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PrintFruitcake
Low-Sodium, Gluten-Free, Vegetarian
'Tis the season for hostess gifts; something small, readily transportable, and gratefully received. Like...fruitcake! Unlike other fruitcakes you may be used to, studded with embalmed fruit in unnatural colors, this recipe is rich with healthy dried fruit, held together by a pinch of gluten free flour. This fruitcake will be eaten long before it has a chance to languish as anyone's doorstop.
Serves 24 (four 1 lb loafs)
- 1 cup dried apples, chopped
- 3/4 cup dried apricots, chopped
- 3/4 cup halved dates (Note: don't buy previously chopped date pieces, as these are often rolled in oat flour)
- 1/3 cup currants
- 1/3 cup raisins
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries
- 1/2 cup apple juice
- 1/2 cup pecans, chopped
- 1 cup soy flour
- 1/2 cup potato starch
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 1 cup applesauce
Combine the apples, apricots, dates, currants, raisins and cranberries in a large bowl. Heat the apple juice just to a boil and then pour over the fruit. Mix well and then let sit overnight at room temperature.
Continue after the fruit mixture has set overnight. Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a large bowl, stir together the pecans, soy flour, potato starch, zanthan gum, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg and allspice. Set aside. Cream together the butter and sugar. Add the eggs, one at a time, to the creamed mixture, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula to ensure proper mixing. Add the dry ingredients alternately with the applesauce. Finally, mix in the fruit.
Divide the thick batter evenly into 4 greased loaf pans. Bake for approximately one hour, or until the center of a loaf passes the toothpick test (by coming out clean).
Optional decoration: heat 1/2 cup of corn syrup and brush it over the cakes; sprinkle toasted pecans and dried cranberries on top for a festive look.
Nutrition Info
Per Serving (61g-wt.): 160 calories (60 from fat), 6g total fat, 3g saturated fat, 3g protein, 25g total carbohydrate (3g dietary fiber, 16g sugar), 35mg cholesterol, 95mg sodium