Spiced Fruit and Nut Christmas Cake. Eggless Vegan Recipe. Fruit Cake, Rum Cake, Plum Cake, Rum Cake or holiday cake. Makes 1 9 inch cake pan
We are alive We are alive! Its 22nd already and we are all still here. So lets celebrate Christmas and the new year:)
I have been trying to finish up this post since the past 2 days and finally here it is. I made a boozy fruit cake last year as well and never got around to posting it. Thanks to hubbs’s stayacation last december:)
Fruit Cake, Rum Cake, Plum Cake or other named of this Cake was also always gifted by friends around this time while growing up(in India). It was always home made and delicious unlike the supermarket versions here.
The lighter one below is from last year and has a good amount of rum and lesser fruits and nuts in it. The one from this year doesnt have any alcohol. I dont like booze(gasp) and wanted to eat my cake. So this year’s Cake is Boozeless (first picture).
You can use any fruit juice instead of liquor. I usually like either freshly squeezed orange juice or Cranberry juice. For this years cake, I used Orange juice mixed with a little molasses. I used dark molasses to deepen the color.
For a glutenfree version, see this.
More Holiday Sweet(Dessert, snack, Breakfast) Collection here. French Toasts, Tiramisu Pancakes, Cakes, Ginger bread truffles, Cookies, Stollen Bread and more.
Wish you all Happy Holidays and A Wonderful New Year!
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Spiced Fruit and Nut Christmas Cake. Eggless Vegan Recipe
Spiced Fruit and Nut Christmas Cake. Eggless Vegan Recipe. Fruit Cake, Rum Cake, Plum Cake, Rum Cake or holiday cake. Makes 1 9 inch cake pan
Servings: 12
Calories: 260kcal
Ingredients
Dry:
- 1.75 cups (210 g) cups of Spelt flour Or use 1.25 cups whole wheat flour and ½ cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 Tablespoons flaxseed meal
- ¾ cup (177.44 g) cane sugar or demerara sugar or vegan brown sugar
Spices:
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) of ginger powder
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) each of cinnamon, clove, nutmeg powders
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) sea salt
Wet:
- ⅓ cup (72.67 ml) Coconut oil or oil of choice I usually use ⅓ cup. ½ cup will make the cake more moist. Use ½ cup mashed banana or pumpkin puree for an Oil free version
- ½ cup (113 ml) Coconut milk
- 2 Tablespoons dark Molasses
- 1 Tablespoon Apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon (0.5 teaspoon) rum extract if not using liquor. optional
Fruits and Nuts:
- 1.5 cups (225 g) of chopped dried fruit nuts, candied fruits(I used about ¼ cup each of golden and dark raisins, dates, cranberries, walnuts, pecans, cashews, and a Tablespoon candied orange peel).
- 1 cup (248 ml) of juice or half juice and half rum to soak (I use orange juice mixed in with a teaspoon of molasses to soak for non boozy version. Half orange juice half rum to soak for boozy)
Instructions
- Soak chopped fruits and nuts in juice or a combination of juice and liquor overnight or atleast 2 hours.
- In a bowl, Mix all the dry ingredients and spices for the cake.
- In another bowl, mix in all the wet and the soaked fruits and nuts. Depending on how long the fruits have been kept, there may or may not be extra liquid left.
- Add the wet to the dry and mix till just about combined.
- Bake in preheated 365 degrees F / 180ºc for 40 minutes then lower the heat to 350 degrees F and bake for another 10-20 minutes till a toothpick test from the center comes out almost clean.
- Cool completely before slicing. For extra moisture, poke a few holes in the cake and brush orange juice or sugar water(1 tablespoon sugar mixed in 2 tablespoons water) on the cake. Tastes best the next day.
Notes
nutritional values based on 1 of 12 slices
For Glutenfree version see here.,
Nutrition
Nutrition Facts
Spiced Fruit and Nut Christmas Cake. Eggless Vegan Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 260
Calories from Fat 63
% Daily Value*
Fat 7g11%
Saturated Fat 4.8g30%
Sodium 78mg3%
Potassium 159mg5%
Carbohydrates 46g15%
Fiber 3g13%
Sugar 29g32%
Protein 2g4%
Vitamin A 10IU0%
Vitamin C 6mg7%
Calcium 45mg5%
Iron 1.2mg7%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Did you make this recipe?Please do leave a comment and rating below.. Tag me on Instagram @veganricha
Priya
Hi, looking forward to making this for Christmas but have a few questions.
1. Is the cake better with the spelt flour, or with the whole wheat + AP flour combo? I have all of the types of flour so just wondering what is the best option.
2. For the coconut milk, is it the liquidy kind you can get in a carton on the shelf, or is it referring to canned full-fat coconut milk?
Thanks!
Vegan Richa Support
The type of flour depends on your preference. Spelt flour has a nutty taste but is lighter than whole wheat flour. Either of the milks would work.
Anusha
I baked this recipe after scouring the web to find a kid friendly, eggless Christmas cake recipe. This cake is perfect without being too sweet, and is full of flavour! Tastes great when stored and eaten even a week later.
Vegan Richa Support
Wonderful!
Merr
I’ve been making my dad this fruitcake for years. Every Christmas he asks for one.
This year he requested I make him one for his birthday and again for Christmas.
I just finished baking it tonight for his birthday 😊
Vegan Richa Support
That is so sweet ~ no pun intended !! 🎂
Rebecca Knoop
This was so delicious! I will be making this every year.
I followed the recipe exactly and put the cake in a springform pan for easy removal.
The sugar used was coconut sugar and I was a little concerned that between that, the coconut milk (used the lite version) and the coconut oil (used just the 1/3 cup) that I would taste some coconut in the cake, but I didn’t! Which was great.
The fruit and dates soaked in half orange juice and half good quality rum with about 1-2 teaspoons orange zest (from organic orange).
The fruit/nut combo used was 1/4 each dried cherries (unsweetened and no oil), dried cranberries, golden raisins, halawi dates, pistachios, and cashews along with 1/2 cup walnuts and 1T candied ginger. I toasted the nuts before soaking and then let the mix soak for about 24 hours in the fridge.
The only little extra thing I may do next time is sprinkle a little chopped pistachios, dried cherries and hemp seeds on too before baking so the presentation is a little more festive.
I made the cake the day before serving, which was great and will do that again next year. It was stored on the counter in a glass cake platter and dome after cooling.
Thank you!!
Vegan Richa Support
thank you- Refined Coconut Oil has a neutral scent and flavor. mmm pistachios sounds great 🎄 🎄 🎄
Lisa
Your post inspires me. Glad you wrote so specifically
Lakshmi
Thank you!
I have been your recipe to veganise my father‘s famous Christmas cake, that he was known for in all of Bangalore. I am keeping my family traditions alive well into my 17th year of being vegan 🙂 It’s always a big hit.
I made a modification in that I use a vegan butter instead of oil to make it richer and it did!
I go all rum, because that’s how we do it in Bangalore! I also poke holes in the cake when it’s cooled and pour a little more rum or cognac to soak in overnight. Oh, and I roll out a log of marzipan and lay it over the cake as frosting with a smidge of apricot jam.
Richa
That sounds glorious!!
Anita
I’ve been making this recipe every Christmas since 2015. Every single year I am looking forward to it. I am just starting to bake today and I am already so happy to eat it later on.
Vegan Richa Support
i’m so happy to be a part of your holiday traditions
Anita
It’s 2023 and I’m already excited about baking the cake 😀
This time I’m putting prunes, vegan dark chocolate and cardamom in it, can’t wait.
The best thing is that my friends always ask me to save them a piece.
Kimberly
Are you using the white spelt flour or whole grain spelt?
Thanks, excited to try one
Vegan Richa Support
whole grain
Richa
Either will work
JUDY HARFF
This is the BEST Xmas cake I have ever made – i toast the nuts, definitely soak overnight and did not use sugar – added more date syrup to taste. I made 4 recipes and gave a few small loaves as gifts. Think i will be making this during the year as well – thanks for a great recipe!
Vegan Richa Support
wow! lovely gifts Judy
Srishti
This recipe turned out amazing! I used the orange juice and molasses soak for the dry fruits and nuts and it gave the cake a nice tartness. For a bit of added orange punch, I also added a teaspoon of orange extract to the wet ingredients as well as 1.5 tablespoons of grated orange rind!
Nidhin
Ia there any way to make this gluten free too ?
Richa
Make my gf recipe here https://www.veganricha.com/vegan-gluten-free-christmas-cake-fruit-cake/
Aparajita R
Clear instructions and delicious result! This recipe has been a staple for many years, sweetening our Christmas 🙂
Vegan Richa Support
Thank you! Happy HOlidays