Rich Fruit Cake

250g currants
600g sultanas
250g raisins
60g glace cherries, chopped
60g mixed peel, chopped
60ml brandy
5 tablespoons linseeds (blended to a powder)
275g dairy-free margarine
175g dark brown sugar
100g light brown sugar
1 lemon, zest
1 orange, zest
135g gluten-free plain flour
70g gluten-free oat flour or maize flour
70g ground almonds
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
1 teaspoon ground mixed spice

Place the currants, sultanas, raisins, cherries, mixed peel and brandy into a large bowl, cover and leave to soak overnight.

Line a 20cm round cake tin with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 150°c / 130°c fan oven / 300°f / gas mark 3.

Mix the blended linseeds with 225ml cold water and leave for 15 minutes. This will become thick and gloopy.

Cream together the dairy-free margarine and both sugars until light and fluffy.

Beat in the linseed mixture a little at a time.

Fold in the soaked fruit, lemon and orange zest.

Sieve together the gluten-free flour, gluten-free oat flour, nutmeg and mixed spice and fold into the mixture.

Spoon into the cake tin and use the back of a spoon to level the top.

To protect the outer edge of the cake from burning – Cover the top of the cake with tin foil or greaseproof paper. Make a small hole in the centre for steam to escape.

Cut a piece of greaseproof paper long enough to wrap around the cake tin. Fold into four lengthways and wrap around the cake tin, secure with sticky tape.

Cut a piece of cardboard slightly bigger than the cake tin. Sit the cake tin on top.

Bake for 4 – 5 hours until a knife inserted in the centre comes out clean.

Pour over more brandy while the cake is still warm – optional.

Leave the cake in the tin until it is cold, this will keep the cake moist and hold its shape.

If storing, wrap the cake with greaseproof paper before placing in a cool cupboard.

The cake will keep well for months if stored in a cool place preferably wrapped in greaseproof paper in a cake tin.