Low FODMAP Fruitcake
Fear not, our Low FODMAP Fruitcake is based on lab tested certified low FODMAP amounts of dried fruit, nuts, liqueur and honey. Sound impossible? We have figured out how to make a classic fruitcake possible for the FODMAPer.
Low FODMAP Serving Size Info: Makes 48 mini fruitcakes; 48 servings; 1 fruitcake per serving.
Ingredients:
- 12- ounces (340g) candied mixed peel, diced (such as a mixture of lemon and orange; make sure to choose a product without high fructose corn syrup)
- 4- ounces (115 g) dried cranberries
- 4- ounces (115 g) dark raisins
- 2- ounces (55 g) pitted moist dates, minced
- 2- ounces minced 55 g dried Calimyrna figs, stems removed, minced
- ¼ cup (85 g) (85 g) honey, or rice malt syrup
- ¼ cup (60 ml) whiskey, or Low FODMAP Orange Liqueur, plus extra
- ¾ cup (109 g) plus 2 tablespoons low FODMAP gluten-free all-purpose flour, such as Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour
- 1/8 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 ½- ounces (100 g) pecan halves, finely chopped
- ½ cup (113g; 1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into tablespoon-sized pieces
- 2/3 cup (131 g) sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
Preparation:
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Place all of the candied and dried fruit in a large bowl and toss to combine. Add honey and whiskey, stir well, cover bowl with plastic wrap and let sit at room temperature overnight to macerate, or alternatively, microwave on high power for two minutes; stir and cool.
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Preheat oven to 325°F (165°C). Coat 4, 12 mini-muffin tins with non-stick spray; set aside. (Or the equivalent to equal 48 muffin wells).
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Stir together flour, baking soda and salt in a bowl to aerate and combine. Stir in nuts; set aside. Place butter in bowl of mixer and beat with flat paddle on medium-high speed until creamy, about 2 minutes. Add sugar gradually and continue beating until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping down the bowl once or twice; beat in cinnamon. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, again scraping down the bowl once or twice.
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Turn machine off, add about one-third of the flour mixture, then turn machine onto low-speed. Gradually add remaining flour, mixing just until blended, scraping down bowl once or twice. Beat in fruit mixture. Fill each muffin tin up to the rim with batter; these do not rise much at all – almost imperceptibly.
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Bake for about 25 minutes or until light golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Cool muffin tins on racks for a couple of minutes, then pierce each one with a bamboo skewer several times and generously sprinkle or brush with whiskey to moisten; I use about ½ cup (120 ml) at this point. Cool completely, then unmold. You might need to use a small icing spatula to run around each cakelet to loosen it from the pan.
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Line the bottom and sides of airtight containers with a double layer of cheesecloth, moistened with whiskey. Arrange muffins in single layers, separating layers with more moistened cheesecloth. Cover with a double layer of whiskey moistened cheesecloth and seal tin. Let sit overnight. Sprinkle with whisky again and re-seal the tins. Add more whiskey as needed over the next week to keep everything moist, but not wet.
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These are best eaten at least 1 week after baking. If storing longer, add more whiskey as needed. Cakes may be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 months, however, this partially depends on amount of alcohol added. If at any point they appeared spoiled or mold has appeared, please discard. You could try freezing for longer storage.
Notes:
FODMAP Information
Our recipes are based on Monash University and FODMAP Friendly science.
• Butter: Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested butter. Monash states that a low FODMAP Green Light portion is 1 tablespoon or 19 g and also states that “butter is high in fat and does not contain carbohydrates (FODMAPs)”. FODMAP Friendly gives it a “Pass” at 1 tablespoon or 19 g. Both recommended serving sizes are presented as part of healthy eating guidelines, not as maximum FODMAP serving size. Fat can affect guy motility and trigger IBS symptoms in some people. Eat to your tolerance.
• Cranberries: Both Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have lab tested cranberries. FODMAP Friendly has lab tested dried cranberries and gives them a “Fail” at 40 g or 3/8 cup. On the Monash app you will find Dried Cranberries are given a Green Light low FODMAP serving of 1 Australian tablespoon, or 15 g. On the Monash website itself they discuss fresh cranberries and state that 130 grams fresh, which is about a scant 1 1/4 cups, should be tolerated well.
• Eggs: Eggs are high in protein and do not contain carbohydrates, according to Monash University.
• Pecans: Monash and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested pecans. Monash says that a low FODMAP serving size is 10 pecan halves or 20g. The small print tells us that they are not High FODMAP until they reach a 100 g serving size, or about 40 halves. You might notice that on the FODMAP Friendly app the image is for pecans in the shell. We have asked FODMAP Friendly for clarification and they told us that the ¼ cup (30 g) low FODMAP serving size is for nuts OUT of the shell and is approximately 15 pecan halves.
• Raisins: Monash and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested raisins. While raw grapes contain no FODMAPs, the natural sugars concentrate upon drying and the resulting raisins do contain FODMAPs. Monash says a low FODMAP Green Light serving is 1 Australian tablespoon (13 g). FODMAP Friendly gives them a “Pass” at 3 tablespoons (30 g).
• Sugar: Monash University and FODMAP Friendly have both lab tested white, granulated sugar. Monash states that a Green Light low FODMAP serving size of white sugar is 1/4 cup (50 g). FODMAP Friendly simply states that they have tested 1 tablespoon and that it is low FODMAP. Regular granulated white sugar is sucrose, which is a disaccharide made up of equal parts glucose and fructose. Sucrose is broken down and absorbed efficiently in the small intestine.
• Whiskey: Monash University has lab tested whiskey and it is low FODMAP Green Light at a 30 ml serving size. FODMAP Friendly gives it a “Pass” at 30 ml or “1 shot”.
Please always refer to the Monash University & FODMAP Friendly smartphone apps for the most up-to-date lab tested information. As always, your tolerance is what counts; please eat accordingly. The ultimate goal of the low FODMAP diet is to eat as broadly as possible, without triggering symptoms, for the healthiest microbiome.