The Cottage Smallholder

500g dried mixed fruit

50g glace cherries chopped

75g walnuts chopped

200ml rum

150g softened butter

90g sukrin gold ( brown sugar substitute )

1 teasp lemon zest

3 eggs

1 tbl golden syrup

1/2 teasp almond extract

150g doves farm gluten free plain flour

1 teasp of xanthan gum

75g ground almonds

1/4 teasp of mixed spice

1/2 teasp of cinnamon

1/4 teasp ground ginger

18 cm round tin or 15 cm square tin

place fruit cherries and rum in a pan , bring to the boil and simmer 10 mins , when cool cover and leave to stand overnight.

preheat oven to 150deg C.

cream butter with the sukrin, then beat in lemon zest.

add eggs and beat in 1 at a time.

beat in syrup and almond extract.

in a separate bowl mix together dry ingredients , then stir into the mixture alternately with the fruit.

stir in the walnuts and put into greased cake tin

bake in the preheated oven for 1 3/4 to 2 1/4 hours

cool in the tin for about 5 mins then turn out and cool on a cooling rack.

I baked my cake in the Andrew James cake baker in the halogen for 2 1/4 hours at 150 deg.