Jules Shepard

Atop each of Jules Shepard’s free weekly recipe newsletters is her mantra: “Perfecting Gluten-Free Baking, Together.” From her easy-to-read cookbook (“Nearly Normal Cooking for Gluten Free Eating”) to her highly rated reference for making the transition to living gluten free easier (“The First Year: Celiac Disease and Living Gluten Free”), Jules is tireless in the kitchen, at the keyboard and in person in helping people eating gluten free do it with ease, with style and with no compromises.

In the kitchen, she creates recipes for beautiful, tasty gluten-free foods that most people could never tell are gluten free. As a writer, she produces a steady stream of baking tips, living advice, encouragement and insights through magazine articles, her web site (JulesGlutenFree.com), newsletter, e-books and on sites like http://celiac.com and others. Jules also maintains a busy schedule of speaking at celiac and gluten-free gatherings, appearing on TV and radio shows, baking industry conventions, as well as teaching classes on the ease and freedom of baking at home.

Her patent-pending all-purpose flour literally has changed lives for families who thought going gluten free meant going without. Thousands read her weekly newsletter, follow her on Twitter and interact with her on FaceBook. Her third book, "Free for All Cooking," will be available November, 2010.

Published on 12/30/2009

Gluten, dairy and soy free, this delicious fruitcake is even quick (as fruitcakes go!) to make.

Gluten, dairy and soy free, this delicious fruitcake is even quick (as fruitcakes go!) to make. This fruit-filled, delicious cake doesn't need to be "cured" for days or even weeks, so don't be scared away from trying fruitcake this holiday! My recipe doesn't produce the brick-like product we've all made fun of, but it does make enough for more than one cake, so you'll have enough left over to give away some cakes to friends and neighbors (if you're willing to share!).

Fruitcake (Gluten-Free) Ingredients:
1 cup butter or non-dairy alternative (e.g. Earth Balance Buttery Sticks)
2 cups granulated cane sugar
6 eggs
¼ cup light rum
1 Tbs. lime juice
1 tsp. gluten-free vanilla extract
1 Tbs. almond extract (optional)
1 tsp. grated lime zest (approximately 1 lime)
2 ¾ cup mixed dried/candied fruit*
½ cup chopped walnuts (optional)
2 cups dry red wine
1 cup molasses or dark agave nectar
3 cups Jules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour
1 ½ Tbs. gluten-free baking powder
½ tsp. ground nutmeg
½ tsp. ground allspice
1 tsp. cinnamon
1 pinch salt

Cointreau, Grand Marnier or other citrus flavored distilled liqueur for brushing on finished cakes

*Dried/Candied fruit should contain a mixture of several fruits such as cherries, cranberries, raisins, sultanas, dates, figs, pineapple, candied citrus peel ....

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350F. Oil and dust two 9-inch round cake pans or 1 large bundt pan plus 4-6 small loaf pans with Jules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour. Set aside.

In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and beat until well mixed. Add in the rum, lime juice, extracts, zest and molasses. Stir in the dried/candied fruits.

In another bowl, whisk together the dried ingredients: Jules Gluten Free All Purpose Flour, baking powder, spices and salt. Fold into the wet batter just until integrated. Pour into prepared pans.

Bake for 50 minutes in the small loaf pans or 60 minutes in larger pans, checking to be sure the cakes are not burning at the edges though. A knife inserted into the centers should come out clean. Brush the tops of each cake with citrus flavored liqueur. Cool in the pans for 15 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Wrap cooled cakes in plastic wrap and then foil, if freezing.