Best Gluten-Free Christmas Cake Recipe – Easy, One Bowl, Alcohol-Free

This moist gluten-free Christmas fruit cake is made with buckwheat, ground almonds, dried fruit, crushed pineapple, brown sugar, butter, warm spices, baking powder, and baking soda. The crushed pineapple keeps it naturally moist, so no alcohol is needed! However, if you prefer a traditional touch, you can add 1-2 tablespoons of alcohol after cooking the fruit. Perfect for holiday baking.

If you don’t have buckwheat flour, simply swap it for gluten-free flour or your preferred blend, such as tapioca, oat, or rice flour.

Bake this gluten-free Christmas cake a week in advance—it stays super moist for weeks when wrapped in an airtight container.

Looking for a homemade gluten-free Christmas pudding alternative? Try this easy one-bowl Christmas cake instead! It also makes a wonderful edible gift for loved ones.

Serve warm with custard or ice cream for a festive dessert that’s just as comforting as traditional pudding!

Takes = 20 minutes (or prepare the fruit the night before)
Bakes = 1.35 hours
Makes = 20 serves in a 23cm (9 inch) cake tin or 20cm (8 inch)
Equipment = large bowl, medium saucepan and 23cm (9 inch) spring form cake tin + baking paper

Ingredients

• Dried fruit* – 500g (about 2 cups depending on your fruit)
• Crushed pineapple – 440g can
• Light Brown Sugar – 90g (about 1/2 cup packed)
• Caster Sugar – 100g (about 1/2 cup)*I forgot this in my video tutorial
• Unsalted chopped butter – 125g (about 1/2 cup)
• Large eggs (beaten) – 2
• Buckwheat flour (or your choice) – 180g
• Ground Almonds – 70g
• Baking powder – 2 tsp
• Bicarbonate of soda – 1 tsp
• Mixed spice – 1 tsp
• Ground cinnamon – 1tsp
  *I use a combination of raisins, cranberries, sultanas, currants and chopped dried figs

Method

Step 1
PREHEAT oven 180˚C, 160˚C fan. Grease with butter and paper line the cake tin 23cm (9 inch)

Step 2
ADD all dried fruit, pineapple, unsalted butter, brown sugar, caster sugar and spices in a saucepan and bring to boil then simmer for about 5 minutes then add in the bicarbonate of soda. Allow to cool for 10 minutes

Step 3
ADD in beaten eggs and sifted flour and baking powder over the saucepan and stir with a wooden spoon until fully combined.

Step 4
POUR into your cake tin and bake for 40 minutes, then remove and cover the cake with foil to ensure the top of your cake doesn't burn. Bake for again for 40 minutes (if you are baking it in a 20cm (8inch) tin then the time may take slightly longer). Check with a skewer that the cake it cooked in the centre before removing. Allow to cool before serving. Then store the cake wrapped in foil or brown paper in a sealed container for 7-10 days (we keep ours even slightly longer and it is still delicious). Freeze for 2-3 months.

Sue Maree P Baking Tips

• Vegan – swap out eggs for 2 x flax eggs, and use dairy free butter
• Flour – Add gluten-free flour to replace buckwheat flour if preferred
• Sugars – add coconut sugar or natural sweeteners instead
  NB. I haven't tested these suggestions yet
• Glaze – if like in my video you'd like to cut back on sugar, but still want a shiny top, add 100g caster to 1/4 cup of water, boil for 5 minutes until thick then brush it on the cake after baked. You could poke holes in the top to let a little of the sugar syrup soak in. I did this by mistake in my video, but it worked out fine.