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Home » Gluten Free Holiday Recipes

Published: Nov 1, 2018 · Modified: Dec 18, 2021 by Cathy · This post may contain affiliate links

Home » Gluten Free Holiday Recipes

Gluten Free Fruitcake

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Gluten Free Fruitcake is a lovely, moist Christmas Cake loaded with dried cranberries, cherries, currants, dates, apricots, and raisins. Slivered almonds and pecans add some crunchy bites. Everyone can enjoy this!

gluten free fruitcake

Christmas Cake

In my part of the world, we call this Christmas cake. It might be dark or light and is filled with a variety of dried and/or candied fruit and nuts. People seem to either love it or hate. Family gatherings are divided over the fruitcake on the goodie plate. Many stores sell a usually-disappointing version in a package.

I'm proud to say that this recipe was featured as number 8 of "35 Best Fruitcake Recipes to Complete Your Christmas Dessert Table" by Country Living in 2019!

gluten free fruitcake

Keep gluten free fruitcake on hand throughout the Christmas season to serve to all of your holiday visitors.

My mother made a dark cake filled with lots of raisins that most people really enjoyed. Then I found a recipe in a friend's cookbook, copied it out by hand, and made that fruitcake for years. Recently, as my diet has become healthier, I’ve learned that I can enjoy even better food than what I used to eat. The development of this recipe has followed that path.  I hope this recipe will turn some haters into lovers! Some call it the Christmas Cake that People Actually Eat!

gluten free fruitcake

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Wedding Cake

Fruitcake has also been a traditional wedding cake in Canada. It's seldom served this way anymore, but in decades past, fruitcake was baked weeks before the big event, sliced into little pieces, wrapped up, and given as a party favour to each guest. My mother made her own and then made mine several years later.

How to Make Gluten Free Fruitcake at Home

While you won't likely be making gingerbread cookies for awhile, now is the time to make Christmas cake! For best flavour and moisture, Christmas cake needs to sit for four to six weeks after you make it. Hallowe’en is my reminder that it’s time to get my ingredients and make my Christmas cake. If you didn't get started that early, it's still pretty good after two weeks. For that matter, it's good right out of the oven!

gluten free fruitcake

If you have your ingredients measured out ahead, combining them into a cake is easy.

While the list of ingredients is a little lengthy, you simply combine the dry ingredients, stir in the fruits and nuts, and then add a liquid – much like any muffin recipe. I encourage you to gather the ingredients and give it a try!

gluten free fruitcake

Whisk your dry ingredients together in a bowl. Stir in the nuts and fruits.

gluten free fruitcake

Beat the wet ingredients and raw sugar together.

gluten free fruitcake

Smooth the batter into a prepared pan and bake.

gluten free fruitcake

After you've baked your gluten free fruitcake, wrap it in orange juice-moistened cheesecloth to keep it from drying out.

While you're planning for the holidays, you might also like:

  • Christmas Fruit Salad
  • Cranberry Biscotti
  • Cranberry Bars
  • Gingerbread Cookies
  • Carrot Christmas Pudding
  • How to Make Cranberry Sauce

Editor's Note: Since developing this recipe, I've replaced the orange juice with pineapple juice to accommodate my husband's sensitivity to citrus. I use pineapple juice both in the cake and to moisten the cheesecloth wrapping. Some of us even prefer the cake with pineapple juice! 

Let me know if you make this! I'd love to see a picture of yours on Instagram!  If you tag it #CathysGlutenFree I'll see it.

sliced fruitcake with nuts on lacy, white plate
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Fruitcake

Cathy's Gluten Free grain free Fruitcake recipe is a traditional Christmas cake with real dried fruits and nuts. There is no candied "fruit" in here!
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours 15 minutes
Servings 36 slices
Calories 176kcal
Author Cathy

Equipment

  • Instant-read thermometer
  • loaf pan

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • ½ cup (45 g) almond flour
  • ½ cup (65 g) coconut flour
  • ¼ cup (33 g) arrowroot flour or tapioca flour
  • ¼ cup (41 g) potato starch
  • 1 teaspoon (4 g) gluten free baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon (2 g) ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon (1 g) xanthan gum
  • ½ teaspoon (3 g) baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon (4 g) fine sea salt
  • ¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon (1 g) ground allspice
  • ¼ teaspoon (0.5 g) ground cloves

Fruit and Nuts

  • 1 cup (145 g) sultana raisins
  • ½ cup (45 g) slivered almonds
  • ½ cup (63 g) pecan pieces
  • ½ cup (61 g) dried cranberries
  • ½ cup (65 g) dried currants
  • ½ cup (66 g) dates pitted and chopped
  • ¼ cup (40 g) dried cherries
  • ¼ cup (45 g) unsulfured dried apricots chopped

Moist Ingredients

  • ¼ cup (57 g) butter melted
  • 2 eggs
  • ½ cup (100 g) organic raw sugar
  • ½ cup (118 ml) orange juice or pineapple juice
  • 2 tablespoons (30 ml) molasses

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 275 F. Position oven rack in the centre of the oven.
  • Line a 5" X 9" loaf pan with parchment paper.
  • Melt the butter and allow it to cool a little.
  • Whisk dry ingredients together.
  • Stir in fruits and nuts.
  • Beat eggs until foamy. Add sugar, orange juice, molasses, and lukewarm butter. Beat until blended. Stir into fruit mixture.
  • Turn batter into prepared pan and place into preheated oven. Cover with foil after about an hour. Bake for 1 hour and 30- to 1 hour and 45-minutes or until a fork inserted into the centre comes out clean. On an instant-read thermometer, the centre should have reached 205°F (96° C). Cool thoroughly on a wire rack.
  • Remove loaf from pan and parchment paper. Wrap in fruit juice-moistened cheesecloth. Overwrap with foil or store in a plastic bag. Store in refrigerator 2 - 4 weeks before serving. Remoisten cheesecloth once a week.

Notes

  • This is a dense cake and must be baked slowly in the middle of the oven, so the bottom and sides don't get burned before the centre is done.
  • Fruitcake becomes more moist with time as it sits in fruit-juice-moistened cheesecloth in the refrigerator for a few weeks.

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 176kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 88mg | Potassium: 201mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 13g | Vitamin A: 183IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 42mg | Iron: 1mg
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Follow me for more great recipes.@CathysGlutenFree
 

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More Gluten Free Holiday Recipes

  • Herb Flavored Gluten Free Drop Biscuits
  • Christmas Fruit Salad Recipe
  • Gluten Free Dinner Rolls Recipe
  • Gluten Free French Toast Recipe

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Irena says

    November 05, 2018 at 10:39 am

    5 stars
    This looks amazing and thank you for the detailed step-by-step instructions and pictures. I have bookmarked this for Christmas 🙂

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      November 05, 2018 at 11:57 am

      That's wonderful, Irena! Thanks for stopping by.

      Reply
  2. Tessa Simpson says

    November 05, 2018 at 10:39 am

    5 stars
    Now THIS is a fruitcake I could get behind! Looks dreamy with all those textures and flavors!

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      November 05, 2018 at 11:57 am

      Thank you, Tessa! I'm glad you appreciate it.

      Reply
  3. Raia Todd says

    November 05, 2018 at 12:15 pm

    5 stars
    I haven't had fruitcake in ages! This sounds delicious and so nostalgic. 🙂

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      November 05, 2018 at 5:05 pm

      I missed it for a few years. It's so good to get it back!

      Reply
  4. Joni Gomes says

    November 05, 2018 at 7:06 pm

    5 stars
    This reminds of growing up in Germany so so much! I pinned so I can make it for the holidays!

    Reply
  5. Emily Sunwell-Vidaurri says

    November 05, 2018 at 7:24 pm

    5 stars
    Wow! I love all of those dried fruits in this fruitcake. I'll admit I've never made one before, but this is one that I could definitely enjoy.

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      November 06, 2018 at 7:54 am

      I was always intimidated to make fruitcake. My mother made a great big batch, and it looked complicated. Other than measuring out lots of ingredients, making this one is a simple process.

      Reply
  6. jennifer says

    November 06, 2018 at 7:43 am

    5 stars
    ahhh you had me at all that dried fruit and nuts! looks so good!

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      November 06, 2018 at 7:55 am

      I know! Thank you, Jennifer!

      Reply
  7. Jean says

    November 06, 2018 at 4:16 pm

    5 stars
    Yum, this bread is chock full of all the things I love, and so perfect for the holiday!

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      November 07, 2018 at 1:47 pm

      Thank you, Jean! I'm so glad you like it.

      Reply
  8. Renee D Kohley says

    November 07, 2018 at 10:55 am

    5 stars
    I have attempted a couple GF fruitcakes without success - looking forward to give this a go!

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      November 07, 2018 at 1:48 pm

      I hope this one works for you!

      Reply
  9. STACEY CRAWFORD says

    November 07, 2018 at 11:19 am

    5 stars
    Such a great GF alternative! Love the step by step photo instructions 🙂

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      November 07, 2018 at 1:49 pm

      Thanks, Stacey! I hope the photos are helpful.

      Reply
  10. Hope says

    November 08, 2018 at 8:31 pm

    5 stars
    This looks perfect to make for a Gluten Free Christmas treat! Love all of those lovely fruit and nuts!

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      November 09, 2018 at 7:31 am

      Thank you, Hope. I'm a big fan of fruit and nuts, too!

      Reply
  11. ChihYu Smith says

    November 08, 2018 at 10:05 pm

    5 stars
    This fruitcake looks just fabulous! I can eat it all day long with a cup of hot tea. YUM!

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      November 09, 2018 at 7:32 am

      Oh, yes! Hot tea is a great accompaniment!

      Reply
  12. Tina says

    November 10, 2018 at 5:08 pm

    5 stars
    What a beautiful fruit cake! It put me in the holiday spirit just seeing these beautiful photos. Counting down until Christmas now 🙂

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      November 10, 2018 at 10:43 pm

      Thank you, Tina! It won't be long now!

      Reply
  13. Anne Lawton says

    November 10, 2018 at 5:15 pm

    5 stars
    I'm not usually a fan of fruitcake, but this one looks really good! I'm going to have to give it a try!

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      November 10, 2018 at 10:43 pm

      Good! I hope you'll be another convert!

      Reply
  14. Kari - Get Inspired Everyday! says

    November 12, 2018 at 12:10 am

    5 stars
    Yum, and I'm so glad you made a healthier version because I loved making fruitcake with my mom growing up but haven't made it since changing my diet!

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      November 12, 2018 at 7:49 am

      There are such great memories attached to fruitcake!

      Reply
  15. Laura says

    May 03, 2020 at 9:45 am

    5 stars
    My 7 yr old son and I are planning to make this, and I want to know if we can substitute flax or chia seed "eggs" for the chicken eggs? Also, can I use blackstrap molasses? Thanks!

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      May 03, 2020 at 12:00 pm

      I'm happy that you're planning to make fruitcake! I have not tested the recipe with either an egg substitute or blackstrap molasses, but if you do, I'd love to hear how it goes.

      Reply
  16. June says

    November 06, 2021 at 7:23 am

    This looks delicious! Is there a sub for xanthum or can I leave it out?

    Thank you for sharing!

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      November 08, 2021 at 12:20 pm

      Thank you for your question, June. If you leave out the xanthan gum, the fruitcake might be a little crumbly. You could try substituting powdered psyllium husk for it. I have not tested the recipe with powdered psyllium husk, but that's what I would use if I couldn't use xanthan gum.

      Reply
  17. Elise says

    November 18, 2021 at 8:57 pm

    Can I substitute anything else for the molasses? Thank you

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      November 18, 2021 at 10:19 pm

      How interesting that you should ask! I just tried this recipe today without molasses, because I'm traveling in our motorhome and didn't want to buy any.

      I substituted maple syrup for the molasses. My cake turned out much lighter in colour than usual. It's also rather crumbly. I don't know if that's because it's missing the molasses or if some other ingredient was different from the ones I usually get at home.

      I may try another one with honey instead of molasses. I'd love to hear how yours turns out.

      Reply
  18. Jess says

    December 12, 2021 at 4:43 pm

    Thinking about giving this a shot this year! I do not, however, have the variety of different flours on hand: have you ever used a gluten free blend with success? Such as Bob's Red Mill 1:1 in place of the almond flour, coconut flour, and tapioca flour? I'm not sure if I should attempt 1.25 cup in place of those three (and if it would also replace the potato starch).

    Can't wait!

    Reply
    • Cathy says

      December 12, 2021 at 7:20 pm

      I'm so happy that you're prepared to try the fruitcake! It's difficult to make a recommendation for a flour blend because they're each different. The Bob's Red Mill 1:1 blend is very different from the almond/coconut flour combination in this recipe. You would probably have better success with Bob's Red Mill Paleo Baking Flour mix, as the ingredients are closer to the ones in this recipe. I would try replacing the first four (flour/starch) ingredients with 1.5 cups of the paleo blend. I hope you'll let me know how it works out for you!

      Reply

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