oven to 150C. Lightly grease and line a deep 20cm square cake pan with one or two layers of baking paper.
  3. Sift the flour, cocoa powder and mixed spice together. Stir in the ground almonds and mix well.
  4. Mix the eggs into the cooled fruit. Add the flour mixture and stir well.
  5. Pour into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 1¾ – 2 hours or until a thin skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
  6. Cool in the pan. Wrap in foil and store in a cool place.

Tip:The cake may be iced with 250g of gluten-free royal icing. Ensure the top of the cake is level then turn it upside down. Brush with sugar syrup (2 tablespoons sugar simmered with 1 tablespoon of water). Knead the icing gently then roll out to about 21cm square. Lift the icing on to the cake using the rolling pin. Trim the edges.

More festive baking from Jan

  • Easy Christmas cake
  • Gluten-free Christmas mince tarts
  • Mini mincemeat scrolls
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