Free From Christmas Cake

Cake

1. Weigh the raisins, sultanas, currants, cherries, peel and cranberries into a bowl. Add the sherry, stir to mix and set aside overnight if possible.
2. Line the base and edges of a deep 20cm/8" round cake tin with parchment. Cover the outside of a 10cm/4” round cake tin with parchment and sit it inside the larger tin.
3. Pre-heat the oven.
4. Sieve the flour and spice into a bowl, set aside.
5. Put the butter and sugar into a large mixing bowl and beat together until light and fluffy.
6. Beat in the eggs one at a time, ensuring each is well incorporated before adding the next (or mix together and add chickpea flour, xanthan and water).
7. Add the prepared flour followed by the 1 tbsp water and mix together well.
8. Stir in the prepared fruit.
9. Tip the mixture into the space between the two prepared tins, pushing it down and smoothing the top.
10. Bake for 2-2¼ hours, loosely covered with parchment.
11. Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 12 hours.

Icing and decoration

1. Put the granulated sugar and  water into a saucepan over medium heat and stir until dissolved. Cut the satsuma into 5mm slices add them to the syrup and simmer gently for about two hours. Leave to cool in the syrup.
2. Line a baking tray with parchment and pre-heat the oven.
3. Drain the satsuma slices and lay them on the prepared baking tray. Bake for 20 minutes. Turn them over and bake for a further 20 minutes. Leave to cool.
4. For the icing put the icing sugar and two spoons of orange juice into a bowl and stir to combine. Stir in additional drops of the orange juice until the icing just starts to flow.
5. Drizzle the icing over the top of the cold cake.
6. Press the prepared satsuma slices on top of the icing.