It’s that time of year again when we all eat Christmas cake!
But have you ever had a supercharged Christmas cake?
My Crio Bru Chocolate Christmas Cake is supercharged with superfoods! Crio Bru, cacao, dark chocolate, superfood powders and goji berries – antioxidants galore. It is gluten-free, egg-free, nut-free and you can make it dairy-free really easily too.
I have been making this recipe for years, but I gave it a big overhaul this year to make it even yummier and healthier.
It’s moist, fudgy, chocolatey and even people who don’t like fruit cake, like this fruit cake!
Crio Bru Chocolate Christmas Cake
Vital Stats: Egg Free, Gluten Free, Nut Free, can be Dairy Free
Okay, so this is what you need:
1 1/2 cups organic sultanas
1 cup organic cranberries
1 cup organic currants
1 cup organic figs
1 cup organic dried apricots
1/2 cup goji berries
2 tablespoons organic cacao
2 tablespoons C-Berry Blast or Acai Berry Blend
2 1/2 cups strongly brewed Crio Bru
2 cups gluten-free self-raising flour (I used Orgran brand)
100g Green and Blacks organic cooking chocolate, roughly chopped
Wait: What is Crio Bru? Check it out here. I also did a blog post about it here.
Okay, so this is how you do it:
Brew up your Crio Bru (I left about half the grounds in). Chop the figs and apricots (use your thermomix if you have one).
Pour the Crio Bru into to the dried fruit, mix well and leave to soak overnight.
Preheat the oven to 170 degrees celsius and line with baking paper a 20x28cm lamington tin.
Mix everything together really well. If you find the mix a little too dry, add a touch of water. It should be quite thick though.
Put into your tin and with slightly damp hands, smooth down into the corners.
Fling into the oven and cook about 60 -75 minutes. Cover half way through the cooking time to prevent the fruit from burning, if needed.
Cool down thoroughly on a wire rack. Do not attempt to sneak a juicy sultana from the top of the cake – those little suckers burn!
It will make about 25 slices and it will freeze really well. I make up a few batches and wrap them up for Christmas gifts.
The cake is quite rich and filling, so you only need a small piece.
If you would like to make it dairy-free, just omit the chocolate or use a dairy-free chocolate. It also works well with wheat SR flour too if you don’t need to watch your gluten!
Enjoy!
Do you make a Christmas cake every year? Is it a family recipe?
YAY what a gorgeous recipe…this will be a go in my house!!
thanks Tenina !! would love to know what the kitchen goddess thinks 🙂
Well, that looks a little too good to be healthy but it is! You’ve done it again Sonia! I really must call round one day for one of your bbqs or a cuppa with a home made delight such as this! 😉 x
you are welcome anytime! 🙂
Hi I am soaking the fruit now to make this tomorrow, should I chop the dried fruit a little? It doesn’t say to but the apricots are massive (I use the same macro ones as you). Many thanks, I am really hoping this is good because I have all the stuff in my pantry so could make it anytime! Best, Emma
Ooops! I knew I forgot something. Such a huge day yesterday! Thanks for the heads up- will change it now 🙂
I just want to HUG you! This sounds amazing and I am so excited to make this for my family. I may have to have a taste…I mean, TRIAL run first 😉
I will hug you back – I love so many of your recipes. Those chai cupcakes are my fave cake this year!!! 😀
I’d never heard of Crio Bru, but it sounds wonderful. Love your superfood version of Christmas cake! 🙂
I am pretty sure it’s available in the US! 🙂
Looks amazing & I’m always looking for egg & nut free recipes so my daughter doesn’t miss out on treats. And gluten free, great, my Mum & brother can enjoy it too!!! I don’t know if we’d actually drink the Crio Bru often though, would it keep a long time? Are there many recipes around with it or are you planning on posting more? Thanks.
It will keep for quite a while. You can also find recipes for Crio Bru on their website! It is nice drunk as an iced chocolate too 🙂
Hi! Could you use almond meal as a substitute for flour? Or do you recommend something else to make it grain free?
HI Amy – I am not overly experienced in grain free cooking yet! I would try a small portion first to see how it turns out. What about quinoa flour?
Thanks! but Quinoa is still considered a grain. I have just recently discovered banana flour which sounds like it could be a good substitute. Have not used it as yet, but will give it a go..
Oh really? I thought it was technically a seed? What about coconut flour?
YUM YUM Yummo – I actually can’t stand traditional Xmas cake – but THIS looks amazing!
yeah I am not a fruit cake lover, but trust me, this one is different! 🙂
Um, no…I’m not convinced….could you perhaps just send me a piece of that beauty to have with my cup of tea this afternoon!!!! Or, maybe two pieces…just to be sure xxx
I promise that when you are up this way for a visit I will make you cake!!! 😀
My husband is the only one in this house that eats Christmas Cake so I just buy him a small Lions one each year. But this one looks good! 🙂
my brother hates fruit cake, but he loves this one – doesn’t have the same texture 🙂
Yum, looks delicious.
it really is! 🙂
The CrioBru sounds interesting. The cake looks absolutely delicious! I don’t mind fruit cake, but it would be so much better with the chocolate 🙂
thanks Alicia – it is sooooo good! I was hoping to have some leftover in the freezer for Xmas, but the kids found my stash!
Healthy and chocolate in the same sentence? I’d not heard of Crio Bru. Hubby would love this.
it’s really delicious Kaz and Ang and it has great health benefits 🙂
I am not normally a Christmas cake fan, but I have to say I could totally be tempted with this one. xx
trust me, it’s amazing! 🙂
what can I use in place of the berry blast/acai berry blend? I have ordered some but I don’t think it will get here before chrissy 🙁
Just leave it out or use extra cacao or try your health food store for something similar?
thanks Sonia! Can’t wait to make this 🙂
Hi, do you know if the superfood berries are still potent when cooked? Just bought some Acai the other week and wondering whether they should be had just raw in things like smoothies? Many thanks, I’ve got the fruit soaking in the fridge, can’t wait to try the cake tomorrow!
According to the gorgeous Vanessa at Superfood for Kids and NutraOrganics who make the powders, she says, yes they do lose a tiny bit of goodness from baking, but not too much to be not beneficial. Hope you enjoy the cake – come back and let me know 🙂
It was delicious! Didn’t actually make it with Crio Bru as I don’t have any but it was great and the bits of chocolate all through definitely sold it to the kids!
So glad you liked it 🙂
I want to make this soon but don’t have crio bru (I know it is a main ingredient but will have to try it without this time and will definitely try it at a later stage with crio brui) . just wondering what else I could use instead of crio bru (ie. what do I soak the fruit in)? it looks so divine 🙂 thanks
HI Sharyn. You can use cacao in water or coffee!
I know this is an old post but am thinking of making this yummy cake for Chrissy – just wondering if it will last if prepared now and wrapped in foil like a traditional Christmas cake?
No I don’t think so Anna, as there is no sugar or alcohol to preserve it. I freeze it. 🙂
Perfect timing!!! We are on our way back from Grandma’s place, where she gave us some Christmas cake – but my daughter is recently diagnosed as intolerant to egg and cows milk. I was just thinking I’ll need to find an alternative for her!! This looks perfect – I don’t “do” Christmas cake but this looks yum! I also knew nothing about Crio Bru, so I’ve learned about that too. More yum!! Thank you. 🙂
Hope you like it Cathy! x