Gluten Free Polish Fruitcake - Cwibak or Chleb Wigilijny

     Every family has traditions they grew up doing together.  My holiday childhood memory  was making fruitcake together.  We had a large wooden bowl that we would put in containers of candied fruits, glazed cherries, plump raisins, Hadley's California dates, and freshly chopped walnuts.  I didn't realize until I was older that most people don't really like fruitcake. 

    When I made it years ago for my own children, they didn't care for it at all.  So much so I stopped making it because I was the only one who ate it!  It wasn't until this quarter with having a Polish student boarding with us that I decided to check into some Polish favorites. 

 I was intrigued by a recipe that said here's a fruitcake that the giver won't take to next year's  white elephant party.  I thought I'd check it out.  This recipe for Polish fruitcake comes from  About European Food.

POLISH FRUITCAKE

1.  Prepare fruits and nuts:  In a large bowl put:
(1)  3/4 cup light or dark raisins (or mix them)
(2)  3/4 cup chopped dates or figs
(3)  1 1/3 cups chopped walnuts or pecans
(4)  1/2 cup dried apricots (I used  orange, lemon, and grapefruit peels from my dad's fruit trees in Arizona that I brought home and dehydrated.)
(5) 1/2 cup of candied lemon and orange.
(6)  Mix fruits with 2 T of rice flour to keep ingredients from clumping together in the batter.

2.  Prepare dry ingredients - In a medium bowl put:
(1)  4 3/4 cups of gluten free flour mix
(2)  Then stir in 4 t baking powder

3. Cream butter & sugar:
(1)  In a large bowl or mixer cream together 2 sticks of butter and 4 cups of powdered sugar until light and fluffy.
(2)  Then add 8 eggs ONE at a time, beating after each one is added.

4.  Combine ingredients: 
(1)  Slowly add the butter/egg mixture and combine thoroughly.  Then stir in 2 t vanilla and 1/2 cup orange juice.  Mix well.
(2)  Then stir in the fruit-nut mixture by hand until combined.

5.  Bake the fruitcakes:  Bake at 350 for 45-60 minutes. Let them cool completely in their pans.  When they're cool, take them out and wrap them well and stir in a cool place for up to a month.

Note:  When I made these today, they were ready to take out at 45 minutes.   I was surprised when I opened the oven and saw they even had some cracks down the center.  Next time I will check them around 35 minutes.   We just had a slice, and it tasted great!  

Other Gluten Free Baking & Desserts on This Blog:

Breads: 
Gluten free & Low-fat Banana Bread  (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Celebrate Fall With Gluten Free Pumpkin Bread   (A friend's recipe)
Delicious Gluten Free Zucchini Bread   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
My Favorite Gluten Free Cranberry Nut Bread    (From my daughter-in-law's family cookbook)

Cakes:
Gluten Free German Apple Cake   (From my grandmother)
You Won't Believe It's Gluten Free Carrot Cake    (From my daughter's husband's grandma)
Judi's Super Moist Gluten Free Chocolate Cake   (From a church friend)
Judi's Gluten Free Orange Chiffon Cake       (From a church friend)
Marilyn's Spectacular Gluten Free Oatmeal Cake    (My mother-in-law's--she's a great cook!)
The Best Gluten Free Black Bottom Cupcakes   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Delicious Gluten Free Rhubarb Cake     (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Grandma's Gluten Free Applesauce Cake  (From an Internet search tastes like my grandma's!)
Old Fashioned Gluten Free Banana Cake      (From my grandma)
Rosie's Gluten Free Pineapple Upside Down Cake    (From my daughter-in-law's family)


Cookies:
Gluten Free Cowboy Oatmeal Cookies  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Mom's Go To For Gluten Free Peanut Butter Cookies   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
The Best Gluten Free Recipe for Snickerdoodles  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Gluten Free Rocky Road Brownies     (From a church friend)
Mark's Famous Chocolate Chip Cookies - Made Gluten Free!    (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Judi's Gluten Free Oatmeal Craisin & Coconut Cookies       (From a church friend)

Cornbread & Rolls:
Beth's Amazing Gluten Free Cornbread   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)

Crisps & Pies:
Lena's Rhubarb Crunch (A crisp with a gluten free top and bottom crust!) (My daughter-in-law's mother.  She's an amazing cook, which I think most of us moms become after a few years!)
Delicious Gluten Free Apple Crisp  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Ginger's Outrageous Apple Pie  (From a church friend)
The BEST Lemon Meringue Pie with Mrs. Lauralicious Gluten Free Pie Crust  (Internet)

Desserts with Fruit:
Sensational Gluten Free Strawberry Shortcake   (From the back of Costco's organic sugar)

Terrific Gluten Free Strawberry & Peach Trifle  (Modified from an Internet search)
My Favorite Gluten Free Strawberry Cheesecake   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Just Like Grandma's (But Only Gluten Free) Blueberry Cobbler (My husband's grandma)

Holiday Cookies & Baking:
Old Fashioned Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookies  (Modified from back of the Libby's can)
Incredible Gluten Free Gingerbread Cookies  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
My Grandkids Favorite Gluten Free Peppermint Sugar Cookies  (From Syre School Cookbook)
Our Favorite Pumpkin Pie   (Modified from back of Libby's pumpkin can)
Perfect Gluten Free Pumpkin Cheesecake  (From back of cream cheese box)
Gluten Free Polish Fruitcake   (Modified from Internet search)
Old Fashioned Gluten Free Gingerbread Cake  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)

Muffins:

Banana Nutty Muffins   (From my daughter-in-law's family reunion cookbook)
Gluten Free Tremendous Pumpkin Muffins    (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Bursting with Blueberries Gluten Free Muffins  (From my Heritage School Cookbook)
Toni's Outrageous Gluten Free Corn Muffins  (From back of a Bob's Red Mill package)
Sassy Gluten Free Apple Cinnamon Muffins   (From my Heritage School Cookbook)

 Puddings & Ice Cream:  

Dairy Free Strawberry Coconut Ice Cream (And other ice cream favorites!)  (From searches)

Baked Coconut Pudding  (Something I worked out from my Aunt Sue's rice pudding recipe)
Tangy Lemon Pudding   (From Internet search)