Vegan Fruit Cake is the perfect baked treat to make for Christmas. It is packed with dried fruit and nuts, still light and delicious.

Baking during the holidays is one of my favorite activity. Be it cookies, cakes or breads. Christmas fruit cake is a must.
In my baking experience, I have made many fruit cakes that were dense and not very appealing. From that experience, I can definitely say that this eggless plum cake recipe is one of the BEST.
This vegan fruit cake is one of my family favorite. It is easy to put together. Recipe needs the dried fruit and nuts to be soaked in orange juice and/ or rum for at least 12 hours.
Marinating in the fruit juice or alcohol adds a beautiful holiday flavor to the cake. So, the longer you can marinate the better.*
The result is a soft, fluffy, not too sweet and delicious plum cake that is packed with dried fruit and lots of amazing flavor.
This is the perfect Christmas baked goodie to give out as edible gift to friends and family. Make this amazing vegan fruit cake and I am sure you will be making it again next year.
Why I love this recipe
- does not need the dry fruit to be soaked for days. But if you want to, you can soak them days or weeks or months in advance.
- soft, fluffy and moist texture
- flavorful with the addition of warm spices
- easily customizable with the dried fruit and nuts you have handy
- perfect edible gift for the holidays
Ingredients
Since this is a fruit cake, the main ingredients are dried fruit and nuts - and lots of them. Recipe calls for 3 cups total. So, feel free to use whatever you like or have in your pantry.
Few examples that would work well - dried cherries, cranberries, dates, berries, raisins (black or golden), apricots (chopped) etc. As far as nuts go, almonds, walnuts, cashews, pistachios, pecans will all work.
To marinate the fruit, you will need orange or apple juice. If you want a boozy cake, then use rum or brandy or sherry. I like a 50:50 combination of fruit juice and alcohol.
Other ingredients you need for this eggless plum cake recipe are:
- Dry ingredients - flour (all purpose & whole wheat*), baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar*.
- Spices - ground cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves
- Wet ingredients - non-dairy milk*, apple cider vinegar*, vanilla extract, oil*,
Instructions
Start by soaking the dry fruit and nuts in orange juice and/ or rum for at least 12 hours. Check the tips section on more details.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease 2 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pans or 3~4 mini loaf pans or 1 8-inch round pan. Lightly grease the pan with cooking spray.
In a measuring jar, combine milk and vinegar and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Next add baking soda and vanilla extract.
In a medium size bowl, sift flours, baking powder, salt and all the spices. Mix until combined. Set aside.
In a large bowl, combine brown sugar and oil. Using a whisk beat the mixture until very smooth, about 4~5 minutes.
Add the orange zest and the milk mixture. Mix until well combined.
Add the dry ingredients into the bowl and mix until combined and no dry flour remains. Stir in the soaked dry fruit mixture along with any of the leftover marinade. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
Bake for 35-50 minutes (check the Tips section for baking times for different baking pans) until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Remove the pan from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes before removing the cake onto a wire rack. Cool the cake completely before slicing.
Tips
- Use any combination of dried fruit and nuts. Make sure that the total amounts to 3 cups.
- Minimum marinating time is 12 hours, but you can marinate them longer too:
- If using only alcohol, then you can soak them for up to 3 months in advance.
- But if are using making non-alcoholic and using just fruit juice, then marinate them for about 5~7 days in advance. Also make sure to refrigerate the container.
- You can use light brown or regular granulated or turbinado sugar in the recipe.
- Avoid alcohol to make this is a no-alcohol fruit cake.
- If you want a boozy cake, then use rum or brandy or sherry. Or use a 50:50 combination of fruit juice and alcohol for the best flavor of both.
- Almond, oat and soy milk are great to use here.
- White wine or red wine are good substitutes for apple cider vinegar.
- If you are not vegan, substitute oil with melted butter. This adds more flavor, but the cake will dry up faster and will not keep well for too long.
- I used both all purpose and whole wheat flour. But you can omit the whole wheat flour and make it entirely with APF.
- Baking times vary with the size of the baking pan used:
- (1) 8" round cake pan - 30~40 minutes
- (1) 9" round cake pan - 25~35 minutes
- (2) 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan - 40~50 minutes
- (3~4) mini loaf pans - 30~35 minutes
- Baked cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week. It can be frozen for up to 2 months. Make sure to wrap it tightly with plastic wrap.
More delicious nut based recipes to try
- Puffed wheat, almond and coconut granola bars
- Hazelnut cupcakes
- Palli paakam (peanut fudge)
- Roasted peppers pistachio pesto
- Coconut Buns (Pani Popo)
I love hearing from you!! If you’ve tried this and liked it, then don't forget to let me know. Give a star rating and let me know in the comments below. Also tag me in your creations on Instagram @cooks_hideout. I love sharing photos when people make my recipes. You can use the hashtag #cookshideout too.
Vegan Christmas Fruit Cake
Ingredients
- 3 cups Dry Fruit Nuts*
- ½ cup Orange juice*
- ½ cup Rum
- 1 tablespoon Orange zest
- 1 cup Almond Milk (or other non-dairy milk)
- 2 tablespoons Apple cider Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1¼ cups Light brown Sugar*
- ⅔ cup Oil*
- 1½ cups All purpose flour
- ¾ cup Whole wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon Ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon Ground Nutmeg
Instructions
- Start by soaking the dry fruit and nuts in orange juice and/ or rum for at least 12 hours. Check the tips section on more details.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease 2 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pans or 3~4 mini loaf pans or 1 8-inch round pan. Lightly grease the pan with cooking spray and line the bottom with a parchment. Lightly grease the parchment as well.
- In a measuring jar, combine milk and vinegar and set aside for a few minutes to curdle. Add baking soda and vanilla extract. The mixture will bubble a little. Set aside while you prepare other ingredients.
- In a medium size bowl, sift flours, baking powder, salt and all the spices. Mix until combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, combine brown sugar and oil. Using a whisk beat the mixture until very smooth, about 4~5 minutes.
- Stir in orange zest and the curdled milk mixture. Beat until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients into the bowl and mix until combined and no dry flour remains. Stir in the soaked dry fruit mixture along with any of the leftover marinade. Pour the batter into the prepared baking pan.
- Bake for 35-50 minutes (check the Tips section for baking times for different baking pans) until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove the pan from the oven and set aside for 5 minutes before removing the cake onto a wire rack. Cool the cake completely before slicing.
Notes
- Use any combination of dried fruit and nuts. Make sure that the total amounts to 3 cups.
- Minimum marinating time is 12 hours, but you can marinate them longer too:
- If using only alcohol, then you can soak them for up to 3 months in advance.
- But if are using making non-alcoholic and using just fruit juice, then marinate them for about 5~7 days in advance. Also make sure to refrigerate the container.
- You can use light brown or regular granulated or turbinado sugar in the recipe.
- Avoid alcohol to make this is a no-alcohol fruit cake.
- If you want a boozy cake, then use rum or brandy or sherry. Or use a 50:50 combination of fruit juice and alcohol for the best flavor of both.
- Almond, oat and soy milk are great to use here.
- White wine or red wine are good substitutes for apple cider vinegar.
- If you are not vegan, substitute oil with melted butter. This adds more flavor, but the cake will dry up faster and will not keep well for too long.
- I used both all purpose and whole wheat flour. But you can omit the whole wheat flour and make it entirely with APF.
- Baking times vary with the size of the baking pan used:
- (1) 8" round cake pan - 45~55 minutes
- (1) 9" round cake pan - 35~45 minutes
- (2) 8½ x 4½-inch loaf pan - 40~50 minutes
- (3~4) mini loaf pans - 30~35 minutes
- Baked cake can be stored in an airtight container for up to 1 week. It can be frozen for up to 2 months. Make sure to wrap it tightly with plastic wrap.
Srivalli
That's one awesome cake Pavani...so beautifully it has turned out..it's nice reading about your Christmas eve celebrations as well..
Sayantani
wow the vegan fruit cake looks really delish. such moist texture.
Nalini's Kitchen
Super moist cake,loved the vegan version...
Veena Theagarajan
looks so yum and soft...
Hari Chandana P
Perfectly baked cake.. looks stunning!!
Global Tastes & Travels Inc.
looks so soft and moist - would have loved to wake up Christmas morning to that!
Global Tastes & Travels Inc.
looks so soft and moist - would have loved to wake up Christmas morning to that!
Usha Rao
Perfectly baked plum cake! Bookmarking the recipe
Sandhya Ramakrishnan
Lovely cake! perfect as a gift.
Archana Potdar
Perfect cake. Love it. Can I beg for a slice of it.
manu
can i replace all purpose flour and use only whole wheat flour?
cookshideout
Hi Manu, using all wholewheat flour might yield slightly dense loaf than what you see in the photos. You can definitely try -- I'm sure it will still taste great with all the dry fruit and nuts. Merry Christmas.
kp
Hi,
Thanks for the recipe and would definitely want to try this recipe. but have couple of questions before i try:
1) can i combine orange juice and rum in one container and soak the fruits and nuts?
2) can we substitute soy milk with unsweetened almond milk or regular milk?
3) Can i replace All Purpose Flour and whole wheat flour with complete Almond flour? if yes, does it need changes in measurements for other ingredients?
4) same measurement of butter can be used? Adding butter ads more flavor than oil right? specific reason for oil to be used?
Thanks.
cookshideout
Hi KP,
1) Yes, you can combine orange juice and rum in one container and soak the fruits and nuts.
2) Sure, you can substitute soy milk with any dairy or non-dairy milk.
3) Using 100% almond flour probably wouldn't work with the recipe as written. I have not tried it, so I cannot comment on that. But you can definitely replace up to 1/2 cup of All purpose flour with almond flour.
4) I was trying to make it vegan by using oil, but you can definitely use butter. It definitely add more flavor.
Hope these help. Happy Baking.
RM
hey there,
i guess u missed out the oil in ingredients list. can u let me know the amount of oil used?