This Gluten Free Fruit Cake came to life because my husband requested it. Above all, it turned out so good that it’s now going to be a yearly tradition in our house. It’s everything you want in a holiday fruit cake: moist, tender, and filled with warm spices and chewy bits of fruit that taste better with every bite.
To give the dried fruit the best flavour and texture, I soak it in rum (just be sure to choose a gluten free one). The fruit becomes plump, juicy, and beautifully fragrant. But if you prefer a non-alcoholic option, you can absolutely soak the fruit in apple juice or a spiced, cooled tea like chai, both work wonderfully and add their own warmth to the cake.
The result is a rich, festive loaf that feels nostalgic, homemade, and far from the dry, dense fruit cakes of the past. Whether you’re gifting it, serving it at a holiday gathering, or enjoying a slice with coffee, this gluten free fruit cake is pure Christmas comfort.
Customize the fruit cake
Use whatever dried fruit you love or have on hand! Some great options:
- Raisins
- Cranberries
- Chopped apricots
- Dried cherries or even the red and green cherries in the sugar syrup
- Currants
- Golden raisins
- Chopped dates
- Mixed peel or candied citrus
- Nuts such as pecans or almonds
ingredients
- Dried Fruit: Dark Raisins, Golden Raisins, Apricots, Citrus Peel, Cranberries, Figs, Cherries, Prunes
- Nuts: Slivered Almonds
- Rum (make sure it is gluten free)
- Gluten Free 1-1 Flour
- Baking Powder
- Cinnamon
- Ginger
- All Spice
- Salt
- Butter
- Light Brown Sugar
- Eggs
- Orange Zest
- Lemon Zest
- Orange Juice
- Apple
- Apricot Jam
Tools
- Loaf Pan
Storing
Fruit Cakes are one of those loafs that have great long term storage… which makes it perfect for baking ahead and gifting.
If you want to eat the fruit cake right away, then prepare the glaze in the instructions and glaze it.
If you want the fruit cake to age and get even tastier, soak large pieces of cheesecloth in any liquor of your choice. They should be damp and not soaking wet. Wrap the cake tightly. Cover the loaf in wax paper and foil. Then put it in a large zip lock bag, and store in the fridge for 6 weeks (it can often last longer). Unwrap and soak the cheesecloth once a week if you are not planing on eating it right away.
Gluten Free Fruit Cake
Ingredients
Soaking Fruit
- 100 Grams Dark Raisins
- 100 Grams Golden Raisins
- 160 Grams Mixed Dried Fruit (Apricots, citrus peel, cranberries, etc)
- 80 Grams Figs
- 80 Grams Cherries (I used the cherries in the sugar syrup from BulkBarn.)
- 60 Grams Prunes
- 6 oz Rum
Cake
- 90 Grams Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 Gluten Free Flour
- 1.5 Grams Baking Powder
- 3 Grams Cinnamon
- 2 Grams Ginger
- 0.5 Grams All Spice
- 0.5 Grams Salt
- 58 Grams Butter
- 80 Grams Light Brown Sugar
- 2 Eggs
- 15 Grams Orange Zest – 1 Orange
- 10 Grams Lemon Zest – 1 Lemon
- 30 Grams Orange Juice (Squeezed from the Orange)
- ½ Apple – Peeled and grated
- 45 Grams Slivered Almonds
Glaze if eating right away
- 50 Grams Apricot Jam
- Splash Water
Instructions
Fruit – 24 hours before baking
- In a glass container combine all the fruit. Give the larger dried fruit a rough chop. Cover it with the rum. Cover the bowl and allow it to soak on the counter for at least 12 hours, but 24 hours is best.100 Grams Dark Raisins, 100 Grams Golden Raisins, 160 Grams Mixed Dried Fruit (Apricots, citrus peel, cranberries, etc), 80 Grams Figs, 80 Grams Cherries, 60 Grams Prunes, 6 oz Rum
Cake
- Preheat the oven to 300F. Line a 9×5 loaf pan with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add in all the dry ingredients.90 Grams Bob’s Red Mill 1-1 Gluten Free Flour, 1.5 Grams Baking Powder, 3 Grams Cinnamon, 2 Grams Ginger, 0.5 Grams All Spice, 0.5 Grams Salt
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, add in the butter and light brown sugar until creamed together.58 Grams Butter, 80 Grams Light Brown Sugar
- Add in the eggs to the stand mixer bowl, and beat until incorporated. It might look off, but that is okay.2 Eggs
- Add in the flour mixture and mix until almost combined.
- Remove from the stand mixer and add in the zests, juice, apple and almonds.15 Grams Orange Zest – 1 Orange, 10 Grams Lemon Zest – 1 Lemon, 30 Grams Orange Juice, 1/2 Apple – Peeled and grated, 45 Grams Slivered Almonds
- Add in all the fruit you have been soaking. Some people pour the liquid that didn’t absorb into the fruit into the bowl, however I like mine less boozy, so I just put the fruit in.
- Mix until incorporated.
- Pour the mixture into the prepared loaf pan. Place it into the oven for 75 minutes. If the sides are starting to be golden, and it looks done, then check it. It might need a couple extra minutes if you poured the extra liquid in there.
- Once it has cooled in the pan, remove it and place it on a wire rack until it fully cools.
- If you are eating it right away, combine the jam and water together. Heat it into the microwave for the jam to mix easily into the water. Brush it onto the top of the loaf.50 Grams Apricot Jam, Splash Water
- If you are going to let it soak for a while, wrap it in cheesecloth that has been soaked in liquor, wrap the loaf. Then wrap it in wax paper, tin foil and then in an airtight container like a ziplock and let it sit in the fridge for weeks until you are ready to eat it.
Did you make this recipe?
Lovely. Now let me know how you liked it and how easy it was to bake. Tag @laurabakesglutenfree on Instagram and hashtag it #laurabakesglutenfree.
While I have you here, may I suggest few you try next:
Until next time. Keep following and commenting. Join me on Instagram, where I will be revealing my secret tips and tricks! Yes, that’s right!
