It wasn't until the 2021 holiday season that I learned how to make a fruitcake. I put myself through the paces over the course of almost two months to develop the most delicious gluten-free fruit cake recipe on the internet. This Gluten-Free Bake & Eat Fruitcake recipe is low on booze and perfect for those of us that are a bit impatient and don't want to wait for the aging process to indulge in a slice.
{{This Gluten-Free Bake & Eat Fruitcake recipe & post were made in partnership with California Prunes. We received compensation in exchange for it. Opinions are always our own. Thank you for your continued support of our small business!}}
First, let's talk about #fruitcakegate 2021...
What started as a simple project has led to weeks of recipe testing, the development of 2 epic fruit cake recipes, some tears, and a very detailed, very thorough gluten-free fruitcake guide that details how to make fruitcake step-by-step.
The Ultimate Guide to Gluten-Free Fruitcake Recipes
Ahhhh fruit cake, it's been the butt of holiday jokes for some, but for others, this dense, fruit-filled loaf is the stuff that holiday dreams are made of!
This year I set out on a mission to make my self-professed "Fruitcake King" of a grandfather proud and tap into my own inner fruitcake fiend.
I've spent this entire holiday season trying to do my part to shine a delicious, loving light on this often misunderstood and underappreciated staple of the holiday season.
And I have to admit, I'm pretty proud of the fruits of my labor. We now have two solid contenders for the best gluten-free fruit cake recipe EVER and lots of fruitcake-making tips and tricks under our belts.
What's so unique about our Gluten-Free Bake & Eat Fruitcake Recipe?
I love a recipe that has been passed down, shared around, and comes with rave reviews! Especially one that has never even graced the internet before. Those types of recipes are few and far between these days.
My friend K.C.'s mom Joanie has been baking her version of fruitcake for years and has made quite the name for herself around Madera, California in the process.
I mean - that says a lot! Learning about just how delicious a recipe is these days by word of mouth just doesn't happen anymore.
That means her fruitcake has made a lasting memorable impression over the years slice by slice.
Does this fruitcake need to be aged for weeks?
Heck no, this fruitcake does not need to be aged for weeks or even days.
Sometimes you just don't have 2-6 weeks between the time you bake your fruit cake and the time you want to devour it. What I love most about Joanie's recipe is that if you wanted to prep all of the fruit, bake, and eat your fruitcake all in the same day you totally could. And you totally should!
I should mention that you have the ability to age this version of Joanie's fruitcake if your heart desires to do so. Just follow the tips and tricks for aging fruitcakes in our Ultimate Guide to Gluten-Free Fruitcake Recipes.
Can I make a nonalcoholic fruitcake?
Joanie's original recipe required far less booze than the other recipes I have tried. Her recipe called for only soaking the raisins for a short time in warm brandy. Then draining and adding them to the batter. Other recipes had me soaking boozy dried fruit for days like in the image above.
I personally am pro-booze when it comes to my own personal slices of fruitcake. But, other members of my household (AKA: my children) are not fans of the flavor of brandy or rum in their fruitcake at all.
Joanie's recipe had just enough of that trademark brandy flavor to quell my taste buds' desires while not having near enough to send my kids running for the hills.
I did test a completely booze-free version of this recipe and found that you can soak the raisins in warm water instead of warm brandy and still get the same tenderizing effect without the alcohol.
What type of dried fruit is in this Gluten-Free Bake and Eat recipe?
You can add any dried or candied fruit that you want to customize your bake and eat fruitcake. One of my personal favorite dried fruit additions to fruitcake recipes is California Prunes!
Joanie's original recipe called for 1 cup red or green candied cherries sliced in half. I left those out in lieu of a bit more dried fruit. If you would like to add a burst of holiday color to your fruitcake loaf it is really easy. Simply decrease the amount of dried fruit called for in the recipe card below by 1 cup. Then substitute back in the equal amount of candied cherries.
Popular types of dried fruit for fruit cake.
- prunes
- apricots
- dried apples
- dried pears
- dried figs
- currants
- raisins
- dried pineapple
- dried cherries
- dried cranberries
- candied mixed fruit
What recipes can you make with prunes?
Whether you are trying to reduce refined sugar, cut unhealthy fats, or simply make healthier recipes, California prunes (or prune puree) can enhance cakes, cookies, muffins, savory sauces, and more!
If you are looking to incorporate more California prunes into your diet the recipes below are a great place to start.
Chocolate Covered Prune Fudge Cake
This decadent, fudgy chocolate cake is naturally sweetened and grain-free, but your tastebuds will be none the wiser! Each bite is like a little slice of chocolatey heaven for your tastebuds!
The Ultimate Coffee Cake Crumble
Transport your taste buds to your favorite coffee shop with our absolute favorite gluten-free Coffee Cake recipe.
This little cake recipe packs a big punch and is easy to make. The swirling aromatic flavors of vanilla beans, cinnamon, and ginger laced with sweet prunes definitely puts it over the top.
If you’ve tried our Gluten-Free Bake & Eat Fruitcake recipe, I would be so grateful if you would rate it with a star rating & let me know what you think in the comments below.
I just love hearing from you, and your reviews and comments really help others that visit This Mess is Ours!
PrintGluten-Free Bake and Eat Fruitcake
This Gluten-Free Bake & Eat Fruitcake recipe is low on booze and perfect for those of us that are a bit impatient and don't want to wait for the aging process to indulge in a slice.
- Prep Time: 35 mins
- Soak time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 100 mins
- Total Time: 2 hours 45 minutes
- Yield: 2 loaves 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Ingredients
½ cup raisins
1 cup King Arthur, Measure for Measure Flour, see note.
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons potato or corn starch
¾ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
4 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups chopped pecans
1 ¼ cups chopped walnuts
8 ounces chopped dried apricots
2 ounces chopped dried apples
3 ounces pitted dates, chopped
4 ounces pitted prunes, chopped
6 ounces dried pineapple, chopped
½ cup dried berry blend, roughly chopped
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 300°F with a rack in the center position and line two loaf pans with aluminum foil. Spray well with cooking spray, set aside.
In a small bowl soak the ½ cup raisins in warm brandy or warm water to cover for 30 minutes, drain and reserve the brandy for another use or discard the water.
In a large mixing bowl combine the flour, sugar, starch, baking powder, and salt. Whisk to combine. Add the eggs and blend until combined and a batter has formed.
Fold in the prepared nuts, chopped dried fruits, and drained raisins. Mix well.
Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared loaf pans.
Bake for 40 minutes, then rotate the pans from front to back and swap sides of the oven then bake for another 40 minutes. Cover the top of the loaf gently with aluminum foil and bake for another 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted near the center of the loaves comes out clean with minimal crumbs.
Transfer the pans to a wire rack to cool completely.
Once cooled, use the edges of the foil to remove the fruitcake from the pan, peel the foil away from the loaf, then slice to serve.
Store leftovers tightly wrapped at room temperature for up to a week or freeze tightly wrapped loaves for longer-term storage.
Notes
A note about King Arthur, Measure for Measure Flour.
I have only tested our fruitcake recipes with this brand of flour. Making fruitcake is a process that can take weeks, so in an effort to control our outcome all of the gluten-free fruitcake recipes on This Mess is Ours were tested with King Arthur, Measure for Measure Flour.
We have not made these recipes with any other flour and cannot ensure the success of your final fruit cake with any other kind of flour.
Making fruitcakes can be a laborious and often costly expense. Don't cut corners or cost on the quality of gluten-free flour.
To measure King Arthur, Measure for Measure Flour for all of the fruit cake recipes on This Mess is Ours:
Use a spoon to overfill the measuring cup with flour then swoop across the top removing excess flour.
Do not compact the flour in the cup by scooping from a container or the bag.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 239
- Sugar: 19.9 g
- Sodium: 49 mg
- Fat: 12.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 32.1 g
- Protein: 4.5 g
- Cholesterol: 37.2 mg
Keywords: prunes, fruitcake, bake and eat fruitcake, low alcohol fruitcake recipe, alcohol free fruitcake, gluten free fruitcake, christmas dessert
Frequently asked questions about fruitcake.
While some of the fruitcake's key ingredients are healthy it is still overall a sweet, boozy dessert and should be enjoyed in moderation.
Yes, there is some alcohol in most fruitcakes. Even if you saturate the cake with alcohol after cooking, the alcohol evaporates quickly
No, you cannot get drunk eating fruit cake.
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