{"id":30212,"date":"2022-10-25T06:30:25","date_gmt":"2022-10-25T10:30:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/beyondflourblog.com\/?p=30212"},"modified":"2024-01-27T08:01:24","modified_gmt":"2024-01-27T13:01:24","slug":"gluten-free-fruitcake","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/beyondflourblog.com\/gluten-free-fruitcake\/","title":{"rendered":"Gluten-Free Fruitcake"},"content":{"rendered":"

This Gluten-Free Fruitcake recipe is fabulous! Soaking dried fruit in the alcohol of your choice makes ALL the difference!<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Note: This recipe was first posted on my original blog, Celebration Generation, on December 15, 2011. It was transferred over to this blog - existing comments and all - on Feb 25, 2021, and updated on 10\/25\/22.<\/i><\/p>\n

Back in 2011, I blogged my AMAZING recipe for Gluten-Free Fruitcake Cookies<\/a>. The following day, I posted this sister recipe to it: Gluten-Free Fruitcake!<\/p>\n

Fruitcake has a bad reputation, and - IMHO - it\u2019s well deserved. <\/p>\n

I can\u2019t stand glaceed fruit, and I have no idea how they\u2019ve managed to stick around as a THING for such a very long time.<\/p>\n

In no way does any of it look, taste, or feel like fruit. None of it really tastes like candy, either, and I\u2019ve always hated the texture. <\/p><\/div>\n

Cake with rum (or whatever!) and fruit? Awesome. <\/p>\n

Traditional fruitcakes with weird, noxious Frankenfruit? Pass.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s weird how you can feel like you\u2019re \u201cmissing out\u201d on something, even when that \u201csomething\u201d isn\u2019t anything you want. <\/p>\n

The whole fruitcake thing - I won\u2019t go near the stuff, and yet somehow it feels like the holiday season is lacking without it.<\/p>\n

Isn\u2019t social conditioning fun? LOL.<\/p>\n

So, I decided to come up with a gluten-free christmas cake that actually tastes good. <\/p>\n

Spoilers: I succeeded in that mission!<\/p><\/div>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

\n

The BEST Gluten-Free Fruit Cake<\/h2>\n

Forget everything you've heard about fruitcake, and about gluten-free baking. <\/p>\n

This is a gorgeous, delicious gluten free fruit cake recipe that will be loved by all - fans of regular fruitcake, fruitcake haters, people with gluten allergies, and even those who aren't restricted to a gluten-free diet.<\/p>\n

It's a cake that has a wonderful texture - you'd never know it was gluten-free. <\/p><\/div>\n

Trust me - I'm the BIGGEST snob about gluten-free baked goods! <\/p>\n

This gluten free cake, though? I'd eat this for *breakfast*, never mind as a snack, or dessert.<\/p>\n

I\u2019ve made variations of this throughout the years - any time of the year - to satisfy any urge for baked goods. <\/p>\n

This is WAY too good to be designated JUST a holiday thing!<\/p><\/div>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

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De-Nastying Gluten Free Fruitcake<\/h4>\n

The key?<\/p>\n

Get rid of the glaceed fruit, obviously!<\/p>\n

Fruitcake isn\u2019t fruitcake without fruit, obviously... So the glaceed fruit and citrus peels would need to be replaced. <\/p>\n

Fresh fruit wouldn\u2019t work for the texture\/look of a fruitcake though.<\/p>\n

The trick? <\/p>\n

Slightly reconstituted dried fruit!<\/p><\/div>\n

Let me tell you, soaking chopped-up dried fruit in Southern Comfort produces a cake that is *many orders of magnitude* better than traditional fruitcake.<\/p>\n

This gluten free Christmas cake recipe makes a light fruit cake \/ white fruit cake. <\/p>\n

It\u2019s not the molasses-heavy style of dark fruit cake that you\u2019d normally see baked up in loaf pans and topped with marzipan. (Which is also a traditional wedding cake thing!).<\/p><\/div>\n

This gluten free fruitcake has a nice texture, but can be a little crumbly in a different sense than most gluten-free baking tends to be:<\/p>\n

It\u2019s a bit of cake - moist cake!- binding together a lot of STUFF.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019d like more cake to fruit - and a cake that slices a bit nicer - then I\u2019d recommend decreasing the amount of fruit \/ nuts a bit.<\/p>\n

Whatever time of year you enjoy this - with tropical dried fruit and rum in the simmer, or as a Christmas eve treat - I hope you get a chance to enjoy the *ahem* fruits of my labor! \ud83d\ude42<\/p>\n

(On that note, this only takes about 25 minutes of work... so NOT very labor intensive!<\/p><\/div>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

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Ingredients<\/h2>\n

If you do any amount of baking using the recipes on this site, you\u2019ll find that this one uses relatively simple ingredients that you\u2019ll either have on hand, or have an easy time finding in grocery stores.<\/p>\n

A few notes for you:<\/p><\/div>\n

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Dried Fruit, Zest, and Nuts<\/h4>\n

We generally use a fruit mixture made up of:<\/p>\n

Golden Raisins<\/a>
\nSweetened Dried Cranberries<\/a>
\nDried Cherries<\/a>
\nDried Apricots<\/a>
\nDried Pineapple<\/a>, with a roughly equal amount of each.<\/p>\n

That said, use whichever combination - and proportions - of fruits you like. <\/p>\n

If you want to save time, feel free to use your favourite Dried Fruit Mix<\/a>.<\/div>\n

Honestly, even just dried cranberries and dried apricots alone makes a fantastic fruitcake, with this recipe! It\u2019s all being boozed up with Southern Comfort, which works SO well with the fruit flavors.<\/p>\n

In addition to the dried fruit, I use a bit of citrus zest (lemon zest and orange zest). 1 large orange and 1 lemon\u2019s worth of zest.<\/p>\n

Finally, the nuts.<\/p>\n

I use Chopped Pecans<\/a>, but feel free to use Sliced Almonds<\/a> or Chopped Walnuts<\/a> if you prefer. <\/p>\n

You can even leave nuts out entirely, if that\u2019s your preference!<\/p><\/div>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

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Gluten Free Flour Blend<\/h4>\n

As you may have noticed, I am a big fan of using homemade flour blends, specific to each recipe I make.<\/p>\n

This gives me a lot more control over flavour and performance, than using premade gluten-free flour blends.<\/p>\n

Also? Each \u201call purpose flour\u201d out there uses a different blend of ingredients - and ratios - so they\u2019ll behave differently from each other.<\/p>\n

By measuring out the gluten-free flours individually, you\u2019ll get the best result AND the best consistency!<\/p>\n

Anyway, for this recipe, I use:<\/p>\n

Light Buckwheat Flour<\/a>
\nSorghum Flour<\/a>
\nCoconut Flour<\/a><\/p>\n

... and a bit of Xanthan Gum<\/a>.\n<\/div>\n

\n

Southern Comfort<\/h4>\n

I use Southern Comfort in this recipe, as I love the way it tastes with the dried fruits. It is generally considered to be gluten free.<\/p>\n

Not a fan of Southern Comfort? No problem!<\/p>\n

Just swap it out for whatever spirit you do like for fruitcake - rum, whisky, and brandy are popular options.<\/p><\/div>\n

\n
Alcohol Free Gluten Free Fruitcake<\/h5>\n

While I LOVE Southern Comfort in this, I know that not everyone wants to have alcohol in their cake. <\/p>\n

Also - contrary to popular belief - it does NOT cook off while baking, btw.<\/p>\n

To make this alcohol-free, swap fruit juice for the Southern Comfort - and let it soak in the fridge, rather than at room temperature.<\/p>\n

Apple juice, white cranberry juice, white grape juice and orange juice are all good options. <\/p><\/div>\n

\n

The Eggs<\/h4>\n

The large eggs in this cake are separated - the yolks incorporated into a base mixture, and the whites whipped up to give lift to the cake.<\/p>\n

As I\u2019ve mentioned in my Pavlova Recipes<\/a>, eggs being whipped for structure have to be handled with care!<\/p>\n

Two big tips:<\/b><\/p>\n

Eggs are easiest to crack when cold, and easiest to whip at room temperature. Plan around these facts :)!<\/p>\n

Be VERY careful to not get any egg yolk into the whites at all - not even a speck of it - or the eggs will not whip up. <\/p>\n

For that matter, be very careful to use a very clean bowl and mixer - any kind of oil\/fat \/ etc is your enemy here.\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

The Milk<\/h4>\n

When I first created this recipe, I was using 2% milk for it.<\/p>\n

Over the years, we\u2019ve stopped using diary milk for most things, and now I make it with either unsweetened almond milk, or unsweetened coconut milk.<\/p>\n

Those are the milk alternatives we tend to have on hand, and both work well.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re also avoiding dairy milk when possible, you can use whatever plant based milk you like - oat milk, flax milk, and cashew milk are all tasty options for this recipe!<\/p><\/div>\n

\n

Everything Else<\/h4>\n

Rounding out this recipe, you will need:<\/p>\n

Unsalted butter
\nGranulated sugar (You can use dark brown sugar if you prefer)
\nPure vanilla extract
\nBaking Powder
\nSalt<\/p>\n

... I just don\u2019t really have anything to add about any of these ingredients!<\/p><\/div>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

How to Make Gluten Free Fruitcake<\/h2>\n

The full recipe is in the recipe card at the end of this post, this is the pictorial walk through with some additional tips and info.<\/i><\/p>\n

Before Getting Started<\/h4>\n

A day or two before baking the fruitcake, chop dried fruits into pieces:<\/p>\n

\"An<\/p>\n

Mix in Southern Comfort, and cover.<\/p>\n

Note: If you\u2019d like to speed the process along: Rather than allowing the fruit to soak in the juice overnight, you can simmer it for about 20 minutes. Allow to cool before using.<\/i>\t\t<\/p>\n

\"Whiskey<\/p>\n

Make the Fruitcake Batter<\/h4>\n

When you\u2019re ready to make the gluten free fruit cake: <\/p>\n

Preheat oven to 325F. <\/p>\n

Spray an 8\u2033 round cake pan (A silicone bundt pan or spring form pan works, also), and then line it with parchment paper.<\/p>\n

I like to cut a round just slightly bigger than the bottom diameter of the pan, centering it, and smoothing the edges slightly up the side of the pan, folding and easing as necessary.<\/p>\n

Then, I cut a \u201ccollar\u201d of parchment, about 5\u2033 x 28\u2033. Fold that in half along the length, and then place that \u2013 folded side down \u2013 around the inside edge of the cake pan.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Strain dried fruit mixture, leaving it in your sieve to drain while you prepare the rest of the cake batter. <\/p>\n

Be sure to reserve the Southern Comfort \/ fruit syrup that strains out!<\/p>\n

\"The<\/p>\n

In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.<\/p>\n

Add egg YOLKS (reserving the whites separately), vanilla, and zests, to the large bowl of butter and sugar. <\/p>\n

Continue beating until egg yolks are fully incorporated and mixture is once again smooth and fluffy.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

In a separate bowl, combine flours, baking powder, xanthan gum, and salt. <\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Add dry ingredients to the butter & sugar mixture, beat gently until well combined into a thick batter..<\/p>\n

Pour in the milk, continuing to beat until well combined. Add in the strained fruits, mixing once more until well combined. Set aside.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

In a \u2013 very clean \u2013 mixing bowl or stand mixer, whip the egg whites on high speed, until stiff peaks form.\t\t<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Gently fold whipped egg whites into the main batter, until all of the \u201cwhite\u201d disappears. Gently mix in the pecans, just until well distributed.\t<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Spread and Bake<\/h4>\n

Pour cake batter into prepared cake pan, smooth around the pan to push the parchment paper \u201ccollar\u201d against the sides of the pan.<\/p>\n

Gently bang the pan onto a flat surface a few times to knock out any air bubbles.<\/p>\n

Bake in the preheated oven for about an hour and a half \u2013 hour and 45 minutes, until a knife poked into the center of the cake comes out clean.<\/p>\n

While cake is still hot, pour reserved Southern Comfort runoff evenly over the top of the cake. This acts like a simple syrup, bringing extra flavour and moisture.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

Let the cake cool to room temperature before removing from pan. <\/p>\n

Note: Placing the cake pan on a wire rack when you take it out of the oven can help speed the cooling process along.<\/i><\/p>\n

\"A\t<\/p>\n

Leftovers<\/h4>\n

Once fully cooled, the cake can be wrapped in plastic wrap and\/or transferred to an airtight container.<\/p>\n

It\u2019ll last several days at room temperature, or for over a week in the fridge.<\/p>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

\n

More Gluten-Free Holiday Recipes!<\/h2>\n

Looking for something festive - for the whole family? Here are some great options!<\/p>\n

Cranberry Chicken<\/a>
\nCranberry Jello Salad<\/a>
\nGluten Free Candy Cane Cookies <\/a>
\nGluten-Free Fruitcake Cookies <\/a>
\nGluten Free Gingerbread Cookies <\/a>
\nGluten-Free Gingerbread Scones<\/a>
\nGluten-Free Maple Pumpkin Pie <\/a>
\nGluten Free Pumpkin Spice Mini Doughnuts <\/a>
\nGluten-Free Paska [Easter Bread]<\/a>
\nGluten Free Sauerkraut Buns [Pyrizhky]<\/a>
\nGluten-Free Stuffing Recipe <\/a>
\nPumpkin Cheese Ball - Classier Version<\/a>
\nPumpkin Cheese Ball - Trashier Version<\/a>
\nRoasted Carrots & Parsnips<\/a>
\nSlow Cooker Pork Tenderloin with Fruit Sauce<\/a>
\nSweet Potato Souffle<\/a>
\nTurkey Meatballs with Cranberry Glaze<\/a>\n<\/div>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

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Share the Love!<\/h2>\n

Before you chow down, be sure to take some pics of your handiwork! If you post it to Bluesky, be sure to tag us - @CelebrationGen<\/a>. We're also on Pinterest<\/a>, so you can save all your favourite recipes to a board!<\/p>\n

Also, be sure to subscribe to my free email newsletter, so you never miss out on any of my nonsense.<\/p>\n

Finally, if you love this recipe, please consider leaving a star rating and a comment!\n<\/p><\/div>\n

\"A<\/p>\n

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Gluten-Free Fruitcake<\/h2>\n
<\/div>\n
Soaking dried fruit in the alcohol of your choice - I like Southern Comfort - makes ALL the difference. This Gluten-Free fruitcake recipe is fabulous!<\/span><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Prep Time<\/span>20 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Cook Time<\/span>1 hour<\/span><\/span> hr<\/span> 45 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Soaking Time<\/span>2 days<\/span><\/span> d<\/span><\/span><\/div>
Total Time<\/span>2 days<\/span><\/span> d<\/span> 2 hours<\/span><\/span> hrs<\/span> 5 minutes<\/span><\/span> mins<\/span><\/span><\/div><\/div>\n
<\/div>\n
Course: <\/span>Dessert<\/span><\/div>
Cuisine: <\/span>Gluten-free, Holiday<\/span><\/div><\/div>\n
Servings: <\/span>10<\/span> people<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
Calories: <\/span>326<\/span>kcal<\/span><\/span><\/div>\n
Author: <\/span>admin<\/span><\/div>\n\n

Equipment<\/h3>