I have had a few requests for a gluten free fruit cake recipe. I created a lighter fruit cake and lessened the typical amount of sugar, glazed fruit and baking temperature, because I am not a fan of fruit cake, at all, even gluten free fruit cake. The adjustments were perfect, as is this gluten free fruit cake recipe, now, at least for me. This fruit cake is not too sweet, just the way I like it! See the tips below for a more traditional fruit cake. Meanwhile, enjoy this gluten free fruit cake recipe, a traditional British Christmas Cake, and the holidays!
If you're not a fruit cake fan then you'll love this gluten free fruit cake recipe, as it is more of a pound cake. So yummy, yet has holiday appeal!
Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks or 12 tablespoons) unsalted butter or buttery spread such as Earth Balance, softened
- 3 eggs
- 1/4 cup rum; brandy, milk, orange or pineapple juice, or any combination
- 1/4 cup milk or dairy-free substitute
- 1 3/4 cups Carla's Gluten Free Cake Flour Blend Recipe (I sub'ed the brown rice flour for white rice flour to make a more yellow colored cake.)
- 1/3 cup walnuts, chopped; or use baking walnut pieces
- 1 cup glazed fruit, cut up into 1/4 - 1/3" pieces
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup rum, orange juice, pineapple juice
Instructions:
- In the large bowl of your mixer, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add in egg and beat until thoroughly blended.
- Add in liquids and mix until smooth.
- Add flour blend all at once and beat on medium-high speed until combined.
- Fold in nuts and glazed fruit.
- Place in oiled 9 x 5" loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 45 - 50 minutes.
- Allow to cool for 15 minutes, remove from pan and carefully move to cooling rack.
- Create a simple syrup by combining water and sugar in a small sauce pan on medium heat. Stir until melted. Pour syrup into a bowl and refrigerate until cool. Add juice or alcohol, and stir. Baste all sides of the outside of the loaf with this syrup.
Tips
You can substitute the artificially colored glazed fruit with currants, dried fruit such as cherries, mango, apricots, cranberries, etc. I purchased my glazed fruit online. It is less expensive if you purchase the Glazed Mixed Peel. However I purchased individual glazed fruit. Use a total of 1/2 cup liquid, whether it is mostly alcohol or milk. Bake at 375°F for a darker, firmer crust, for less time, if you desire to soak this gluten free fruit cake in alcohol, versus basting it. For a heavier fruit cake, use less liquid, not less than 1/4 cup.
The recipe does not indicate when to add the flour. After adding the eggs?
Susan, Thanks for catching that. You add the flour after the liquids.
thank you – I hope you had a nice Thanksgiving.
These are hectic times for older moms who have family members that recently found out they need to be GF, CF, and yeast free, among other things like almonds. (Should have been diagnosed many years ago.)
Gluten bread was difficult to cut, Milk & cheese was even more difficult, but yeast too? It blows my mind.
I think our daughter would rather just plug into an intravenous feeder and not bother with the hassle.
I’m thankful for people like you who know how to convert the goodies and then share with people like me.
thanks again – Hope your Christmas is very Merry.
Erin,
I had a lovely Thanksgiving, and I hope you did, as well.
I understand how difficult food intolerance and allergies can be. I have handful of food allergies myself, though your daughter’s list is a very tough one!
I truly appreciate the time you took to leave a comment. It’s people like you that keep me going.
Merry Christmas to you and your family!
Carla
Re the syrup in this recipe: Are you saying to add the rum OR orange juice OR pineapple juice to the water and sugar?
Also, is it ok to add more fruit?
I won’t be adding any nuts.
This fruit cake looks yummy. I hope mine turns out looking like that. :-)
Hi Erin,
Thanks! I purchased the fruit from nuts.com. They make a wonderful presentation.
Regarding, “Create a simple syrup by combining water and sugar in a small sauce pan on medium heat. Stir until melted. Pour syrup into a bowl and refrigerate until cool. Add juice or alcohol, and stir. Baste all sides of the outside of the loaf with this syrup.” – see explanation below:
1. Add water and sugar to a sauce pan until the sugar is melted. (This turns into a syrup, as it thickens. It is known in the baking field as “simple syrup”)
2. Pour the above syrup into a bowl and refrigerate until cool.
3. Add whatever you are using (rum, orange juice, or pineapple juice) to the syrup and use it to baste all sides of fruit cake.
I hope this clarifies things for you.
Happy Thanksgiving to you!
Carla