• Begin by placing the dried fruit, mixed peel, almond extract, zest and orange juice into a large bowl, mix together until the ingredients are coated in the orange juice, cover with a plate or clean tea towel and leave to soak overnight or for at least 5 hours.
• After soaking, stir through the mixed spice.
• In a separate bowl, cream together the dairy-free spread, banana and xylitol until smooth, then add this mixture to the fruit mix and stir until combined.
• Next, add the flour, ground almonds, gram flour, water, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
• Spoon the mixture into the cake tin and compress down with the back of a spoon. Cover with foil and bake in the oven at 160 degrees C for 1 hour 15 mins.
• After 1 hour and 15 mins of cooking time, remove the foil from the cake tin and cook for a further 15 mins until starting to brown on top.
• Remove the cake from the oven and leave to cool for 20 mins before turning it out on to a cooling rack and leaving to cool completely.

Sugar-free Marzipan

• Mix the ground almonds and xylitol together in a small bowl and gradually stir in the water until the ingredients start to stick together.
• Take 1 TBSP level measure of the mixture and, with clean hands, roll it together in your palms to form a smooth ball shape. Set to one-side and continue with the remaining mixture until you have 12 equal sized balls.
• Place each ball on the cake before serving.