Throw away all your preconceived notions about fruitcake.
This Vegan Fruitcake recipe is going to change your mind!
No green and red glaceed cherries here mate!
This Vegan Fruitcake recipe is loaded up with various dried fruits and nuts and spices galore!
I have been making this recipe for almost a decade now, and it is always a winner.
Mostly I change up the types of fruits I use each year depending on what sparks my fancy, but this year I used a combination of dried apricots, raisins, pineapple, dates, figs, cranberry and even a fresh pear!
Fresh grated ginger, cloves, anise, cinnamon, allspice and cardamom spice up this fruit cake to exotic proportions!
If you have never tried a fruitcake recipe before I urge you to start with this one, someone else’s recipe just may turn you off and I would hate for that to happen since fruitcake is really very delicious and a Christmastime specialty!
The hardest part about the whole thing is chopping up those fruits to tiny pieces, but otherwise this is a one bowl mix- NO MIXER REQUIRED! And boy do I love those kinds of recipes!
Yes there is rum in the recipe, but the alcohol gets cooked off in the first stage and then it gets baked, so you can be sure there is no residual alcohol in the final cake.
But of course I know many of you are alcohol free no matter what so you can substitute in apple juice for the rum portion, but it will be missing that signature flavor that a fruitcake is known for.
I will also be brushing my final cakes with more rum, and again this is optional so if you are using the apple juice sub, just brush them with more apple juice, OR take it to another level and infuse that apple juice in a small pot on the stove with some additional spices like cinnamon sticks, anise pods, cloves etc!
I am using a mini loaf pan for individual servings, but this whole recipe can go into 1 standard loaf too.
The mini loaf pan I linked above seems to be different than the one I have, mine only has 6 cavities, but either way you will fill the batter almost to the top of the loaf pan no matter what pan size you use.
And last but not least I am also icing mine with buttercream!
This is also optional but believe me it really makes this fruitcake extra special and I’ve even made some extra fruit compote (basically the recipe for the macerated fruits cooked with the rum and butter!) to go on top for a really impressive individual dessert that is just such a special way to give a fruitcake this year!
The Plant Based Egg by Freely Vegan is my egg replacer of choice for 95% of all my desserts now, If you do not want to buy it or cannot get it, you can sub in another proprietary blend egg replacer of your choice but results may vary.
- Dark Raisins ¼ cup
- Dried Cranberries ¼
- Dried Pineapple ¼ cup
- Dates ¼ cup
- Dried Figs ¼ cup
- Fresh Pear ½ cup
- Candied Orange *optional or just replace with another fruit ¼ cup
- Fresh grated ginger approximately 2 teaspoons
- Orange zest 1 teaspoon
- Lemon zest 1 teaspoon
- Rum spiced or gold your choice ½ cup + more for basting *Optional
- Granulated Sugar ½ cup (100g)
- Egg Replacer 3 teaspoons *I am using The Plant Based Egg see note above
- Baking Soda ½ teaspoon
- Baking Powder 1 teaspoon
- Salt pinch
- Ground Cinnamon 1 teaspoon
- Ground Ginger ½ teaspoon
- Cardamon ¼ teaspoon
- Allspice ⅛ teaspoon
- Nutmeg ⅛ teaspoon
- Anise pods 4
- Whole Cloves about 10-12
- All Purpose Flour ¾ cup + 2 Tablespoons (109g)
- Applesauce ½ cup (100g)
- Vegan Butter 5 Tablespoons (70g)
- Nuts of your choice I used almonds ½ cup
- Place the star anise pods and the whole cloves in a small pouch of cheesecloth so you can easily fish it out of the mixture later.
- Cut all the dried fruits AND THE PEAR to the same size as the raisins and cranberries and in a medium bowl, pour the rum over top. Let it macerate overnight at room temperature (Or to speed the process microwave for 1 minute to reconstitute)
- Chop the nuts to same size, but reserve aside for last.
- In a large saucepot combine the macerated fruits, the zest, grated ginger, spices, sugar, applesauce and vegan butter and bring to a boil.
- Reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes on low heat.
- Let it cool for about 15 minutes, remove the sack of whole spices (anise pods and cloves) and discard then add the nuts and the sifted flour, egg replacer, baking soda and powder .
- Pour the batter into a greased 9" x 5" loaf pan or if you are using the mini loaf pan like me, you will only get 6, be sure to fill the batter almost to the top (about ¾ full) for whatever size [an you are using.
- Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 10 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F for another 10 minutes for the MINI LOAFS for a total bake time of 20 minutes.
- The large standard loaf will take 30-35 minutes total bake time.
- Cook in the pan until you can touch the pan without burning yourself and flip out onto a wire rack to cool the rest of the way.
- While still warm, brush with additional rum *Optional
- Cool completely then wrap well and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks
- Or ice with buttercream and additional fruit compote and store at room temperature for up to 1 day or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week wrapped so they won't dry out.
Thank you so much for sharing!
I will try your recipe for this Christmas.
Happy holidays?✨?
If I wanted to soak the dried fruit in the 1/2cup of rum in a sealed container, say for about a week prior to baking. Do you think that would effect the end product too much?
Would be GREAT!!
Can i get a substitute for egg replacer?
You can use whatever egg replacer you prefer in place of 2 eggs
Thank you so much. I was diagnosed with alpha gal 2 years ago. The past two years I missed having fruit cake. I am thankful to the internet and people like you for recipes! It is always easier for me to just go the vegan route and of course making everything homemade as possible.
Awe! I think you will LOVE This!!
Hi,
Recipe looks very authentic!!
Can i substitute pear juice for rum? Got 6 big bottles for free from a farm where i went apple picking and need to use them before they expire ?..thanks
yes you sure can! I may cut some of the sugar then by like ¼ cup
This is a truly delicious cake, about to make my second batch, I am going to use candied clementine in my fruit mix. As a liquid will again use my brandy from my aged rumtopf, will cut down on the sugar content.
Hi,
Can you pls. give measurements of flour and butter in grms. And can I skip applesauce ?
yes the applesauce can be replaced with apple juice (or any fruit juice) or even a banana. (same measure- 1/2 cup)
refresh the page for the grams weight in flour and butter (109g flour and 70g butter)
Hi Gretchen,
Can I replace rum with any juice.
Thanks
Ambika
yes
Hi Gretchen,
This is a very yummy cake. My sister in law even likes it and she won’t eat any dried fruit, she calls it dead fruit. I didn’t put the icing or extra fruit on top just served it sliced and it was a hit. The only thing I didn’t understand was where the pear came in. In your recipe you mention it but not where it is added. Do I chop it and add it to the fruit or cook it with the dried fruit?
Renee
YAY! I love this recipe so I am so happy to hear it was a hit (with a dried fruit hater! LOL) Sorry for the confusion, yes I included it in the directions where I said : “Cut all the dried fruits to the same size as the raisins and cranberries and in a medium bowl, pour the rum over top. Let it macerate overnight at room temperature” But did not specify INCLUDING THE PEAR! Sorry about that I will update the post now! thankyoU!
Will you be doing the vegan baking mastery class again?
when do you add the pods and cloves? during maceration process? recipe doesn’t tell when to add, but tells when to take out. appreciate. making this this week.
HI, Here in this step: In a large saucepot combine the macerated fruits, the zest, grated ginger, spices, sugar, applesauce and vegan butter and bring to a boil.
The “spices” are am referring to here includes the pods and cloves
Looks good! Do you have a buttercream recipe? Thanks!
Thanks Yes CLICK HERE
Hi Gretchen, If I were to bake these in a standard muffin pan, would the cook time be about the same as for the mini-loaf pans? Or maybe a little less since I’d have 12 smaller pieces at the end? The recipe sounds fantastic. Can’t wait to try it this weekend. Happy Holidays!
thanks! You will love these! And great idea for muffins! I’d say check them about 10minutes earlier than my suggested time here
Hi, can aquafaba be used instead of the egg replacer pls? If yes, would you kindly tell me how much? Thanks so much.
While I have not tried that specifically I think it will work. Fruitcake is meant to be a super moist cake, so I think it will be fine here. Add 2 Tbs AF
Has anyone tried to make this without the vegan butter and if so, what did you use as a substitute, if anything?
I am looking to ship a fruit cake to my daughters and this is the one I want to make. However, even without the frosting the recipe specifies to keep refrigerated. Please let me know if this is a requirement (I don’t plan on frosting it before shipping) or if the cake is fine without refrigeration. It could take a week to get to the destination. Thank you.
Hi! No the refrigeration in not necessary, just wrap well and as long as it is not going to super HOT climates, you will be fine!