Gluten-free Christmas cakes

Ingredients

• 2-in-1 basic fruit mix
• 1 kilogram sultanas
• 300 grams dried currants
• 375 grams raisins, chopped
• 600 grams pitted dried dates, chopped
• 100 grams glace red cherries, quartered
• 250 grams glace fruit (such as orange, pineapple, apricot, peach), chopped
• 3/4 cup fig jam
• 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon rind
• 1 tablespoon finely grated orange rind
• 1 1/2 tablespoon ground cinnamon
• 1 1/2 tablespoon ground ginger
• 2 cups ginger beer
• 1 cup dark rum
• Christmas cakes
• 250 grams butter, softened
• 1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
• 4 eggs, at room temperature
• 1 cup almond meal (ground almonds)
• 3/4 cup gluten-free plain flour
• 1/2 cup gluten-free self-raising flour
• half quantity 2-in-1 basic fruit mix
• walnuts, pecans, macadamias, blanched almonds, to decorate
• 1/4 cup dark rum
• 3 metres ribbon or hessian strips