This easy Vegan Christmas Cake is rich, moist and boozy. A unique 'no soak' method gives an extra-moist texture with all the traditional festive flavours.
🍴Why you will love this recipe
Both simple to make and incredibly moist, this is a failsafe recipe for a rich and boozy festive fruit cake. Packed with your choice of dried fruits, cherries and nuts, brandy and black treacle - no one will ever guess it is vegan.
If you think soaking the fruit overnight is the only way to make a traditional Christmas cake, think again!
This unique method simmers the fruits in brandy, water and soya milk which makes them very soft and moist, infused with boozy flavour. Yes, that's right - you can make this cake in just one afternoon!
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📝 What you need
Ingredients
Mixed fruit It is entirely up to you whether you use a bag of mixed fruit from the supermarket, (perfect if you're in a hurry or don't want to buy lots of smaller bags), or whether you create your own blend of raisins, currants, dried cranberries, figs, prunes and mixed peel, or any other dried fruits you like!
Glacé cherries I prefer the natural coloured cherries (as pictured above) rather than the very vibrant red ones, but of course it is up to you!
Flours I like to use a mix of white and wholemeal self-raising flour but if you don't want to buy both, use just white self-raising flour.
Soya milk Use an unsweetened soya milk if you can, so as not to make the cake overly-sweet.
Equipment
You will need a good quality cake tin, 22cm is ideal, or 20-21cm for an extra-deep cake (which may take just a little longer to cook through). Mine is this Mary Berry loose-base tin which I love.
👩🏽🍳 How to make your Vegan Christmas Cake
For a full, printable recipe with ingredients and detailed instructions, scroll to the bottom of this page👇🏼.
In a large saucepan, mix the dried fruit, cherries light brown sugar, orange zest, black treacle, dairy-free margarine, brandy, soya milk and water. Bring to the boil then simmer for 15 minutes.
Line a 22cm cake tin with a double layer of baking parchment. Add the bicarbonate of soda to the saucepan - be careful, it will fizz up a lot!
Add the flours, ground almonds and mixed spice and stir until well combined. Pour into the prepared tin and smooth the top as much as possible.
Bake the cake for 2-2.5 hours then remove and let cool completely. Feed the cake regularly with brandy or sherry, wrap tightly in baking parchment then foil and keep in an airtight container until needed. To decorate the cake, brush all over with apricot jam then cover with marzipan and icing.
👍🏼 Reader Testimonials
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Just want to congratulate you on an awesome vegan Christmas cake recipe! My son is allergic to milk and missed out on proper Christmas cake last year. I tried 3 or 4 recipes, but this is the best! Not crumbly, at all, lovely flavour. I made this for his School Christmas fair and it worked perfectly. i got several comments on how great this was. I know I will be making this for years to come." Louise
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "I love this recipe and it’s been my ‘go to’ fruit cake recipe for a couple of years now. There’s no need to wait for Christmas!" Helen
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "This cake recipe is great. Instructions are well written and easy to follow. All the ingredients can be purchased in a UK supermarket. Lovely and moist and not sickly sweet, this cake is just right. Highly recommended." Debbie
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ "Very impressed with the recipe and the fact it uses commonly used ingredients." Emma
✏️ Top Tips and FAQs
This really is a straightforward recipe - I would almost say you can't go wrong!
If you vary the dried fruit, just remember to keep the overall weight to 800g and chop larger fruits into pieces of roughly the same size as the raisins.
Yes certainly. You can substitute orange juice for the brandy in the recipe, or just use more water instead - as long as the overall quantity of liquid is the same it doesn't matter which of these you use. You can 'feed' your cake with a simple sugar syrup to keep it extra-moist. I wouldn't recommend feeding it with orange juice as it may go off whilst the cake is maturing.
It depends! On so many variables - your flours, your choice of fruits, how much liquid bubbled away whilst it simmered, and so on. I would start checking it with a skewer or sharp knife from about 1h45min into cooking time, and keep checking every 10 minutes or so until it comes out completely clean. Even better, if you have a cooking thermometer, stick the probe into the cake and it is cooked through when it reaches 98C throughout.
Yes absolutely. Just be aware that the cooking time is greatly reduced for smaller cakes so just keep checking and testing until they are cooked through. I have heard of people making these in old baked bean tins (the type without a rim) which is a great idea, or in individual loose-bottom cake tins. A lovely festive gift from the kitchen!
If the cake starts to look too brown on top but hasn't yet cooked through, cover it with foil. You might want to check it after an hour's cooking to see how the top is looking.
Yes absolutely - I do this all year round. I would recommend swapping the brandy in the recipe for water, and don't feed it with alcohol afterwards. The choice of fruit is up to you - I usually leave out the mixed peel for a non-Christmassy cake and use mostly raisins and currants, but it is entirely up to you!
Before adding marzipan and icing the cake will keep for at least 3-6 months if stored well, (wrapped in a double layer of parchment and foil, in an airtight container in a cool place). Once decorated,
Of course, if you're not a boozy fruit cake kinda person, you might prefer to take a look at these recipes from blogging friends....
- Chloe's Vegan Gingerbread Men from Baked by Clo
- Kate's Vegan Pumpkin Cake with Ginger Frosting from Veggie Desserts
- Rhian's Gluten Free Vegan Gingerbread Loaf Cake from Rhian's Recipes
or my:
- Vegan Gingerbread Cupcakes with cinnamon icing
- Ultimate Vegan Mince Pies with 'cream cheese' pastry
- Vegan Chocolate Yule Log
- Jammy Christmas Star Biscuits
Loved this recipe? ⭐️ Leave a star rating below! 📸 Snap a photo of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram, tagging me @thevegspace or #thevegspace 📩 And get all my latest recipes in a weekly e-mail by subscribing to my newsletter.
🎄 If you liked that...
.... you might also enjoy these vegan Christmas recipes from The Veg Space:
📖 Recipe
Vegan Christmas Cake
Ingredients
- 800 g mixed fruit (or your own mix of currants, raisins, dried cranberries, chopped figs, chopped dates or chopped prunes plus a few tablespoons mixed peel)
- 200 g natural glacé cherries
- 1 orange zest only
- 175 g light brown sugar
- 50 g black treacle
- 340 g dairy-free margarine
- 200 ml water
- 300 ml unsweetened soya milk
- 100 ml brandy or sherry (check it is vegan)
- 2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 225 g self-raising flour
- 225 g wholemeal self-raising flour (or plain wholemeal flour plus 3 teaspoon baking powder)
- 2 teaspoon mixed spice
- 100 g ground almonds
- 4-6 tablespoon brandy, amaretto or sherry (check it is vegan)
Instructions
- Take a very large saucepan and tip in the mixed fruit, glacé cherries, orange zest, light brown sugar, black treacle, dairy-free margarine, water, soya milk and brandy. Bring to the boil then simmer for 15 minutes, stirring from time to time.
- Grease a 22cm round or square baking tin, and line it with a double layer of baking parchment. Preheat the oven to 140°C (fan) / 275°F / gas mark 1
- When cooking time is up, carefully stir through the bicarbonate of soda, (the mixture will fizz and rise up the sides of the saucepan so make sure there is enough room to prevent spillages!).
- Stir through both types of flour, the ground almonds and mixed spice. Mix well so that no lumps of flour remain.
- Tip the mixture into your lined baking tin and smooth down the top as much as you can - it will not spread or level itself in the oven.
- Bake for 2 - 2.5 hours, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean - start checking from about 1h45min into cooking time. Leave to cool in the tin.
- To store until needed, wrap in a double layer of baking parchment then a double layer of foil and keep in an airtight tin or container. 'Feed' the cake with brandy, sherry or amaretto every week or so - prick it all over with a cocktail stick then pour over 3-4 tablespoons of alcohol and let it seep into the cake.
- If you wish to decorate the cake in a traditional way, brush it all over with apricot jam, roll out marzipan and cover the cake. Brush the marzipan layer with brandy then cover with rolled fondant icing. 1kg each of marzipan and icing will be sufficient to cover the whole cake.
ENVIRONMENTAL INFORMATION
Video
Nutrition
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Heather Smith Thomassen says
How long can you expect to keep the cake once it is decorated? Your FAQ answer hasn't printed the last part of your comment!
Frances Gigg says
Excellent! Other vegan fruit cakes I've made have crumbled to pieces, but this holds together and slices really well. It's also beautifully moist and tasty. Will be making it again!
Kate Ford says
That's great to hear - thanks Frances!
Colin says
Hi Kate, I've made the hold version of the recipe for quite a few years now. It's great! Giving this updated one a try - are the ground almonds necessary? Going nut from so I'm just wondering whether to add 100g of extra flour or to just leave the nuts out? Thanks!
Kate Ford says
Hi Colin, that's great to hear. No you can just leave the nuts out, no need for more flour or it may be a little dry. Thanks for the feedback! Kate
Virender Rose says
Hi I am going to try this recipe. Once the fruit has simmered do you let it cool before you add the bicarbonate and all the other ingredients? I couldn’t work it out when you should take the pan off the hob to add everything else and if it should be to hot pan or cold pan! Thank you ! So much
Kate Ford says
Hi, you can do either - I've tried both methods and it doesn't affect the finished cake at all. I usually add the bicarb straight away, followed by the flour then get it straight into the oven. But if you prefer to leave it to cool it is slightly easier to handle tipping it into the tin and levelling off. Hope that helps!
Elizabeth says
This vegan Christmas cake looks delicious, I'll be baking this for my daughter this year as she's vegan, can I just ask if you have a recipe for royal icing, can I use egg substitute for that,
Kate Ford says
Hi Elizabeth, I'm actually testing a recipe for royal icing at the moment and hope to have it up by Christmas, but in case I don't there are a few others on the internet which should work well. I often use shop-bought fondant for my Christmas Cake icing which is really lovely and easy to create a really smooth and professional finish. Hope the cake turns out well!
Helen Diamond says
Hi, this looks like a great cake and I would livevto try it. A couple of things I can't use soya milk, could I use another plant milk? Also, could I use oil instead of the margarine?
Thanks.
Kate Ford says
Hi Helen, I usually recommend soya as it has the highest protein content but if you can't, a nut milk like almond would be fine instead. I haven't tried it with oil so can't say for sure but I imagine that would be fine. If you do try it please let me know how it goes! Kate x
Joanne Bassingthwaighte says
Hello - would Oat milk work please?
Louise says
Hi Kate,
I made your cake a few times. It's the best I found. Can I ask why you modified the recipe? I'm worried it won't turn out as well this year.
Louise
Kate Ford says
Hi Louise, well spotted! I'm always tweaking and improving my recipes and thoroughly test them before re-publishing so I hope you'll find this even better than before. The changes are the addition of orange zest, ground almonds and swapping the chia seed 'egg' for soya milk which works well and is easier for first-time vegan bakers. I've also changed the baking temperature and time so it is a longer bake at 140 rather than an hour at 170 followed by an hour at 130 - I find this makes the top less liable to 'catch' and brown too quickly. I have a screenshot of the previous version of the recipe if you would like it but I promise this tweaked version is even better! Kate
Kate Martin says
As good as any non-vegan Christmas cake I've ever made - and easier too. So good I'm making another one to get us through January!
Kate Ford says
Ha! Brilliant - I love it - Post Christmas Cake, everyone should do it! X
Jenny says
I’ve been making Delia’s Christmas cake for years, however after having to cut down on dairy and egg I thought I’d give this a try. It’s every bit as delicious and moist as our usual family favourite and no one could tell it was vegan. The biggest fan is my 7 year old. I’ll definitely be making this again, Next time I’m going to add a few almonds in to the mix as well. Thanks Kate, xxx
Kate Ford says
That's great to hear - thanks Jenny! X
Frances says
Super Vegan Christmas cake...just made this and used 3 x 6 inch cake pans. Each one weighed about 850 grams. Perfect to give away. I did add some cinnamon, ginger and all spice but not sure it made any difference. Not sure about the timings but I think I baked them for about 45 mins at the higher temp and 30 mins reduced temp. The Cake was nice and moist, classic fruit cake taste and held together really well when sliced. I have not added any alcohol and probably won't do the marzipan icing either. Think it's fine as is. Will definitely be using this recipe again...thanks!
Kate Ford says
That's great to hear, thanks Frances!
Yvonne says
Hi. Is it possible to use Aquafina in this recipe instead of the flax/ chia seeds and water?
Kate Ford says
I would think so - I haven't tried it so can't say for definite but I think it would work fine as it is such a moist cake with so much fruit in. Please let me know how it turns out if you give it a go! Kate x
Pamela says
Can I have the fruitcake plain,with no marzipan or icing?
Kate Ford says
Yes absolutely, it is very moist so delicious on its own. I often use this recipe throughout the year to make a plain fruit cake.
Jenny Murison says
Hi Kate
Would like to try this recipe as this will be my first vegan Xmas. Can you just clarify when the bicarbonate of soda is added as I can’t find a mention of it in the method? Is it boiled with the fruit or added in with the flour?
Many thanks
Jenny
Kate Ford says
Hi Jenny, I'm SO glad you asked this, weirdly one of the steps of the recipe had somehow got deleted this week so I've just added back in from a previous backup. Thanks so much for spotting that and letting me know! Kate
Stacey McCarthy says
Hello,
I'm going to make this for my Dads 70th Birthday as fruit cake is his favourite but we eat vegan and my Daughter can't eat eggs anyway.
Can I soak the fruit in alcohol the day before? Will this ruin the recipe at all or make it too moist?
Thank you.
Helen says
I love this recipe and it's been my 'go to' fruit cake recipe for a couple of years now. There's no need to wait for Christmas!
I made the cake today and it's going to be perfect for morning and afternoon tea and supper while I'm in lockdown on my own on my rural property in New Zealand 🙂