Christmas Pudding

Method:

Preheat oven to 140°C/Fan 120°C

1. Put the dried fruits, cherries and mixed peel into a large bowl with the flour and mixed spice. Mix well until the flour sticks to the fruits.
2. Grate the apple into another bowl.  Add the sugar, oil, grated orange rind and juice and beat together well. Add the xanthan gum and water to the bowl and mix well. Stir in the floured dried fruits.
3. Line a deep grease proof lined 20cm/8″ cake tin with greaseproof paper. Press the cake mix into the lined tin and cover the top of the cake with another circle of greaseproof.
4. Bake in a preheated oven for 3 hours.
5. Allow the cake to cool in the tin. Warm the jam slightly and spread it over the top and sides of the cake.
6. On a floured surface roll out the marzipan into a 25cm/10” circle. Lift the marzipan onto the cake and gently press in place down the sides.
7. Put the firm banana and icing sugar in an electric blender and mix into a stiff icing. Cover the top and sides of the cake with the icing. Add seasonal decorations.

Optional: Soak the dried fruit in 4 Tbsp rum.

Ingredients:

• 400g Mixed Dried Fruits
• 100g Glacé Cherries
• 100g Mixed Peel
• 150g Rice Flour
• 2 tsps Mixed Spice
• 1 Apple
• 150g Brown Sugar
• 1 Orange Zest and Juice
• 125g Sunflower Oil
• 1 tsp Xanthan Gum
• 75 ml Water
• 2 Tbsps Apricot Jam
• 200g Marzipan
• 1 Firm Banana
• 400g Icing Sugar