Gluten Free Christmas Cake

Our answer

Nigella's book "Christmas" has several alternative Christmas cake recipes, including the gluten-free Gorgeously Golden Fruitcake (also available on the Nigella website) which is made with ground almonds (almond meal), dried pears, dried apricots and sultanas (golden raisins). The cake is slightly lighter in colour than a traditional fruitcake, but is deliciously damp and moist, and Nigella likes to decorate it with concentric circles of blanched (skinned) whole almonds.

The cake does not need to mature in the same way as a traditional fruit cake and does not keep quite as well, but should keep for up to a month if tightly wrapped in a double layer of greaseproof paper (parchment paper) and a double layer of foil and then put in an airtight container in a cool, dry place. It will also freeze for up to 3 months and we would suggest wrapping it tightly in a double layer of clingfilm (plastic wrap) and a double layer of foil.

Please note that whole dried pears can be slightly difficult to find in some areas though are usually available on-line and also in some natural food stores.