Gluten Free Loaf Cake

Boil the kettle and pour 250ml of boiling water into a jug, add the teabags 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 dried fruit and cherries. Pour 150ml 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.

Meanwhile grease and line a 2lb loaf tin with a double layer of parchment paper ensuring that the bottom and sides are lined. Preheat the oven to 180°C /160°C Fan/ Gas mark 4.

In a large mixing bowl, beat together the soft butter, sugar, salt and orange zest until light and fluffy using an electric whisk or wooden spoon. Sift the flour, baking powder, mixed spice, cinnamon and xanthan gum into another bowl. Add half of the flour mixture and an egg to the butter mixture and beat until smooth again. Repeat, adding the other half of the flour and the remaining egg, beating again until combined. Finally add in the treacle and cooled dried fruit, gently folding until combined.

Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface with the back of a spoon. Bake for an hour  then reduce the heat to 170°C /150°C Fan/ Gas mark 3, cover the cake with a sheet of foil, loosely tucked around and bake for about another 30 minutes or until when a skewer is inserted it comes out clean.

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