Gluten-Free Fruit Loaf (Kumquat-Date Bread)

Name: Gluten-Free Fruit Loaf
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 1/2 cup unsalted butter (softened); 3/4 cup sugar; 1 orange (zested); 1 cup kumquats (chopped); 2 eggs; 4 Tablespoons orange juice; 1/2 cup sour cream; 1/2 cup dates (chopped); 2 cups gluten-free flour (see notes); 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 3/4 cup pecans (chopped)

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This Gluten-Free Fruit Loaf is a guilt-free way to indulge with a slice of bread! A perfect bread to make for any Mother's Day or Easter Brunch.

Overhead picture of a baked fruit bead inside of a loaf pan.

In the spring, I love making this kumquat-date bread. It's gluten-free and so good! Prepare this recipe in a loaf pan or a muffin tin.

Kumquats are a small, sweet and sour fruit packing an awesome citrus punch. Check out my Candied Kumquats for other ways to prepare this fruit.

The right gluten-free flour is important when making this recipe. After testing this recipe out many times, our All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour works the best.

Try serving this loaf of bread for your next Easter Brunch! For more suggestions, check our Easter Recipes to spark some ideas.

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⭐️ Why you'll love this recipe
🥘 Ingredient Notes
📖 Substitutions and Variations
🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions
💭 Chef Tips
❓Recipe FAQ's
💡Storage
🍽 Related Recipes
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

⭐️ Why you'll love this recipe

This kumquat-date bread is gluten-free! We use a gluten-free flour blend that contains white rice flour, brown rice flour, potato starch, tapioca starch, and xanthum gum.
Kumquats add a delicious citrus flavor. These little fruits contain a slightly sweet flavor giving our gluten-free fruit loaf a citrus pop!
Enjoy this gluten-free bread any time of year, especially for Mother's Day or Easter Brunch. Browse my Breakfast and Brunch Recipes for more suggestions.

🥘 Ingredient Notes

When making your gluten-free fruit bread, make sure to have these ingredients on hand.

Photo of ingredients used in gluten-free- fruit loaf.

Butter - Use unsalted butter. It's good to have control over the amount of salt in a recipe.
Sugar - Adds a nice sweetness to balance out the kumquats.
Orange juice - For a nice citrus flavor!
Orange zest - Use a microplane to zest the orange
Eggs - Bring eggs to room temperature for even cooking
Sour cream - Gluten-free bread has the reputation of being dense and dry. Adding a touch of sour cream yields a moist loaf of bread.
Dates - Dried fruit is common in fruit bread and adds sweetness and texture.
Kumquats - Chop the kumquats by hand so you can see bits of them in the bread.
Gluten-free four - I like using Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 blend. This flour works so well that you will forget this recipe is gluten-free.
Baking powder and baking soda - This helps increase volume and make the bread rise.
Cinnamon - Adds a nice aromatic taste.
Pecans - For texture and pairs well with the dried fruit.

📖 Substitutions and Variations

This kumquat-date bread is a versatile dish, so feel free to experiment with different ingredients to find the perfect combination that suits your taste buds.

Gluten-Free Flour: Coconut flour and almond flour can be used, but we find that a 1-1 gluten-free all-purpose flour works the best.
Dried Fruit: You can use any combination of fruits in your bread, such as raisins, dried cranberries, or dried apricots.
Nuts: Try using different types of nuts like almonds, walnuts, or pistachios. If you have a nut allergy, use pumpkin or sunflower seeds.
Sweetener: Swap out sugar for maple syrup, honey, or coconut sugar.
Make it dairy free: Replace butter with coconut oil and sour cream with vegan sour cream.

🔪 Step-by-Step Instructions

Gluten-free fruit bread is so easy to make, here's how to make it!

Creaming butter, sugar, and orange zest in a mixing bowl.

Step 1: In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream together butter, sugar, and orange zest with the paddle attachment.

Beating kumquats, eggs, and sour cream into the batter.

Step 2: Add chopped kumquats, eggs, orange juice, and sour cream. Mix on a medium-slow speed for 2 minutes. Fold in chopped dates.

Flour being sifted into a mixing bowl with a sieve.

Step 3: Sift together gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Folding in chopped pecans into the bread batter.

Step 4: Blend on low speed until everything is incorporated. Fold in chopped pecans.

Step 5: Pour batter into a 9x5 parchment-lined loaf pan.

Baked bread loaf inside of a rectangular loaf pan.

Step 6: Bake at 350° for 1 hour or until the internal temperature is 200°F. Remove from the loaf pan and cool completely on a cooling rack.

Tip - When baking gluten-free bread, make sure it cools down to room temperature before slicing.

💭 Chef Tips

Chop dates by hand. A food processor will create a mass of fruit that will be difficult to mix into the batter.
For extra kumquat flavor, spread on butter and a small amount of kumquat marmalade.
Use 1 to 1 gluten-free flour. I like to use Bob's Red Mill or my All-Purpose Gluten-Free Flour Recipe.
To preserve kumquats, pour over simple syrup and freeze them. Instead of using orange juice, replace it with the kumquat simple syrup. Delicious!
To serve, use good-quality butter. I like Kerrygold Irish butter. Trust me a good quality butter will make a difference!

Overhead picture of a slice of gluten-free fruit bread on a small plate.

❓Recipe FAQ's

Can you make muffins with this recipe?

Yes! All you need to do is adjust the cooking time. Bake at 350° for 20 minutes or until the internal temperature is 200°.

How can I make this recipe if kumquats are not in season?

Option 1: When in season, cut the kumquats in half and remove the seeds. Prepare a simple syrup solution by heating 1 cup of sugar and 1 cup of water. Pour the syrup over the kumquats and freeze. Now you can make this recipe all year long.

Option 2: Replace kumquats with the zest of 2 oranges.

Can I use other dried fruits instead of dates?

Yes, swap out dates for dried cranberries, apricots, or figs.

What's the best way to remove kumquat seeds?

Cut the kumquats in half and use the point of a paring knife (small knife) to flick the seeds out.

💡Storage

The best way to store gluten-free bread is in a breadbox to prevent the loaf from becoming soggy.
Don't store gluten-free bread in the refrigerator. It will dry out.
After storing for 3-4 days, transfer unused bread to the freezer. We recommend wrapping it tightly with plastic wrap to prevent freezer burn.