This Christmas cake is packed with rum-soaked dried fruit and cherries, rich chestnut purée, soft brown sugar and honey for sweetness.
Ingredients
- 225g (8oz) dairy-free spread
- 900g (2lb) mixed dried fruit
- 100g (3 1/2oz) glace cherries
- 225ml (8fl oz) dark rum
- 5 free range eggs, separated
- 100g (3 1/2oz) unsweetened, tinned chestnut puree or tofu or 1 large banana
- 100g (3 1/2oz) rice flour
- 50g (1 3/4oz) gram flour (chick pea flour)
- 2tbsp mixed spice
- 225g (8oz) soft brown sugar
- 150ml (1/4pt) clear honey
Method
Soak the dried fruit and cherries in rum for 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/gas 2. Using a little dairy-free spread, grease and line a 23cm (9in) deep cake tin with non stick baking parchment.
Separate the eggs. Add the egg yolks to the chestnut puree and blend until smooth.
Mix the flours and mixed spice together. Cream the dairy-free spread and the sugar together and beat in spoonfuls of the chestnut puree mixture and the flour until all is added.
Stir in the dried fruit with rum and honey. Beat the egg whites until stiff and fold into the cake mixture.
Pour into the prepared tin and bake for 2-2 1/2 hrs. Store the cake wrapped in baking parchment and tinfoil until required.
Top tip for making Dairy-free Christmas cake
This cake does not have a long shelf life and needs to be eaten within 2 weeks of making. It can be frozen.
