1. Grease a standard 9-inch x 5-inch loaf pan, and line in with parchment paper. Preheat your oven to 300°F.
2. First prepare the fruit. If you’re using any larger fruit, like pineapple pieces or cherries, cut them into smaller pieces. Slice the cherries in half and chop the pineapple pieces into a 1/4-inch dice.
3. Place all the fruits (including dried fruits, like raisins) in a colander and rinse with cold water, and set them aside to drain.
4. Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or a very large bowl with a hand mixer and beat it until light and fluffy, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary. Add the granulated sugar, and beat again until fluffy.
5. With the mixer on low speed, beating continuously to combine, add 2 of the eggs, then half the flour, the remaining eggs and the sherry, then the remaining flour, the salt, and the lemon zest. Continue to beat the batter on medium speed until well-combined.
6. Add the prepared fruit and chopped nuts, and mix until the pieces are evenly distributed throughout the batter. Transfer the batter to the prepared loaf pan, and smooth the top with a moistened spatula.
7. Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for 30 minutes. Rotate the pan 180° and continue to bake until the cake is firm to the touch all the way to the center, about another 30 minutes.
8. The cake will be very moist, and since you’re baking at such a low temperature, the outside is very unlikely to burn. Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool on a wire rack, still in the pan, for about 10 minutes.

IF DOUSING OR CURING THE CAKE

1. If you plan to douse the cake in spirits or simple syrup, pour about 1 tablespoon of the liquid on the top, another tablespoon on the bottom, and wrap the cake tightly in plastic wrap. Return it to the pan, and allow it to cool completely as is.
2. Once cool, store the cake in a cool, dry, dark location (not in the sun), removing it from the plastic every other day for a week.
3. Once a week, douse it with more spirits or simple syrup, then wrap it tightly again and store it in the pan until ready to serve.

IF NOT DOUSING OR CURING THE CAKE.

1. If you don’t plan to cure the cake, remove it from the pan and place it directly on the wire rack to cool completely before slicing and serving.
2. Even if you’re not planning to cure the cake, you can wrap it tightly once it’s cool and refrigerate it for up to 2 weeks before serving.

Cook Time : 50 minutes

Yield: 1 loaf

Source: glutenfreeonashoestring.com