Traditional with a twist festive cakes

Fruit and spice cakes, traditional and modern, hold a special place in the baking rituals of Christmas, and these recipes are our Test Kitchen favourites.

Gluten-free Christmas cake

MAKES 6 PREP AND COOK TIME 4 HOURS(+ COOLING AND STANDING TIME)

500g (3 cups) sultanas

150g (1 cup) currants

190g (1¼ cups) raisins, chopped

300g (2 cups) pitted dried dates, chopped

100g (½ cup) glacé red cherries

125g (½ cup) glacé fruit (such as orange, pineapple, apricot, peach), chopped

1/3 cup (110g) fig jam

1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind

1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind

1 tablespoon ground cinnamon

1 tablespoons ground ginger

½ cup (125ml) ginger beer

1 cup (250ml) dark rum

250g butter, softened

1 cup (220g) CSR Dark Brown Sugar

4 eggs, at room temperature

1 cup (110g) almond meal

¼ cup (110g) gluten free plain flour

¾ cup (110g) gluten free self-raising flour walnuts, pecans, macadamias, almonds, to decorate

¼ cup (60ml) dark rum, extra

1 Combine fruit, jam, rind and spices in a large bowl. Add ginger beer and rum; stir to combine. Cover; stand the mixture at room temperature for three to seven days, or longer if you like, stirring occasionally. Alternatively plump fruit mixture in the microwave on high for 4 minutes, stirring once; let cool before proceeding with cake.