22 Dec 2009

Perfect gluten free fruit cake

David Lebovitz is one of my food heros, a devotee to everything sweet and Parisian always bringing something new to the blogsphere. Recently he posted a recipe for Fruitcake bars and with Christmas looming and a deficit of gluten free Christmas goodies, I reviewed the recipe to see if I could adapt it, and it only contained a little bit of flour.


I love baking in the run up to Christmas, and with in-laws descending this weekend it was the perfect excuse to try out the recipe. With a little tweaking to allow for the ultra absorbant gluten free flour, this was such an easy, successful cake to bake. Perfect for Christmas and flexible enough to accommodate the fruit and nuts you have at hand, get the oven on!



Based on David Lebovit's Fruitcake Bar
Ingredients
4tbsp gluten free flour
2 tbsp golden caster sugar
4 tbsp dark brown sugar
170g chopped dried fruit (dates, prunes, figs)
170g chopped dried apricots
200g roasted and chopped nuts (I used walnuts and almonds)
1/4 tsp gluten free baking powder
1/4 tsp cinnamon
1 large egg beaten

Method
Line a square 20cm tin with a cross of foil, folding it over the edges so that you can lift out the cake after cooking. Preheat the oven to 160degrees c.

Mix together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinammon, sugars, nuts and fruits using your hands to seperate the fruit with flour.

Add the beaten egg and mix until the fruit and nuts are covered in a batter.

Spread into the cake tin and smooth the top. Bake for 35-40 min until a skewer comes out of the cake clean. Leave in the tin to cool and lift out using the foil.

With a sharp, heavy knife, cut into bars (or slabs in our house). Keep in an airtight containter for up to a week at room temperature.

You may also enjoy reading:

My first Chrsitmas cake

Essential gluten free baking equipment








3 comments:

Karin B (Looking for Ballast) said...

I saw this post at DL's blog (I love it, too) and I am so thankful you have written this adaptation!

Your blog is very inspiring in helping me think creatively about how I can adapt recipes. I need to get more active about seeking out ingredients I can tolerate here in Paris, something I have been finding somewhat intimidating. I think that hunger is going to move me out of my scaredy-cat ways, though, and I will kick into gear soon.

Again, I am glad to know this one works well. :)

Kim McGowan said...

Glad it is useful.. get in that kitchen!!!! His site has so many options and is rather GF aware!

Carla Spacher said...

I usually never eat fruit cake, but this sounds and looks amazing! Thanks for sharing this recipe!