A deliciously moist olive oil based Gluten Free Christmas Fruit Cake studded with cognac soaked medjool dates, dried figs, raisins and currants and scented with cinnamon, all spice and orange zest. This Christmas Fruit Cake recipe is so quick and easy yet it still screams Christmas with all those festive scents in every boozy fruit laden bite. Not overly dense or heavy, the lightness of this gluten free Christmas makes you crave a second piece before you’ve finished your first slice. I’m personally not a fan of packaged mixed peel so I opted for fresh orange zest and juice for beautiful citrus notes that lift the cake. I’ve also swapped out the butter for light olive oil for a healthier gluten and dairy free Christmas cake.
Traditionally Christmas cake recipes ask you to soak the dried fruit in alcohol overnight but I find a great shortcut is to simmer the dried fruit in a saucepan over gentle heat for 3 minutes and let it cool completely. As the fruit cools it soaks up the cognac leaving you with beautifully plump fruit in a smidgen of the time. Who doesn’t love a Xmas shortcut?
My other tip is to toast your slivered almonds before adding them to the cake batter. They taste much better than just regular slivered almonds because they add a beautiful crunch and toasted notes to the cake. So good!
Now for the fun part, decorating. I start with a traditional white royal icing which resembles a blanket of snow and then I add rosemary sprigs and mini pine cones to create a winter forest. Dust a little icing sugar over the rosemary and pine cones for a snowy finish. I know we celebrate Aussie Christmas in summer but it looks so cute and festive. Anything works here, you could even add a few gingerbread men or other small Christmas ornaments to complete the look. Just have fun.
Merry Christmas everyone and have a fabulous 2019!
- Cake
- 150g medjool dates, chopped
- 150g dried figs, chopped
- 150g raisins
- 150g currants
- 200 ml cognac
- 325g or 2½ cups plain gluten free flour
- 1 tbs baking powder
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp allspice
- 350ml light olive oil
- 3 eggs
- Zest and juice of 1 orange
- 150g toasted slivered almonds
- Royal Icing
- 300g pure icing sugar, sifted
- 1 egg white
- 3 tsp lemon juice
- Preheat oven to 180C. Grease a 20cm square cake tin and line base with baking paper.
- Combine dates, figs, raisins and currants in a saucepan and gently simmer in cognac for 3 minutes. Set aside to cool completely so the fruit can soak up the alcohol.
- Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon and allspice to a mixing bowl. Blend on a low speed for a few seconds to combine dry ingredients.
- Add oil, eggs, orange zest and juice, almonds and fruit and gently mix until combined.
- Spoon batter into tin and bake for 40 min or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Place cake on a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
- To make the icing, beat the egg white, icing and lemon juice together in mixer until a paste is formed. Pour over cake immediately before the icing sets.
- Preheat oven to 180c. Grease a 20cm square cake tin and line base with baking paper.
- Combine dates, figs, raisins, currants and cognac in Thermomix bowl and cook 3 min/100C/speed 1/reverse mode. Pour fruit into a bowl set aside to cool completely so the fruit can soak up the alcohol.
- Add flour, baking powder, cinnamon and allspice to clean bowl and blend for 3 sec/speed 5.
- Add oil, eggs, orange zest and juice, almonds and fruit and mix 40 sec/speed 5/reverse mode, scraping down sides of bowl halfway through mixing.
- Spoon batter into tin and bake for 40 min or until an inserted skewer comes out clean. Place cake on a wire rack and leave to cool completely.
- To make the royal icing beat the egg white, icing and lemon juice in Thermomix 5 sec/speed 7. Pour over cake immediately before the icing sets.
Hi hun is there something I can use instead of alcohol?
Hi Layla
You could soak the dried fruit in your favourite juice to plump up the fruit if you do not want to use alcohol. Merry Xmas!!
I soak fruit in chai tea. Brew your tea as usual and add the fruit. It’s gorgeous, fragrant and delicious.
Great Idea! Merry Xmas.HT.
Hi there, looks great. But how long does it last for? It is like a usual Christmas cake where you can make it months before? Or does it have to be eaten within a few days??
If this is the case does it freeze well?
Thanks so much. Very excited to make it!!
Hi Stephanie,
It is more like a regular cake so you can store it in an airtight container for up to a week. Enjoy!
Hello Helen
Every year we make the traditional family Christmas pudding, passed down though generations of Grandmothers. Alas, I can no longer eat gluten, and have found using a gluten free flour mix gives a really sour baking-soda-y taste. Can you help? Do you think I can use just rice flour? Or almond meal? Or maybe a combo? I’m sad to miss out on pudding, but I’m having trouble finding a solution. Fingers crossed you will know what to do! Thanks, Dani
I’m suspecting it is the brand of flour that is causing the issue. The quality of flours varies greatly between brands. My two favourite are Ardor Gluten Free from Melbourne or Bob’a Red Mill 1 to 1 plain gf flour. Try one of those and you should be fine.
Hi Helen
Excited to make this for Xmas!
Do u think the alcohol gets cooked out so it’s suitable for children?
Or should I use juice instead?
Does it need to be kept in the fridge after making?
Or just in an air tight container?
Merry Xmas Helen and thanks for all your recipes.
Are u planning on any more books?
Regards
Rose
The alcohol flavour is subtle but if you think your kids will dislike it you can use juice instead. Keep it in an airtight container it should be fine for a week. Merry Xmas to you too and hopefully yes more recipe books in the future. Take care. xx
Helen, You’ve done it again! 😀Made this today and it’s delicious and worked out perfectly, just like all your other recipes! Thank you!
Fantastic Rose! Glad you loved the gluten free christmas fruit cake recipe.