Gluten-Free Fruitcake

Almond flour, brown rice flour, and potato and tapioca starches make for a dense but far-from-gummy gluten-free fruit cake filled with nuts and colorfully festive mixed fruit.

• Preparation Time: 40 mins
• Cooking Time: 1 hr 30 mins
• Total Time: 2 hr 10 mins
• Calories: 401 Calories

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1 orange, zested and juiced
• 2 eggs, at room temperature
• 6 dates, pitted and chopped
• 2 large dried figs, chopped
• 1 ounce candied mixed fruit slices
• 3 tablespoons cherry brandy liqueur
• 0.5 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 0.25 teaspoon ground ginger
• 0.25 teaspoon ground cloves
• 0.5 cup unsweetened applesauce
• 0.25 teaspoon ground cardamom
• 0.25 cup dried cranberries
• 0.25 cup raisins
• 0.25 cup golden raisins
• 0.33333334326744 cup potato starch
• 0.25 cup dried cherries
• 5.5 fluid ounces spiced rum
• 0.5 cup brown rice flour
• 0.5 cup almond meal
• 0.25 cup tapioca starch
• 0.25 cup candied mixed fruit, chopped
• 0.66666668653488 cup butter, at room temperature
• 0.5 cup raw cane sugar
• 0.25 cup whole raw hazelnuts
• 0.25 cup raw walnut halves
• 0.25 cup raw pecan halves
• 0.25 cup raw whole almonds

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Put raisins, golden raisins, cranberries, and cherries in a bowl. Pour rum and orange juice over dried fruit. Set aside.

Step 2

Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Butter a 9x5-inch loaf pan.

Step 3

Whisk brown rice flour, almond meal, potato and tapioca starches, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, and ginger together in a bowl. Set aside 3 tablespoons of this mixture. Add baking powder to remaining larger portion; mix well.

Step 4

Combine orange zest, dates, figs, and 1/4 cup candied mixed fruit in a bowl. Sprinkle in 2 tablespoons reserved flour mixture and toss to coat.

Step 5

Beat butter and sugar together with an electric mixer until creamy. Mix in vanilla. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Mix in applesauce.

Step 6

Drain dried fruit, reserving soaking liquid. Add drained fruit to date mixture and toss with remaining 1 tablespoon reserved flour mixture.

Step 7

Mix soaking liquid into butter mixture. Gradually add flour mixture, stirring just until combined; do not overmix. Fold in hazelnuts, walnut halves, and pecan halves.

Step 8

Pour batter into the prepared loaf pan. Decorate top with almonds and candied fruit slices.

Step 9

Bake in the preheated oven for 1 hour. Reduce oven temperature to 290 degrees F (145 degrees C). Continue baking until browned on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes more.

Step 10

Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from the pan. Brush cherry brandy on top. Let cake rest 24 hours for best results.