Almond & Rum Fruit Cake (gluten free)

~Almond & Rum fruit cake~

adapted from Taste.com

In a bowl, combine :

2 cups almond meal (can substitute part hazelnut meal)

3/4 teaspoon bicarb soda

2 cups total dried fruit

> we used 1/2 cup dried apricots diced, 1/2 cup prunes diced, 1 cup mixed dried fruit

In a second bowl whisk together with a fork :

3 eggs

2 tablespoons olive oil

1 teaspoon vanilla essence

zested rind of 1 orange

1 cap Bundaberg rum

1 tablespoon rice malt syrup

Stir the egg mix through the dry ingredients to combine. Spoon into a baking paper lined loaf tin (8 x 19cm, or thereabouts).

Cover with alfoil and bake at 150 Celcius fan forced for 35 minutes. Take the alfoil off, turn the tin around and bake another 15 minutes. Test with a skewer and if it comes out clean it's cooked.

Remove from the oven and cool in the tin 5 minutes or longer.

Cherry Almond Cake

This came from a card sent to me by a friend. I've been wanting to make it for ages and we went to a friend's place for dinner on the weekend, so I didn't need any further excuse. It's quite easy and is very rich - lovely for a treat. I made half and put in a 20cm tin and it served 8 - 10, used the left over cherries for serving.

...Cherry Almond Cake...

You need:
250g butter
500g caster sugar
6 large eggs
1 tspn vanilla essence
400g plain flour
1 tspn baking powder
200g ground almonds
400g strained (pitted) preserved or tinned cherries

Preheat oven to 180 degrees (160 if fan forced). Prepare a 24cm tin by greasing and flouring sides and putting baking paper on the bottom.

Cream butter, sugar, eggs and essence in the large bowl of a mixmaster and beat until sugar dissolved (5 - 10 min depending on softness of butter). Turn off mixmaster and fold through flour and almonds by hand, then last of all cherries - just enough so they're fairly evenly spread. Pour into tin and bake for 55 - 60 mins (about 45 min if making half).

Serve with extra cherries, cherry syrup drizzled over and cream.