Gluten Free Rich Fruit Cake by Allinson's

Method

1. Boil the kettle and pour 350ml into a jug, add the teabags (or tea) and allow to brew for 10 minutes. While the tea brews, chop the prunes and figs and put them into a saucepan with the mixed fruit. Pour 250ml of the brewed tea into the dried fruit and bring to the boil, simmer until there is just a little liquid bubbling on the bottom of the saucepan and then scrape the fruit onto a couple of dinner plates to cool.

2. Butter and line a deep 20cm (8 inch) diameter cake tin with a double layer of parchment paper, bottom and sides. To do this, cut two lengths of paper to fit all the way around the inside of the tin and stand a couple of inches above it. Fold over the bottom of the paper and snip into this all the way along to create a fringe. Press the paper into the tin and the fringe will sit happily on the bottom of it. Top with a couple of circles of parchment paper for a cake-tight liner. Heat the oven to 160ºC fan (180ºC without fan).

3. Beat together the soft butter, sugar, salt and orange zest until light and fluffy. Sift the flour, baking powder, mixed spice, cinnamon and xanthan gum into a bowl. Add a quarter of the flour mixture and an egg to the butter mixture and beat until smooth again. Repeat, adding another quarter of the flour and an egg and beating again, until they are all added. Finally add in the treacle and dried fruit, gently folding until combined.

4. Spoon into the prepared tin and level the surface. Bake for 60 minutes and then reduce the heat to 140ºC fan (160ºC without fan), cover the cake with a sheet of foil, loosely tucked around and bake for about another 1 ½ hours or until a skewer comes out clean.

5. Cool the cake completely in the tin and then store in an airtight tin for up to two weeks.