Traditionally Spiced Vegan Fruit Loaf Cake
Traditionally spiced vegan fruit loaf is an old-fashioned fruit cake or tea-bread style bake.
It is super easy to prepare.
It’s a moist, sweet and fruity teatime treat that I’m sure will become one of your favourite staples.
Fruit loaf cake stores well (at least 7 days, possibly a few more) wrapped in tinfoil and placed in an airtight container.
It also deals well with being frozen and defrosted.
Its delicious plain or spread with your favourite preserve/jam, or a slather of vegan butter or margarine.
I have made this loaf cake so many times, its my go-to recipe and one that receives the best compliments!
Vegan Fruit Loaf Cake
A slice of this fruit loaf is the perfect accompaniment to tea, coffee or a cold glass of plant-based milk.
Equipment
- 1 kg loaf pan or 2 smaller 1 pound loaf pans. If you don't have a loaf pan then a cake/or square pan around 8 inches should do.
- Mixing bowl
- medium saucepan
Ingredients
- 225 grams self-raising flour, sieved
- 225 grams soft brown sugar, or use whatever sugar you have to hand such as granulated, caster, demerara, etc.
- 160 millilitres plant-based milk, or dairy if your baking a vegetarian loaf
- 450 grams dried fruit, chopped if large such as apricots and dates, use any combination of dried fruit: mixed dried fruit, currants, sultanas, raisins, dates, cherries, figs, prunes, pineapple, papaya, mango, apple, etc.
- 1/2 cup apple sauce, homemade or shop-bought, to make your own chop into small pieces 3 apples and stew in a tbsp or 2 of water till soft. Mush up with a potato masher or fork. Alternatively use 2 lightly beaten eggs if your creating a vegetarian loaf.
- 100 grams plant-based margarine or baking spread, I have used Vitalite margarine or Flora dairy-free. Stork baking margarine works also.
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp mixed spice, or Pumpkin spice powder
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
Instructions
- Place the dried fruit, margarine, sugar and milk in a medium saucepan. Over a medium heat bring to the boil, stirring frequently,
- Once boiling, lower the heat and simmer gently for at least 15 minutes. Stir often to prevent burning.
- Take your pot of the heat, mix in the apple sauce, and set aside the mix to cool. If your using eggs don't add them at this stage.
- Preheat the oven to 150 Fan/170 Celsius/ Gas mark 3/ or 300 Fahrenheit. Prepare your loaf pan or baking tin by lightly greasing and lining with baking paper.
- In a mixing bowl add the flour and spices. Mix well.
- When the fruit has cooled, add this to the flour mix. If using eggs add them now. Mix until everything is combined.
- Scoop the cake mix into your pan. Level down the surface with the back of a spoon.
- Place on the middle shelf of your oven, never near the top, and bake for 50-60 minutes. However, It could take another 10-20 minutes, depending on your oven. Check after about 50 minutes to see how its going. Don't open the oven too soon or too wide, or the middle could sink. I have done that a few times but don't worry if it happens as your cake will still taste delicious. It will be ready when it is golden brown. Poke a skewer or knife into the loaf, in the middle area, and if it comes out clean it should be ready.
- Cool in the tin for at least 30 minutes. Tip out, peal the baking paper off and leave to cool on a wire rack.
- Enjoy your fruit loaf!
Notes
- To save time, I usually prepare the stewed fruit while I am preparing lunch and then let it cool till later in the day when I am ready to bake the loaf.
- A sticky glaze can be added to the loaf. Use a tbsp or 2 of jam/preserve and a teaspoon or 2 of water. Using a little spoon or a fork whip these two together. Pour over the loaf or use a pastry brush. If you have any applesauce left over you could use this as a glaze. Apricot jam or ginger preserve is also tasty.
- Alternatively, make up some water icing to pour over. Use about 4 tbsp of sifted icing sugar and add tiny drops of water until you mix up the right consistency to drizzle over the loaf. For lemon or lime drizzle just add freshly squeezed lemon or lime juice in place of the water. If you don't have a lemon juicer you can easily use a tablespoon to dig into the fruit, turning it around until all the juice has been extracted.
- For a ginger spiced cake sub out the cloves and nutmeg and add a tsp of ginger. Or just add the ginger and keep the other spices if you prefer. I love a stronger spiced taste.
- If your loaf sinks, just flip it over so the better side is presented!
Homemade Apple Sauce
Vegan Fruit Loaf Cake
I mentioned above that my recipe for vegan fruit loaf cake was similar to an old-fashioned tea loaf. Tea loaf and fruit cake variations have been popular for hundreds of years, if not thousands and have been enjoyed by cultures world-wide. If you would like to make my recipe closer to a tea loaf then you could add a tea-bag to the fruit stewing. I have done this previously and it works a treat adding more flavour, depending on the tea used. Green tea, black tea, herbal tea, fruit teas, etc., can all be experimented with. Just remove the bag before mixing with the flour and spices!
For more vegan bake ideas check out my other easy, yummy recipes:
Vegan Chocolate Concrete cake. An old British school dinners favourite:
and Vegan traditional pineapple-custard tart. Also an old British classic:
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