Vegan Fruitcake

Ingredients

• 150 gdried prunes, chopped
• 500 gprepacked dried fruit cake mix
• 100 graisins
• 100 gsultanas
• 200 gglacé cherries
• 175 gcoconut oil
• 300 gdark muscovado sugar
• 150 mlcoffee liqueur
• juice and zest of 2oranges
• 2 tbspcocoa
• 2 tspmixed spice
• 1 tspinstant espresso powder
• 1/2 tspsalt
• 45 mlflax meal
• 110 mlwater
• 175 gflour
• 100 gground almonds
• 100 gapple sauce
• 100 gmixed nuts of your choice, roughly chopped (optional)
• 1 tspbaking powder
• 100 mlbrandy (or rum or amaretto)
• as neededextra brandy or rum for brushing during resting

Instructions

1. 1

   Warm the fruit

   Put the prunes, dried fruit mix, raisins, sultanas, cherries, coconut oil, sugar, coffee liqueur, orange juice and zest, cocoa, mixed spice, espresso powder and salt in a saucepan. Stir as you slowly bring the mixture to a gentle boil.

2. 2

   Simmer and cool

   Simmer for 10 minutes, then take the pan off the heat and leave the mixture to cool to room temperature.

3. 3

   Preheat the oven

   Preheat the oven to 150°C.

4. 4

   Line the tin

   Line the base and sides of a 22 cm loose-bottomed cake tin with baking paper.

5. 5

   Add a second lining

   Double-line the sides with baking paper, making sure it rises about 3 cm above the rim of the tin.

6. 6

   Thicken the flax

   Mix the flax meal and water in a large bowl and leave it for a few minutes to thicken.

7. 7

   Combine the mixture

   Add the cooled fruit mixture, flour, ground almonds, apple sauce, nuts if using, and baking powder to the flax mixture. Stir until well combined.

8. 8

   Bake the cake

   Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and bake for about 2 hours or longer, until firm with a fairly shiny top.

9. 9

   Test for doneness

   Begin checking the cake 15 minutes before the 2-hour mark by inserting a cake tester into its centre.

10. 10

    Check the tester

    A tiny amount of moist mixture on the tester is fine, but it should not have raw batter on it.

11. 11

    Bake if needed

    If the cake is still undercooked, return it to the oven for another 15 minutes, then test again. Repeat as needed until it is cooked through.

12. 12

    Shield the top

    Cover the top with foil if needed to stop it becoming too dark.

13. 13

    Pierce the cake

    Once cooked, remove the cake from the oven and pierce it in several places with the cake tester.

14. 14

    Add the spirits

    Carefully pour the 100 ml brandy, rum or amaretto over the hot cake.

15. 15

    Cool and release

    Leave the cake to cool completely, then remove it from the tin.

16. 16

    Wrap and rest

    Wrap the cake tightly in foil and keep it in an airtight container for 10 days. Brush it with more brandy every few days until serving.

What is vegan fruitcake?

Fruitcake is a dense cake built around dried fruit, and it is often associated with festive baking in Britain and elsewhere. This version replaces eggs and dairy with a flax mixture, apple sauce and coconut oil.

Coffee liqueur, orange, cocoa and spice add depth to the fruit, while a final soak and resting period help the flavours mingle.

Nutrition and macros by portion

The nutrition label shows one serving as written: 2110 calories, 18g protein, 326g carbs, 88g fat.

The dried fruit, sugar and flour provide most of the carbohydrates, while coconut oil and ground almonds contribute much of the fat. The almonds, flax and nuts add some protein; serve a smaller slice with unsweetened vegan yoghurt or fruit if you want a lighter plate.

Why simmer the fruit first?

Fruit and flavourings: warming the dried fruit with sugar, fat, citrus and liqueur helps soften the fruit before it goes into the cake batter. Keep the heat gentle and stir so the mixture does not catch on the pan.

The flax binder

Flax meal: mixing it with water and leaving it briefly gives the mixture time to thicken before it is combined with the cooled fruit. This helps bind the cake without eggs.

Lining and baking

Paper lining: the double layer up the sides extends above the tin to help protect the cake during its long bake. Make sure the lining sits snugly against the tin.

Slow bake: start testing 15 minutes before 2 hours, since the recipe allows extra time if needed. A little moist crumb on the tester is acceptable, but raw batter means the cake needs more time.

Finishing with spirits

Hot cake: piercing it while warm gives the brandy, rum or amaretto places to soak in. Pour carefully over the surface rather than tipping it all in one spot.

Resting: wrapping the cooled cake tightly and brushing it every few days gives the flavours time to develop over the stated 10-day rest.

Serving ideas

Serve a slice on its own with tea or coffee, or add a spoonful of vegan cream or a plant-based custard. The cake is rich, so small slices can be a satisfying finish to a meal.

Recipe notes & tips

• Chop the prunes and any larger pieces of dried fruit so they are easier to distribute through the batter.
• Let the simmered fruit mixture cool fully before mixing it with the flour and flax mixture.
• Check the cake around 1 hour and 45 minutes, then continue baking in 15-minute intervals if required.
• Use foil to shield the top if it is darkening before the centre is cooked.
• Pierce the cake in several places so the spirit can soak into more of the crumb.
• Keep the wrapped cake in an airtight container while it rests.

Variations

• Change the spirit: use rum or amaretto instead of brandy, as suggested in the recipe.
• Add the nuts: include the roughly chopped mixed nuts for extra crunch.
• Adjust the citrus: use the stated orange juice and zest for a bright note through the rich fruit.
• Use a different dried-fruit mix: swap the prepacked cake mix for a similar mix of dried fruit while keeping its quantity the same.

Common mistakes to avoid

• Boiling too vigorously: keep the fruit mixture at a gentle simmer and stir it to prevent sticking.
• Mixing while hot: cool the fruit mixture to room temperature before combining it with the dry ingredients.
• Removing the cake too soon: test the centre and return it to the oven in 15-minute intervals if raw batter remains.
• Over-browning the top: cover it with foil if it is becoming too dark during the long bake.
• Pouring spirits in one spot: distribute the liquid carefully over the pierced surface of the hot cake.

How to store

Keep the tightly foil-wrapped cake in an airtight container during its 10-day rest, brushing with extra brandy or rum every few days. After resting, store it wrapped in the same way in a cool, dry place and serve at room temperature.

Frequently asked questions