It’s impossible not to love this Totally Messed-Up Christmas Cake, especially during the holidays! Traditional Christmas cakes are typically loaded with dried fruit and sugar, but this cake is made with healthful ingredients and a generous amount of Christmas spices.
INGREDIENTS
- 2 cups gluten-free self-raising
- 1 cup of coconut flakes
- 1 cup of ground almonds
- 1/4 cup cacao powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 tsp. cinnamon powder
- 2 tablespoons ground ginger
- 2 tsp. ground cardamom
- 1/2 tsp. cloves ground
- 1 zested medium-sized orange
- 1 pound of walnuts
- 100 grams of 85% to 90% dark chocolate finely ground
- 200 grams of diced unsalted butter
- 1/2 of a cup rice malt syrup
- 4 eggs
- 2 tbsp. brandy
- 2 cups grated beetroot
- 1/2 cup almonds, blanched
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3 and oil a 20cm spring-form cake tin with nonstick cooking spray before starting.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, coconut, almond meal, cacao powder, baking powder, spices, and zest until thoroughly combined. Combine the walnuts and chocolate in a large mixing bowl.
- Melt the butter and rice malt syrup in a small saucepan over medium heat until the butter is completely melted (or in the microwave). Allow for minor cooling.
- Separately, break the eggs into a separate basin and mix them together. Whisk in the melted butter and rice malt syrup once the brandy has been stirred in.
- The wet components should be added to the dry ingredients. Stir in the beetroot until it is evenly distributed. Using a spatula, smooth the top of the mixture into the prepared baking pan. Decorate with blanched almonds, if desired (if using). Bake for 1 hour and 15 minutes, with the tin covered with aluminum foil.
- Remove the foil and continue to cook for a further 15–25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the center comes out completely clean. Make sure to let the cake cool for at least 20 minutes before removing it from the tin. This cake can be served either warm or cold depending on your preference.
TIPS
The fact that traditional fruit-filled Christmas cakes have survived for so long is due to their high sugar and alcohol content. As preservatives, both of these ingredients can help to keep a cake moist and mold-free for several months in some instances. That’s not the case with this dessert. When stored properly in an airtight container, it should last up to one week. Alternatively, you can freeze it for up to 2 months.
- PREP TIME: 20 mins
- COOK TIME: 1 hr 40 mins
- TOTAL TIME: 2 hrs
- SERVINGS: 16
- CALORIES: 392 kcal