Rich Fruit Cake

250g currants
600g sultanas
250g raisins
60g glace cherries, chopped
60g mixed peel, chopped
60ml brandy
275g dairy-free margarine
175g dark brown sugar
100g light brown sugar
5 large eggs
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 the cake tin with greaseproof paper. Preheat the oven to 150°c / 130°c fan oven / 300°f / gas mark 3.

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

Beat in the eggs.

Fold in the soaked fruit, lemon and orange zest.

Sieve together the gluten-free flour, gluten-free oat flour, ground almonds, 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.

Cover the top of the cake with tin foil. Make a small hole in the centre. 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 comes out clean.

Pour over more brandy when 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.

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