Makes: one 18 cm round or square cake

Preparation: 20 minutes, plus overnight soaking time

Cooking: 1½–2 hours

Ingredients:  For the cake

500gms ten fruit cake mix

150ml coconut water

Grated zest and juice of 1 small lemon

1/3 cup coconut flour

1/3 cup buckwheat flour

1 teaspoon gluten-free baking powder

1 teaspoon guar gum

1 teaspoon mixed spice

1 teaspoon ground allspice

150g unsalted butter, softened

150g coconut sugar

3 medium eggs

50g ground almonds

2 tablespoons almond milk

100g walnuts

1 tablespoon liquid honey

Ingredients:  For the top

2 Tbsp smooth apricot jam

100g mixed glacé fruits; eg red or green cherries, ginger, melon or pineapple

50g nuts eg almonds, walnuts, pecan halves

Method:

Place the dried fruit mix and mixed peel in a pan, add the coconut water, lemon juice and zest, and bring up to the boil. Take the pan off the heat, cover and leave to soak overnight.

Preheat the oven to 150°C. Oil and line the base and sides of a 6-8cm deep round or square 18cm cake tin with a double layer of baking paper, including a tall collar sticking up.

Sift the flour, baking powder, guar gum and spices together. Cream the butter and sugar together until fluffy and light. Gradually add the eggs and flour, alternately, and then add the ground almonds. Stir in the milk and mix in the dried fruit mixture, walnuts and cherries. Finally stir in the treacle and honey and give the whole cake mix a thoroughly good stir.

Spoon the mixture into the tin, level, and bake for about 1½–2 hours or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. Leave to cool in the tin.

To decorate, brush the surface of the cake with half the warmed jam. Arrange, or pile, a selection of glacé fruits and nuts over the top and brush over a second layer of jam to glaze. Now all you need is a big bow to put round the sides!

Download the pdf here