Sugar Free Fruit Bundt Cake Recipe

One of my readers gave me the idea for this cake. Most gluten free and refined sugar free cakes are made with cocoa or chocolate. Mine were no exception. When a reader asked whether one of my recipes could be adapted into a fruit cake without cocoa, I realized there was a gap in my collection.

I love using buckwheat flour in gluten free baking, but I don't want every gluten free recipe I make to rely on buckwheat. This time, I chose a combination of oat flour and almond flour instead. Since almond flour naturally contains more fat than regular flour, I reduced the amount of added oil compared to my usual cake recipes.

That doesn't mean this cake is low in calories. Many people assume that sugar free or gluten free desserts are automatically low calorie, or even calorie free.

Unfortunately, that isn't the case for most sugar free desserts. Ingredients commonly used instead of sugar, such as dates or dried mulberries, are far from calorie free. In fact, they are quite calorie dense. Their advantage is that they are naturally high in fiber. The same applies to almond flour. It isn't lower in calories than wheat flour, but it is much higher in protein. So while cakes like this may not be lower in calories, they can certainly be considered a more nutritious choice.

If you have a sweet tooth and enjoy desserts regularly, choosing refined sugar free desserts is generally a better option. On the other hand, if you only have dessert once in a while and in small portions, I believe you should simply enjoy your favorite treats rather than feeling obligated to choose sugar free alternatives. Likewise, if you need to follow a gluten free diet, it is worth choosing desserts made with naturally nutritious flours that are rich in fiber and protein, rather than heavily processed gluten free products or commercial gluten free flour blends that are mostly starch.

Now that we've covered the sugar free dessert discussion, let's talk about the recipe itself, starting with a few ingredient substitutions.

You can replace the almond flour with the same amount of hazelnut meal or walnut meal (simply finely ground hazelnuts or walnuts).

Instead of making oat flour by grinding rolled oats, you can use ready-made oat flour. If you have neither, any gluten free flour, such as buckwheat flour or teff flour, will also work.

You can substitute the milk with the same amount of any plant based milk.

The recipe calls for a neutral liquid oil, but you can use any liquid cooking oil you prefer, including olive oil, sunflower oil, hazelnut oil, or corn oil.

Dates are the one ingredient that will have the biggest impact if substituted. They don't just provide sweetness, they also contribute moisture and texture. If you'd like to replace them, choose another dried fruit with a similar soft consistency. Dried apricots and dried figs are my first suggestions, but feel free to experiment with any similar alternatives you have on hand.

Instead of blueberries and raspberries, you can use almost any soft fruit. Apricots, peaches, or strawberries all work well when cut into small pieces. Keep in mind that larger fruit pieces are more likely to sink to the bottom of the cake.

Finally, I'd like to finish with a reminder that applies to almost every cake recipe. When checking for doneness with a toothpick, don't expect it to come out completely clean. A perfectly baked cake will usually leave a few moist, baked crumbs on the toothpick. That's exactly what you're looking for.

Enjoy!

Enjoy!