Mary Berry Gluten Free Christmas Cake Recipe

A gluten free Christmas cake should not be a lesser version of the real thing. This one is not. The richness, the dark colour, the depth of spice, the moist, densely fruited crumb, the weeks of brandy feeding — all of it is identical to the standard Christmas cake.

The only difference is that the plain flour is replaced with a gluten free flour blend and ground almonds. The ground almonds in this recipe are not just a substitute for flour — they actively improve the cake.

Ground almonds give a slightly more tender, more moist crumb than standard flour and add a gentle nuttiness that suits the warm spices and dried fruit perfectly. Many people who try this version prefer it to the standard one even when they have no dietary requirement.

This recipe follows the same method as the Victorian Christmas cake on this site — overnight fruit soaking in brandy, low and slow baking, weekly brandy feeding. The only changes are in the dry ingredients.

Ingredients for Mary Berry Gluten Free Christmas Cake

For the Fruit Soak (Night Before)

• 1kg mixed dried fruit (sultanas, currants, raisins)
• 100g dried cranberries
• 100g mixed peel
• 100g glacé cherries, halved and rinsed
• 150ml brandy or dark rum — plus more for feeding

For the Cake

• 250g unsalted butter, softened
• 250g dark muscovado sugar
• 1 tbsp black treacle
• 5 large eggs, at room temperature, beaten
• 150g gluten free plain flour blend, sifted — use a blend with xanthan gum
• 100g ground almonds
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• ½ tsp ground ginger
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• ¼ tsp ground mace
• ¼ tsp ground cloves
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda — check it is certified gluten free
• 75g blanched almonds, roughly chopped
• Zest of 1 unwaxed orange
• Zest of 1 unwaxed lemon

How to Make Mary Berry Gluten Free Christmas Cake

Step 1 — Soak the Fruit

Place all dried fruit, cranberries, mixed peel, and glacé cherries in a large bowl. Pour over the brandy. Stir well. Cover tightly and leave overnight.

Step 2 — Preheat and Prepare

Preheat your oven to 140°C / 120°C fan / Gas 1. Line a deep 23cm round cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment on the base and sides. Wrap the outside of the tin with a double layer of brown paper secured with string.

Step 3 — Make the Batter

Beat the softened butter, dark muscovado sugar, and black treacle together for four to five minutes until well combined. The mixture will be dark and dense from the muscovado.

Add the beaten eggs a little at a time, beating well after each addition. If it begins to curdle, add a tablespoon of the measured gluten free flour and continue.

Sift the gluten free flour blend with all the spices and bicarbonate of soda directly into the bowl. Add the ground almonds, chopped blanched almonds, orange zest, and lemon zest. Fold gently until just combined.

Add all the soaked fruit and every drop of remaining brandy liquid. Fold through carefully until evenly distributed.

Step 4 — Fill and Bake

Spoon into the prepared tin. Smooth the top. Make a slight hollow in the centre to counteract doming during the long bake.

Bake for 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours. A skewer inserted into the very centre must come out completely clean. If still wet at 3 hours 30 minutes, return for another 30 minutes and check again.

Cool completely in the tin.

Step 5 — Feed Weekly

Once completely cool, remove from the tin keeping the parchment on. Pierce the base with a skewer 15 to 20 times. Spoon one to two tablespoons of brandy over the base. Wrap tightly in cling film and then foil. Feed weekly until Christmas.

My Top Tips For Perfect Gluten Free Christmas Cake

Use a gluten free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. Xanthan gum provides the binding that gluten normally gives. Without it the cake can crumble and be more fragile than expected. Check the packet — most good quality gluten free plain flour blends already contain it.

Check all ingredients are certified gluten free. Bicarbonate of soda, baking powder, mixed spice, and even some brands of oats and dried fruit can contain gluten through cross-contamination. Check the packaging of every ingredient when baking for a coeliac guest.

The ground almonds improve the texture. This is not a compromise ingredient — ground almonds give this cake a more tender, more moist crumb than plain flour. The result is genuinely excellent.

The method is identical to the standard Christmas cake. The same overnight soak, the same low oven, the same weekly brandy feeding. The gluten free version benefits from exactly the same patience and care.

Make it in October. Like the standard Christmas cake, this benefits from as many weeks of brandy feeding as possible. Make it in October, feed it weekly, and by Christmas Day it will be extraordinary.

Serving Suggestions

With marzipan and royal icing — see the royal icing recipe on this site. Or finish simply with a thick layer of marzipan and no icing for a more casual presentation. Sliced thinly and served with a glass of port or sweet sherry.

How to Store

Wrapped and stored: Keeps for up to 4 months properly wrapped and fed with brandy.

In the freezer: Freeze un-iced for up to 6 months. Defrost overnight at room temperature before feeding and icing.

Mary Berry Gluten Free Christmas Cake Recipe

Mary Berry's gluten free Christmas cake is a rich, dark, brandy-soaked fruit cake that is naturally gluten free — no compromise on flavour or texture.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 3 hours hrs 30 minutes mins

Total Time 4 hours hrs

Servings: 16 Slices

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Calories: 410

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• Fruit Soak Night Before:
• 1 kg mixed dried fruit
• 100 g dried cranberries
• 100 g mixed peel
• 100 g glacé cherries halved and rinsed
• 150 ml brandy or dark rum — plus more for feeding
• Cake:
• 250 g unsalted butter softened
• 250 g dark muscovado sugar
• 1 tbsp black treacle
• 5 large eggs beaten
• 150 g gluten free plain flour blend with xanthan gum, sifted
• 100 g ground almonds
• 1 tsp cinnamon 1 tsp mixed spice, ½ tsp ginger, ½ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp mace, ¼ tsp cloves
• ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda certified gluten free
• 75 g blanched almonds roughly chopped
• Zest of 1 unwaxed orange and 1 unwaxed lemon

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Method

 

1. Soak all fruit in brandy overnight — cover tightly.
2. Preheat oven to 140°C / 120°C fan / Gas 1. Line tin with double parchment. Wrap outside with double brown paper.
3. Beat butter, muscovado, and treacle 4–5 minutes. Add beaten eggs gradually — add a tbsp of gluten free flour if curdling threatens.
4. Sift in gluten free flour with all spices and bicarbonate of soda. Add ground almonds, chopped almonds, and citrus zests — fold gently. Add all soaked fruit and liquid — fold through completely.
5. Spoon into tin. Smooth — make a slight hollow in the centre. Bake 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours until skewer comes out clean.
6. Cool completely in tin. Remove — keep parchment on. Pierce base 15–20 times. Feed with 1–2 tbsp brandy. Wrap tightly. Feed weekly until Christmas.

Notes

Use a gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum — binding is essential in this dense cake.

Check every ingredient is certified gluten free — spices, bicarbonate of soda, and dried fruit can all contain traces.

Ground almonds are not a compromise — they actively improve the texture.

Same method as the standard Christmas cake — overnight soak, low oven, weekly brandy feeding.

Make in October for the best result — feed weekly until Christmas.

Keeps wrapped for 4 months. Freezes un-iced for 6 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a different gluten free flour?

Yes — rice flour, buckwheat flour, or a mixture of tapioca starch and rice flour all work. The texture varies slightly between blends but all give good results.

Does it need the same long baking time as the standard version?

Yes — the density of the fruit-heavy batter means it needs the full 3 hours 30 minutes to 4 hours at a low temperature regardless of whether it is gluten free or standard.

Can I use this recipe for smaller tins?

Yes — for a 20cm tin, use three-quarters of the quantities. For a 15cm tin, use half. Reduce the baking time proportionally and always do the skewer test.

Is the texture different from the standard version?

Very slightly — the ground almonds give a marginally more tender, slightly more moist crumb. Many people prefer it to the standard version.