Granny Cake (Gluten-free, Vegan, Nut-free)

Have you ever been asked to make a cake that was gluten-free AND vegan? Once you start looking for recipes for such bakes, they are few and far between. This cake is based on an old-fashioned cake known as "Granny cake". It's a fruity sponge/bread, perfect with a cup of tea, and contains no dairy, eggs and is easy to make gluten-free (without the addition of nuts).
To make the cake extra special, I added a lemon syrup to the cake once it came out of the oven, which worked really well I think!
If you aren't gluten-free, normal self-raising flour would be totally fine to use.
This makes one traybake, but could be baked in a loaf tin (you would need to add about 20-25 minutes to the baking time to account for the extra depth of the cake however).

The cake can be frozen, and will keep in an air-tight tin for around a week.

Makes around 16 squares (fills a 20 x 20cm square tin)

Ingredients:

For the cake:

• 450g (3 cups) gluten-free self-raising flour (or normal self-raising flour if not making gluten-free)
• 65g (1/3 cup + 1 tsp) soft light brown sugar
• 60g (1/4 cup + 2 tsp) caster sugar
• 1 tsp gluten-free baking powder (or normal baking powder if not making gluten-free)
• 1 tsp mixed spice
• 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• pinch of salt
• 450g (2 & 1/2 cups) mixed dried fruit (I used a combination of raisins, sultanas, glace cherries and mixed peel - use whatever your preference is)
• 125g (1/2 cup) vegan margarine/butter (I used Trex)
• 250ml (1 cup and 2 tsp) unsweetened almond milk
• 1 tsp oil, and 1 tbsp gluten-free flour (for greasing)

For the topping:

• Juice of one lemon
• 30g (2 tbsp) icing sugar

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 160c (150c fan)/325f/gas mark 3. Grease the base of a 20 x 20cm square cake tin with oil and dust with the flour.

2. Pour the flour, brown sugar, caster sugar, baking powder and spices into a bowl and mix well, ensuring there are no clumps of brown sugar.

3. Rub the vegan margarine/butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips, until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

4. Add the milk and the dried fruit, and stir until well combined.

5. Pour into your prepared tin and bake for 40-50 minutes, until the top is golden and springy.

6. Whilst the cake is baking prepare the syrup by pouring the lemon juice and icing sugar into a saucepan. Place on a low heat and cook until it thickens slightly and turns clear.

7. When the cake has finished baking, take out of the oven and set aside. Gently reheat the syrup until it is easy to stir. Skewer holes over the cake and pour over the syrup. Set aside to cool fully.

8. Once fully cool, turn out of the tin and cut into squares.

9. Enjoy!