The ultimate Vegan Christmas Cake! This classic rich, dark vegan fruit cake is jam-packed with dried fruit and booze (although still delicious made alcohol-free) and can be made the day before, or up to 1 year ahead. Perfect for enjoying at Christmas but also makes a fantastic vegan wedding cake!
For me Christmas isn't Christmas without a traditional Christmas cake and this Vegan Christmas Cake is just as good as any non-vegan one. It's rich, dark, absolutely packed to bursting with fruit and packs a punch with a good dose of booze. Don't worry if you are alcohol-free though because it's great without the booze too.
This is a long post with lots of helpful information. I recommend reading it all before you start making the cake but if you want to jump to specific sections you can use this menu:
This is one of those very traditional vegan christmas recipes that you absolutely need up your sleeve for the festive season!
Ingredients & equipment notes
Here is what you will be needing to make a Vegan Christmas Cake and in my usual style, a little about why each one is necessary:
- Dried fruit - A lot of dried fruit. This is what makes up most of the cake. Raisins, currants, cranberries and sultanas should definitely be included but you can also add any combination of cherries, blueberries, apricots, dates, prunes or figs.Be sure to chop larger fruits like prunes and figs into small pieces.
- Glacé cherries - Their soft, sweet, juicy bites are great in amongst all of the dried fruit, adding interesting texture and they look pretty too. For most things I use the natural glacé cherries that aren't bright red but in Christmas cake I love to use these ruby red ones because they look prettier when the cake is cut.
- Liquid - A warming flavourful spirit or a non alcoholic alternative like black tea, orange juice or apple juice. See under the heading "best alcohol for vegan fruit cake" for lots of suggestions and helpful information.
- Citrus - Orange juice and orange zest and lemon juice and lemon zest. A lot of Christmas cakes use candied orange peel or lemon peel. I much prefer the brightness that some fresh juice and zest adds. Amongst all of the richness it adds another layer of flavour. If you like candied peel feel free to throw in a handful in addition to the juice and zest of a fresh lemon and orange. Don't omit the lemon and orange juice though because you will reduce the acidity of the batter and the cake might not rise well, and it will also throw the dry to liquid ratio off.
- Vegan butter - This is a vegan and dairy-free Christmas cake recipe so vegan butter is necessary. The fat in the butter helps keep the cake moist and adds a lot of flavour.
- Dark brown sugar - For its rich, dark, festive molasses flavour and colour and also for the moistness it provides.
- Molasses - This adds colour, flavour, moistness and richness. Use black treacle if you are in the UK.
- Flour - All purpose flour is best, or plain flour if you are in the UK. For a gluten-free vegan Christmas cake the recipe has been tested with Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1 to 1 flour and it works great. It does need an extra few minutes bake-time though.
- Ground almonds or fine almond meal - They add more moisture, fat and flavour than flour alone which is important in a cake with such a long bake time and no eggs. It also ensures the cake doesn't dry out as it matures. Sorry nut-free people. I don't have an alternative for them here.
- Baking powder and baking soda - Baking powder to rise and lighten the cake and then baking soda (bicarbonate of soda in the UK) is used as a replacement for the eggs in this fruit cake recipe. Egg binds as well as leavens. In an egg-free fruit cake, the baking soda creates a chemical reaction with the acidic molasses, fruit juice and brown sugar which replaces that leavening.
Equipment - You will need a 9-inch x 3-inch deep cake pan (for more details see under "cake pan tips" below). I also recommend using a digital kitchen scale for the best results. Details for making the recipe in a 7-inch or 10 inch pan are included in the recipe notes.
Cake pan tips for fruit cake
To make this vegan fruit cake you will need a 9 inch pan that is at least 3 inches deep. Or you can use a 10 x 10 inch, 2-inch deep square pan. It's a really sturdy cake and you'll be lining the pan well so it doesn't matter if it's springform/loose bottom or not. It's easy enough to tip out.
Because this cake is such an expensive and time consuming cake to make, having the right pan will really be worth it for a good end result. For this reason, I highly recommend you invest in a good quality cake pan before you attempt to make this recipe. A good quality pan will help protect and insulate the cake.
Baking a fruit cake is not the same as baking a sponge cake. They are dense and packed with fruit and alcohol or fruit juice (AKA sugar) so need to be cooked at a low temperature for a long time. Lesser quality pans will not provide the protection your cake needs and you run the risk of the outside "catching" or getting too dark/burned.
Bear in mind that a lighter coloured pans will give better results than a dark/black pan. Dark metal pans absorb and distribute heat much more quickly which isn't a good thing when making fruit cake. Also NEVER use a silicone pan for a fruit cake. It just won't work.
My usual cake pan go-to is USA Pan but they don't have a deep enough pan, so my next choice is Fat Daddio. Their 9-inch by 3 inch or 9-inch by 4-inch pans are really versatile pans that are perfect. If you're making this recipe as a vegan wedding cake, Fat Daddio sell a 3 tiered set (bear in mind when using different cake pan sizes though that baking times will need adjusting).
If upgrading to a better quality pan isn't an option, take steps to minimize the risk in other areas: Confirm your oven temperature with an oven thermometer (unless calibrated most ovens aren't 100% accurate), weigh the ingredients so quantities are absolutely spot on, take time to follow the recipe as closely as you can and as well as lining the inside of the pan as instructed, try insulating the outside of the pan with a couple layers of parchment paper (or old newspaper) tied with string to keep it in place. Then keep a watchful eye on the cake as it nears the end of the suggested bake time. Tent with foil if there is any hint of catching.
Best alcohol for vegan fruit cake
Alcohol not only adds incredible festive flavour to fruit cake, it also moistens and preserves it, meaning you can make your cake a long time in advance if you need to. And, like a fine wine, as a Christmas cake matures its flavour gets better and better.
For this preservation to happen as it should though, it's important to use a strong spirit. My go to tipple is brandy because I love the flavour it gives but others that work well for preservation and amazing flavour are rum, whiskey, cherry brandy or orange liquor. I've also had success with port, sherry and amaretto even though their alcohol content is slightly lower.
If you do plan on preserving the cake for an extended period of time without freezing it, I recommend you choose an alcohol with a minimum ABV of around 35%. Around 40% is ideal. You'll find this clearly marked on all bottles. To really build and intensify the flavour, you can use one variety when mixing the batter, then another complementary one for feeding after it's baked if you want to.
Important - When choosing your alcohol be sure to check that the brand you are purchasing is vegan. Some are and some aren't. Barnivore is a great resource for checking.
How to make Vegan Christmas Cake
My Vegan Christmas Cake recipe might have a lot of ingredients but it's actually really easy to make. Do a quick soak of the dried fruit (instructions included), line your cake pan really well as per my instructions, then get mixing. You do need to be patient though. Because it's so big and dense, it needs to be baked at a low temperature, which means it takes a long time. Then it also takes a very long time to cool completely. We're talking about 8 or 9 hours cooling time. Because of this I recommend you start making it in the morning if you can.
Before making your cake it's really important to double-line your pan thoroughly. Full instructions are given in the recipe card. Then you can get on and make your cake. Here's how it's done:
- Quick soak the dried fruit as per my instructions.
- Beat together the butter, sugar, molasses and almond extract.
- Add the dry ingredients and the fruit to the butter mixture (alternating between the two).
- Spoon the very thick fruity mixture into the cake tin and bake low and slow.
- Immediately after it comes out of the oven brush with a couple tablespoons of brandy (or other alcohol/liquid you used in the batter) to moisten the top.
- Wrap the whole thing thoroughly in a double layer of foil. This traps the steam and keeps your cake beautifully moist. It will take a very long time to cool, usually at least 8 to 9 hours.
Once it's completely cool (probably the next day)unwrap it and remove from the pan. It will look something like this:
Re-wrap the fruitcake in fresh layers of parchment paper and foil to store. Full details on feeding and storage can be found under the relevant headings below.
Success Tips
For the very best results when making this vegan fruit cake recipe, take note of these tips:
- I recommend starting this cake in the morning if you can. You need to quick soak the fruit for at least an hour before mixing the batter, then the cake itself has a really long baking time. It's not a cake you can knock out quickly late afternoon or after dinner. And because it's full of so much fruit and very dense, it takes an age to cool. About 8 to 9 hours. So plan ahead and don't do this last minute.
- As always with baking, weighing the ingredients with a digital scale will give you the best results. Cups are not an accurate way to measure and you will not get the best and consistent results when using them. Digital scales are so cheap. You can pick them up for about $15 and they make the world of difference to your baking. When making expensive cakes like this it's so wise to use one.
- Use a very big mixing bowl. There is a huge amount of batter and it's difficult to stir with all of the dried fruit. Give yourself plenty of room. I recommend a 5 or 6 quart bowl. If you don't have one that big use a big Dutch oven or soup pot.
- Don't over-mix the batter. Mixing too much activates the gluten in the flour (like when you make bread) and will create a tough cake.
- Lining the pan as I describe in the instructions is essential. Don't think you can get away with skipping it. This is an expensive cake to mess up. If not lined properly the outside of your cake will burn, the inside will be undercooked and it could also overflow. The parchment paper insulates the cake and stops this from happening.
- Fruit cake needs a very long, slow bake. It contains a lot more fruit and sugar than any other cake, plus alcohol too so the oven temperature needs to be very low. Increase the temperature, even a tiny bit and the outside of the cake will cook and burn before the inside is cooked. This recipe cannot be rushed.
- I highly recommend investing in a good quality cake pan for this recipe. It will insulate your cake much better during the very long bake time and help prevent the sides and bottom catching. See under the heading "cake pan tips for fruit cake" for more detailed information on this.
- If changing pan sizes, remember baking time will need to be altered, often significantly.
- For the neatest slices, slice the cooled cake in a sawing motion with a very sharp serrated knife. Because of the amount of fruit you need to get through, a serrated knife is the best choice.
Feeding
Unlike a regular sponge cake, Christmas cake actually gets better with age and is absolutely incredible when made ahead and given a chance to mature. It brings out more complex flavour notes that a young fruitcake lacks (just like wine!). Don't worry if you are making it closer to Christmas though because this cake still tastes unbelievably good eaten right away.
When made in advance, feeding keeps a fruit cake moist and helps to preserve it, while also building and intensifying the flavour. Like my Christmas Pudding and Vegan Mincemeat, I like to make my Vegan Christmas Cake a few months before Christmas, then feed it weekly so that it has time to mature and develop even more deep, rich flavour.
And what do I mean by feeding? The cake's first feed is immediately after it comes out of the oven. Basically you brush a couple of tablespoons of your alcohol of choice over the top, let it seep in, then wrap (or re-wrap on subsequent feedings) the cake and stash it away somewhere cool and dark until the next feeding. The cake should be fed about 2 tablespoons (30 mls) of alcohol each time thereafter. After the first time you can very slowly drizzle it over the top instead of brush if you prefer, and if you don't need the top of the cake to look perfect (because you are decorating it), you can poke some holes in the top of the cake with a toothpick, thin, sharp knife or skewer before pouring over the liquid to help with the seepage.
If icing the cake, it is important that you don't feed it for a week before so that the outside is completely dry.
The amount of times you feed your fruit cake will depend on how strong you want the flavour to be. Four or five times is a good amount for me. Obviously we don't want to drench our cakes in liquid so while doing this, it's important to keep an eye on your cake. If you open it for a feeding and the top still looks damp then skip a week. The very top of the cake should feel dry before each feed.
After each feeding the cake needs to be wrapped up really well. I like to wrap it in a double layer of parchment paper then another couple layers of foil. Then I put it in a cake tin. Don't let the foil touch the cake directly because the metal can react with the fruit in the cake and taint the flavour. As long as it doesn't get ripped you can re-use the same wrapping every-time after feeding.
Once wrapped stash the cake away somewhere cool and dark.
Fun fact - Antarctic Heritage Trust conservators found a 100 year old fruit cake among the artefacts from Cape Adare and it still looked and smelled edible!
How to store fruit cake after baking
Wrap your Christmas cake throughly in parchment paper, then a couple layers of foil and store it somewhere cool and away from sunlight. A dark cupboard, back of the pantry/closet or a safe spot in a cool basement are ideal. If you are using alcohol the fruit cake can easily be made and stored for 3 to 4 months.
If you want to store the cake longer than that you can freeze it for up to 1 year. You can do this as soon as it's cooled completely, then either defrost and enjoy immediately, or defrost then feed for a few weeks to intensify the flavour before eating. Or you can feed it for a few weeks after baking to intensify the flavour, then freeze it. You can also freeze any cut leftovers for another time in the same way.
Vegan fruit cake freezes incredibly well, but bear in mind that once frozen, it won't mature in the same way as it will when stored unfrozen.
To defrost remove the cake from the freezer and allow to thaw overnight on the counter. Then store as above.
Alcohol free? - If you choose to make the alcohol-free version of this cake you can wrap it well in parchment paper and foil and store it in a cool dark place for up to 1 month or in the freezer for up to 1 year. See my tips for feeding an alcohol-free fruit cake below.
How to make without alcohol
For an alcohol-free vegan Christmas cake, replace the alcohol in this recipe with fresh apple juice, fresh orange juice or cold black tea. You could also add a little rum flavouring to any of those options if you want some extra flavour.
Please note that if you aren't using alcohol I don't recommend you make the cake more than 4 weeks before Christmas/or the event if it's for a wedding or christening. You can still feed it with whatever liquid you used from the selection above to keep it nice and moist but 2 feedings of 2 tablespoons (30 mls) should be sufficient over that time.
Decorating ideas
Decorating your Vegan Christmas Cake is optional. It's so flavourful and moist that it really doesn't need marzipan or fondant. I am personally not the biggest fan of either of them so I never use it. I like to leave mine just as it is.
For my photoshoot here, I decorated my vegan fruit cake with greenery from the garden (leaves, fruit and flowers from my strawberry tree, bay leaves plus a few sprigs of rosemary and heather, pinecones and dried orange slices that I dehydrated in my oven. I followed this method for drying the orange slices.
You could also use go the traditional route and use marzipan and fondant. To do this brush the cake with apricot jam first to help it stick. This is what most traditional English Christmas cakes and wedding cakes are decorated with.
Marzipan is naturally vegan and it's wise to use it before applying fondant because it stops the dark colours of the cake coming through and staining the bright white of the fondant.
Fondant is often made with egg whites but there are a few brands that are naturally vegan including Satin Ice. Others that appear to be vegan are Dr.Oetkar, Renshaw and FondX. Obviously this could be subject to change so please double check the ingredients before purchasing for your vegan wedding cake or Christmas cake.
Great British Chefs have a great instructional article showing how to ice a Christmas cake with marzipan and fondant.
If you are making this recipe as a vegan wedding cake then you can have all sorts of fun decorating the multiple tiers!
IMPORTANT: If icing the vegan fruit cake, don’t feed it for at least one week before to give the surface a chance to dry before the icing goes on. The last thing you want are damp patches appearing through your nicely iced cake.
Serving suggestions
This Christmas Fruit Cake is incredibly rich, moist and packed with flavour, so it’s absolutely delicious when eaten plain, just as it is. Take a minute to notice all of the incredible flavours in every bite – the plump dried fruits, the nuts, sweet glacé cherries, and the boozy, rich, dark cake holding it all together.
When serving, use a sharp serrated knife for nice clean slices. My favourite knife for slicing bread and cake is the Victorinox Swiss Army Classic. See more of my favourite kitchen tools here.
I love to enjoy my Christmas cake just as it is with a glass of port if I'm feeling extravagant, or a cup of tea. You can't beat a slice of fruit cake with your favourite cuppa! You can also turn it into dessert with a drizzle of homemade vegan custard or a dollop of vanilla ice cream or dairy-free whipped cream.
In the north of England it's common to enjoy fruit cake with a piece of strong cheese. Miyoko's Aged Sharp English Farmhouse works really well for this. It sounds odd but they are surprisingly good together! That savoury/fruity sweet combo just works. Think how good dates, figs and apples are with strong cheese. This is a similar concept.
Refresh stale vegan fruit cake by gently heating individual pieces in a microwave or steamer, or by panfrying in vegan butter, then serve with vegan butter, ice cream, brandy butter, whipped cream or custard.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! I have tested the recipe with Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour and it turned out really well. Directions are included.
No. You cannot use fresh fruit in a recipe like this. It would affect the wet to dry ratio of the ingredients making the cake soggy. You also wouldn't be able to preserve it. It would just turn moldy. The fruit must be dried fruit.
Dry fruit cakes can be caused by many things:
1. The wrong ratio of wet to dry ingredients. Always be sure to weigh your ingredients with a digital scale so you use exactly the right amount.
2. Not lining the cake pan properly or having the oven temperature too hot. Fruit cake is baked for a long, long time and the oven temperature needs to be low. The pan also needs to be double lined.
3.Using a poor quality cake pan.
4. It got over-baked. All ovens vary slightly unless calibrated so it's important to keep an eye on your cake in the last half hour or so.
5. The cake was removed from the pan before it was completely cool and wasn't wrapped wrap in foil while it was cooling to trap the steam.
6. The cake wasn't fed properly after baking.
A Christmas cake is cooked for a long time and it is easy for the top or sides to "catch" especially if your oven's heat is not very even or if you are using a low quality cake pan. If you're concerned it's beginning to catch, place greaseproof paper or tin foil loosely over the top (not earlier than ¾ through the bake time). This will deflect some of the heat.
More vegan Christmas recipes you might like:
📖 Recipe
Vegan Christmas Cake
Author:
Ingredients
Please note that for the very best results I highly recommend using a digital scale to weigh your ingredients. Cups are not accurate enough.
- 1 kg (36 oz or 2.2 lbs) dried fruit , should include at least 50% raisins, sultanas, cranberries and currants but you can also add any combination of cherries, blueberries, apricots, dates, prunes or figs. Larger fruits like prunes & figs should be chopped. It's impossible to give a cup measurement for this as they are all different sizes and have different volumes.
- 190 grams (1 cup or 7oz) glace cherries
- 360 mls (1.5 cup) brandy or other spirit of 35-40% ABV , or cold black tea, apple or orange juice. Plus about 120 mls (½ cup) extra for feeding once the cake is baked.
- 1 medium lemon zest & juice , (should equal approx 2 tablespoons (30ml) of juice - a few mls either side is fine though)
- 1 large orange zest & juice , (should equal approx 5 tablespoons (70ml) of juice - a few mls either side is fine though)
- 293 grams (1 cup + 6 tablespoons) vegan butter
- 200 grams (1 packed cup) dark brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons molasses or black treacle
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 312 grams (2½ cups) all-purpose flour , plain flour in the UK (For gluten-free use Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour)
- 144 grams (1.5 cups) almond flour or ground almonds , or fine almond meal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda , bicarbonate of soda in the UK
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 175 grams (1½ cups) chopped pecans , or walnuts
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Add all of the dried fruit and the glacé cherries to a large microwaveable bowl and pour over the brandy (or suggested alternative). Stir really well to coat then microwave on full power for about 2 minutes, or until the liquid is hot. The time will vary depending on the wattage of your microwave. Keep an eye on it through the door so it doesn't bubble up and overflow. Remove from the microwave, stir well once more than cover with a plate or cling-wrap and set aside to cool. It shouldn't be any more than lukewarm when you use it in the batter. Don't leave it longer than 2½ hours or it will absorb too much liquid and you will struggle to mix your batter. If you don't have a microwave, tip the fruit and glacé cherries into a saucepan, pour over the brandy (or suggested alternative), stir, then heat until the liquid is just coming to a simmer. Turn off the heat, stir once more then cover with a lid and set aside to cool.
- Grease a 9-inch cake pan that is at least 3 inches deep with vegan butter. Or you can use a 10 x 10 inch, 2-inch deep square pan
- Preheat oven to 300 ° F (150 °C) and place a shelf in the middle of the oven ready for the cake. Make sure there is lots of free height above it. Then place a large pan (something like a roaster) of tap water on the shelf below. If you have a fan/convection oven and you have the option to turn the fan/convection off and use it as a regular oven do that. If you don't then check your manual to see what adjustment you should make to the temperature. Generally it's recommended to bake about 68° F / 20°C cooler than the stated temperature, but this does vary by oven brand/model.
- Roll out your parchment paper, place the cake pan on top and draw around it with a pen or pencil. Cut out the circle. Repeat so you have 2 circles. It's important to double line your pan with this recipe. Place both circles in the bottom of the pan.
- Then unroll more paper. You need a length that is enough to reach around the outside of the pan. Cut it off the roll, then fold the paper in half lengthways so it's doubled up. Use this double layer to line the inside of your cake pan. It doesn't matter which way up you put it in. The butter will help you slide it in and stick it in place. If it's a little too long trim it to fit so there is about an inch overlap, but don't trim anything off the height. This piece needs to be taller than the top of the pan by at least 3 inches. The extra height helps to deflect heat and stop your cake catching during the long bake time. Once done set the pan aside.
- As soon as the fruit mixture is lukewarm or cool you can make the cake batter.
- Zest and juice the lemon and the orange and add them to the soaked fruit mixture. Give it a quick stir.
- In a very large bowl (or stand mixer) add the vegan butter and the sugar. Beat them together until light and fluffy. There will be a lot of batter and it's heavy with fruit so give yourself plenty of room for stirring. I recommend a 5 or 6 quart bowl. If you don't have one that big use a big Dutch oven or soup pot.
- Add the molasses and almond extract to the butter mixture and mix them together.
- In another medium bowl add the flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg. Whisk them together to combine.
- Now it's time to add the dry ingredients and the fruit to the butter mixture. Add them alternately in two or three additions, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Stir after each addition, but only until just combined. Doing it this way helps to ensure you don't over-mix the batter while also making sure the ingredients are combined well.
- Finally add the chopped nuts and fold them through gently.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan. Level the top with a spatula and place in the oven on the middle shelf. Bake for 2¾ to 3 hours, or until a skewer, toothpick or thin sharp knife inserted into the middle comes out clean. This length of time is not a mistake. That's how long a fruit cake of this size takes. If using a 10 x 10 inch, 2-inch deep square pan it will probably be ready 10 to 15 minutes earlier.
- When the cake is nearly ready have a small bowl with 3 tablespoons of brandy (or whatever liquid you used in the cake batter) and a pastry brush handy along with a roll of parchment paper and foil.
- Once done, remove the cake from the oven. Immediately brush the top all over with the brandy/ other liquid. Keep brushing until it's all used up. Then very carefully using oven mitts because it's very hot, wrap the whole thing, pan and all in at least a double layer of foil. Scrunch or fold it so there are no gaps for steam to escape. Leave the cake on a cooling rack, trivet or your stove top to cool absolutely completely. This will take approximately 9 hours. By doing this you trap all of the moisture inside the cake, making it beautifully moist. There's nothing worse than a dry fruit cake!
- Once it's completely cool, you can unwrap the cake, carefully remove it from the cake pan, then either eat it, or rewrap for storage and feeding. I recommend first wrapping it in parchment paper, then at least a double layer of foil. There needs to be no gaps. Be generous and don't skimp and don't just use foil as it can react with the fruit in the cake. That's why it's important to wrap in the paper first. Once thoroughly wrapped you can place the cake in a tin or other storage container and store it somewhere cool like the back of the pantry, a cool cupboard or closet or a cool basement.
- If you used 35-40 % ABV alcohol in the cake and feed it regularly it can be kept like this for up to 4 months. It will mature, the flavours will develop and it will get better and better. OR you can pop it in a large freezer bag or airtight container and freeze it right away for up to 1 year. OR you can feed it for a few months to develop the amazing flavour, then freeze it for up to 1 year. If you used weaker alcohol like port or sherry I wouldn't store it for longer than 2 months, but you can still freeze it for up to 1 year either before or after feeding. If you made the cake alcohol-free then you can store it like this for up to 1 month as long as you feed it twice to keep it nice and moist. It will also freeze well for up to 1 year.
- To feed:For cakes made with alcohol: Carefully unwrap the cake, and the first time, use a skewer or thin sharp knife to prick a few deep (about 1 inch) holes in the surface of the cake. Then either brush or slowly drizzle 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of whatever alcohol you used in the batter all over the top of the cake. Give it a minute or two to absorb, then rewrap the cake and stash it away again. Repeat this either weekly or 2 weekly (depending on how strong you want the alcohol flavour) until you want to cut and eat the cake, up to a maximum of 5 times. If at any time you open it and it looks wet on top then stop feeding it for a few weeks. If you plan on icing the cake don't feed it for a week before icing so the surface dries out nicely. For alcohol-free cakes: Follow the feeding instructions above, but use whatever liquid you used in the batter (or a complimentary one) but only feed it 2 tablespoons (30 ml) a maximum of 2 times over the 4 week storage period. This will be sufficient to keep it moist. If you plan on icing the cake don't feed it for a week before icing so the surface dries out nicely.
NOTES
- To bake in a 7-inch round pan that is 3 inches deep: Half the recipe and bake for approximately 1¾ to 2 hours or until a skewer, toothpick or thin sharp knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- To bake in a 10-inch pan that is 3 inches deep: Multiply everything by 1.5 and bake for 3¾ to 4 hours.
- To bake in a 6-inch pan that is 3 inches deep: Make just one third of the recipe (divide all ingredients by 3). I haven't been able to test this so I don't know how long it will take. At least 1 hour, possibly up to 90 mins? Check with a skewer, toothpick or thin sharp knife inserted into the middle comes out clean.
- I recommend starting this cake in the morning if you can. And it must be at least the day before you need it, preferably two days. You need to quick soak the fruit for at least an hour before mixing the batter, then the cake itself has a really long baking time. It's not a cake you can knock out quickly late afternoon or after dinner. And because it's full of so much fruit and very dense, it takes an age to cool. About 8 to 9 hours. So plan ahead and don't do this last minute.
- As always with baking, weighing the ingredients with a digital scale will give you the best results. Cups are not an accurate way to measure and you will not get the best and consistent results when using them. Digital scales are so cheap. You can pick them up for about $15 and they make the world of difference to your baking. When making expensive cakes like this it's so wise to use one.
- Use a very big mixing bowl. There is a huge amount of batter and it's difficult to stir with all of the dried fruit. Give yourself plenty of room. I recommend a 5 or 6 quart bowl. If you don't have one that big use a big Dutch oven or soup pot.
- Lining the pan as I describe in the instructions is essential. If not lined properly the outside of your cake will burn, the inside will be undercooked and it could also overflow. The parchment paper insulates the cake and stops this from happening.
- I highly recommend investing in a good quality cake pan for this recipe. It will insulate your cake much better during the very long bake time and help prevent the sides and bottom catching. See under the heading "cake pan tips for fruit cake" for more detailed information on this.
NUTRITION
Nutritional information is provided for convenience & as a courtesy. The data is a computer generated estimate so should be used as a guide only.
Recipe adapted from Nigella Lawson’s Traditional Christmas Cake which is in her book Nigella Christmas.
Jeanne Greiser says
Delicious! My first attempt at making a fruit cake. This recipe is easy to follow and very detailed. The entire adult part of our family loved the cake and we have enough to enjoy for the next few months.
Carol says
Best fruitcake I have ever had!
When I was a young person, people gave them as gifts at Christmas. None came close to Melanie's delicious fruit cake recipe!
My husband decided to make it since he has never had fruit cake in his entire life!
He appreciated her directions very much. He used brandy during the cooking portion and then used orange juice when no more heat was involved. I don't drink alcohol, but it does dissipate with heat. The orange juice was lovely with it.
Her directions are clear & accurate. Follow her directions to the T for a beautiful & delicious fruit cake!
We have a 1,500-mile drive to our daughter's wedding, and what is left of the cake is coming along to have for the road trip!
Thank you, Melanie!
Melanie McDonald says
I'm so pleased you both enjoyed it Carol! Happy New Year!
Kylie A says
Ok. I have a complaint. I made this last weekend with the intention of keeping it for Christmas. I opened it today to feed it and just couldn't resist. We've eaten quarter of it and now I've got to make another and I don't have time. How dare you make a Christmas cake so delicious! It's seriously good and it had only been fed once right after baking. Thank you!
Alicia says
For the non-alcoholic version, when you say "fresh" apple or orange juice, do you mean fresh squeezed at home rather than bottle-bought?
Melanie McDonald says
Either is fine. Apple I'd just buy it rather than haul my juicer out, but orange I'd do fresh just because it's easy and a fresh orange does taste better. Plus you need the zest anyway. Hope that helps!
Lucy says
Oh yes, I meant to add, I used a 6 inch diameter, 3 inch deep pan (so about 1/3 quantities) and it took about 2 hours. I only had to foil it for the last 20 mins or so.
Melanie McDonald says
Good to know.Thank you!
Jane says
Hi Mel, have chopped all the fruit! Too hot to make today so tomorrow is the day. Important question. I'm a massive fan of your insistence on "accuracy" ie weights not cups. But you say juice of "medium lemon" and "large orange". These quantities could be massively variable, not just in what we might think of as "medium" or "large" but also in the juiciness of that particular fruit. Are you able to approx a ml. amount for these please? The amount of liquid seems quite crucial to me because this cake in every other respect matches very closely weight for weight to a trad cake recipe that also has 5 eggs! So you are clearly relying on the molasses, unabsorbed alcohol and citrus juice to balance not having the eggs? Grateful for your thoughts, as always :)
Melanie McDonald says
I just edited the recipe to include that for clarity. Sorry I missed it! It really doesn't need to be too exact though. I forgot them completely on one occasion and although I could tell from a difference in the flavour, the texture still seemed absolutely fine. I hope you enjoy it!
JANE says
Thanks Mel - appreciate your reply!
Susan says
Are all baking pan sizes given for round pans? Can this be baked in a rectangular pan, if so what are the instructions?
Melanie McDonald says
To make this vegan fruit cake you will need a 9 inch pan that is at least 3 inches deep. Or you can use a 10 x 10 inch, 2-inch deep square pan. I give the details for those in the post and recipe.
I also give details for using 6-inch, 7-inch and 10-inch round pans in the recipe notes.
I'm afraid it's impossible for me to be able to test a recipe in all pan sizes/shapes. Bake times will vary hugely between each one, so I can't give instructions for those I haven't tried personally. I made the cake upwards of 20 times as it is! Ha ha.
jacquie says
The recipe looks awesome and i can't wait to try it. I don't have a 9x9 pan though. Could i make it in a loaf pan?
I also wanted to ask you where you got your natural glace cherries.
thanks.
Melanie McDonald says
You would be able to scale the recipe down to fit a loaf pan if you wanted to. I can't advise on bake time though without trying it myself. It varies so hugely between different pan sizes.
RE the cherries. They are just standard glace cherries from my local grocery store.
Lucy says
I'm going to make this, and I'm going to follow your instructions to the letter! I love how firm and fierce you are about doing it properly, and how you preempt all the annoying questions!
My late auntie was a GI bride, and a great and adaptable cook, producing all the things her American family loved, but till the end of her life she sighed at their inability to appreciate a good fruit cake; when we visited when I was a kid, she and my mum got together to make one for their birthdays during the visit.
I love dried fruit and spice, but find there's often so much of them about over Christmas, what with pudding and mince pies etc, that the cake often seems bit surplus to requirements, but then if I don't have one I miss it!
Your winter garden decoration is stunning. I agree, when there's so much sweet stuff about generally, you don't need much icing, though we like a bit of marzipan. The combo with cheese I remember from James Herriot's Yorkshire books, and enjoying it when I tried it. But would anyone really cover it with chocolate ???!!!
Melanie McDonald says
I hope you enjoy it Lucy!
I totally understand your Auntie's sighs. Christmas cake is such a labour of love (and an expensive one at that).
I've been doing this for so long now that I know there is quite a large percentage of people who don't follow recipes properly then come back to complain when it doesn't work out well, especially with complicated ones. By adding everything I can think of, I am covering my own back 😂 And it saves me time answering questions too!
Fruit cake is actually really good covered in chocolate by the way. In England fruit logs are very common. i.e long fruit cake covered in chocolate and decorated to look like a log with meringue mushroom decorations or holly etc. It's really delicious!
Lucy says
Well, it's sitting in its tin all wrapped in foil and soaking up the brandy, still warm after about 6 hours now! I've never come across that technique of feeding and wrapping it hot before, I'm looking forward to the result! I've had a lovely day making it.
I am actually English, though I've lived in France for the last 24 years, but I've never come across a chocolate covered fruit log! My mum used to make a chocolate log as well as fruit cake and pudding, for us kids before we'd really acquired the dried fruit and spice taste. It often fell apart and had to be glued together with chocolate icing; my young nephew once remarked it looked more like a chocolate bog than a chocolate log! Still tasted good though.
We asked a French friend round last year for dessert to taste Christmas pudding for the first time, she was polite but didn't look too impressed, and brightened at the mention of bûche de Noël, so perhaps I'll do her a small chocolate log this year.
Melanie McDonald says
How exciting! It's quite amazing how long it takes to cool down after but trapping all of that steam works wonders. I really hope you enjoy tucking into it at Christmas!
Nina says
Really looking forward to making this! Thanks for the thorough recipe. The only glacé cherries I can find where I live are the scary neon food coloring type. Do you think I could substitute the cherries with candied peel? They probably have a similar texture/weight.
Melanie McDonald says
You definitely could and you are right, about the same amount would be fine. Maybe a little less as they are such small pieces and will distribute better through the cake. I don't care for candied peel hence the reason it's not in the recipe. The bright red cherries do look pretty in the cake when you slice it though!