Gluten-Free Christmas Cake

1. Add the dried fruit and peel, brandy, and the peel and juice of two oranges to a bowl. Stir well and cover with a lid. Stirring occasionally, soak for up to 3 days.
2. Preheat the Ventray Oven to 300 degrees F. Grease a deep tin with butter, line with a double layer of greased greaseproof paper. Secure with string.
3. Beat the butter, sugar, and syrup with the Ventray Stand Mixer until smooth. Add the eggs and whisk again.
4. Add the flour, mixed spice, cinnamon, nutmeg, ground almonds, and flaked almonds. Mix until the mixture is fully combined.
5. Pour in the soaked fruit and mix until evenly distributed in the cake batter. Pour the mixture into the lined baking tin and level the top. Bake for 2.5 hours.
6. Place the cake (still in the tin) on a cooling rack. Pierce the top with a skewer in multiple places, and pour over a little brandy.

To store:

1. Take the cake out of the tin without removing the baking paper. Wrap with baking paper, and foil.
2. Store in a cool place for up to 3 months before decorating, occasionally opening the package and spooning in 1-2 tablespoons of brandy.
3. Make sure not to feed the cake for at least 7 days before decorating.

To Decorate:

1. Place the apricot jam in a bowl and microwave for 20-30 seconds until warm.
2.  Brush the entire cake with jam, then decorate with your choice of walnuts, almonds, cherries, or other fruit.
3. Store the finished cake in an airtight container.