Vegan Fruit Cake

vegan fruit loaf cake on grey plate with fork

Course: Afternoon tea, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: British

Prep Time: 25

Cook Time: 50

Resting time for the stewed fruit: 20

Total Time: 1 35

Servings: -13 slices

Calories: 271kcal

Author: Jacq

This Vegan Fruit Cake is adapted from vintage traditional fruit loaf cake recipes. It's quick and easy to prepare and tastes just like the old-fashioned fruit cake that grandma would have baked in her homely kitchen. This recipe produces such a lovely, tasty, moist, fruit cake that everyone loves.

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US Customary - Metric

Equipment

1 kg/ 2Ib loaf pan (lined with baking paper, if necessary)
non-stick saucepan or similar
Mixing bowl
mixing spoon
sieve
cooling rack

Ingredients

225 grams self-raising flour
225 grams soft brown sugar (or caster or granulated sugar)
160 millilitres plant-based milk (¾ cups)
450 grams dried fruit mix (Use any combination of dried fruit: packet of mixed dried fruit, or a mix of dried currants, sultanas, raisins, dates, cherries, figs, prunes, pineapple, papaya, mango, apple, apricots, etc. [3¾ cups]
130 grams apple sauce (To easily make your own apple sauce chop 3 eating apples into small pieces and stew in a few tablespoons of water till soft. Mash up with a potato masher or fork, use ½ cup applesauce for the recipe)
100 grams dairy-free margarine (or vegan butter or your usual baking fat, ½ cup)
1 teaspoon cinnamon powder
1 teaspoon mixed spice powder (or use a pumpkin or apple spice mix powder)
¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg (or replace with ginger powder)
¼ teaspoon ground cloves replace with ginger powder or extra mixed spice

Instructions

Boil the dried fruit:

Place the dried fruit, margarine, sugar, and milk in a saucepan. Over a medium heat bring to the boil, stirring frequently.
225 grams soft brown sugar, 160 millilitres plant-based milk, 450 grams dried fruit mix, 100 grams dairy-free margarine
Lower the heat and simmer gently for 10 minutes. Turn off the heat but leave the saucepan on the cooker for another 5 minutes.
Take your saucepan of the heat and leave to cool for 20 minutes. Then mix though the apple sauce.
130 grams apple sauce

Preheat the oven to 150°C fan / 170°C / 300°F / Gas Mark 3.

Prepare your loaf pan by lightly greasing with extra margarine and lining with baking paper.
Sift the flour and spices into a mixing bowl. Scoop the dried fruit mixture into the flour. Stir until just combined.
225 grams self-raising flour, 1 teaspoon cinnamon powder, 1 teaspoon mixed spice powder, ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
Spoon the cake mixture into your loaf pan and level down the surface with a cutlery knife or the back of a cutlery spoon.
Place on the middle shelf of your oven and bake for 50-60 minutes. [Depending on your oven the cake may take another 10 minutes or so].
Check after 45 minutes to see how its going. My cake was baked after 50 minutes using an electric oven. The cake will be ready when it is golden brown and a skewer or knife poked through into the loaf comes out clean.
Cool the cake within the loaf tin for at least 20-30 minutes. Gently remove the cake out and peal the baking paper off. Leave to cool on a cooling rack.

Notes

Nutritional information is provided for guidance only and is not a strict calculation as ingredients vary.
Always bake the fruit cake on the middle shelf of your oven as placing too high in the oven can cause the dried fruit to burn.
Don't open your oven door to check on the fruit cake until at least 45 minutes has passed as opening sooner could cause your cake to sink a little.
This fruit cake can be stored for up to 7 days, wrapped in kitchen foil or parchment paper and placed in an air-tight container. Possibly a few days longer.
Fruit cake freeze beautifully. Wrap each individual slice or place a piece of parchment paper between each slice and freeze for up to 3 months.
Defrost at room temperature with the wrapping removed.
Toasted fruit cake slices are amazing for breakfast! Especially with a pat of vegan margarine or butter melted over.
Spread some peanut-butter, mashed banana, fruit jam over a slice of fruit cake for a filling snack.
To convert this recipe to a gluten-free fruit cake: Replace the flour with a gluten-free plain or self-raising blend (such as the Dove's Farm brand). If using a gluten-free plain flour blend mix through 2 teaspoons of gluten-free baking powder. Also add a ¼ teaspoon of xanthium gum as this helps hold the cake crumbs together. If your mix looks too dry before adding to the baking pan mix through a few tablespoons of dairy-free milk to loosen it up as gluten-free flour tends to be more thirsty and soaks up liquid faster.

Nutrition