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Home » Holiday » Vegan Christmas Recipes » Christmas Fruitcake

Christmas Fruitcake

November 2, 202011 Comments

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This classic Old English style fruitcake is rich, easy to make, and perfect for the holiday season! via @thiswifecooks

Christmas Fruitcake ~ 

This classic Old English style fruitcake is rich, easy to make, and perfect for the holiday season!

Christmas Fruitcake ~ A classic Old English style fruitcake that is rich, easy to make, and perfect or the holiday season!

This post could also be titled, “Grandma’s Fruitcake Goes Vegan.”

Ever since we were married almost 14 years ago, I have heard all about my husband’s grandmother’s fruitcake. 

And then one day I was deemed worthy of receiving this “secret family recipe.”

I immediately fell in love with the way it was written – very non-specific directions and clearly written by a person who cooked a lot.

Christmas Fruitcake ~ A classic Old English style fruitcake that is rich, easy to make, and perfect or the holiday season!

This was years ago and, at that time, I had never even heard of mace that but did find it on the spice aisle at my supermarket so maybe it’s not such an obscure ingredient as I originally thought.

Anyway, I now have mace in my spice cabinet and I literally never use it for anything other than this fruitcake. Totally worth it. 

I had followed the original recipe with great success for years; Grandma’s fruitcake became a Christmas staple in my own home.

So when I went vegan back in 2016, there was no way I was giving up this tradition.

Really, the only changes I made to this Christmas cake recipe were swapping dairy butter for vegan and replacing the eggs.

Christmas Fruitcake ~ A classic Old English style fruitcake that is rich, easy to make, and perfect or the holiday season!

For this updated vegan fruit cake recipe, aquafaba is used in place of the eggs.

In case you’re not familiar with aquafaba – it’s the brine, or “juice” from a can of garbanzo beans (also known as chickpeas) and it binds just like eggs.

This recipe calls for 3/4 cup of aquafaba, the amount you should get from 1 can of chickpeas/garbanzo beans.I like to use the liquid for the fruitcake and keep the beans to roast for a high protein snack later.

Christmas Fruitcake ~ A classic Old English style fruitcake that is rich, easy to make, and perfect or the holiday season!

How Far in Advance Should I Make a Christmas Fruitcake?

Ideally, about 6 weeks before you plan to serve or gift it.

If you don’t have that much advance time to age the cake, don’t worry, it will still be delicious.

I always say I’m going to do it earlier but then usually end up baking ours the weekend after Thanksgiving and then serve it on Christmas Eve.

Ingredients for Vegan Christmas Fruitcake: 

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup vegan butter
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon mace
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup aquafaba – the “juice” from a can of garbanzo beans
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cognac, divided
  • 16 ounces candied fruit mix
  • 1 cup almonds
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup chopped dates

How to Make Vegan Christmas Fruitcake

STEP ONE: Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.

STEP TWO: Combine the dry ingredients. Into a large stand mixer bowl, add flour, brown sugar, butter, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, sea salt, and baking soda. Mix on medium speed until combined.

STEP THREE: Add the wet ingredients. To the mixture, pour in aquafaba, orange juice, molasses, and cognac. Continue mixing at low speed until all ingredients are incorporated.

STEP FOUR: Add fruit and nuts. Stir in candied fruit mix, almonds, dried cranberries, and dates.

STEP FIVE: Pour batter into a prepared 9″ loaf pan.

STEP SIX: Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour and 45 minutes.

STEP SEVEN: Continue baking. Cover lightly with foil and continue baking an additional 30 minutes. (Total baking time = 2 hours, 15 minutes) Allow cake to cool completely before moving on to the next step.

STEP EIGHT: Place cheesecloth in a medium bowl, then add the remaining 1/4 cup cognac. You may not use all of the cognac; just enough to make the cloth evenly damp. (Use your hands to work it through.) Wrap the soaked cheesecloth around the fruitcake then wrap everything in a layer of wax paper. This fruitcake can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 6-8 weeks.  Serve at room temperature.

Storage

To store this fruitcake: Place cheesecloth in a medium bowl, then add just enough the remaining 1/4 cup cognac. You may not use all of the cognac; just enough to make the cloth lightly and evenly damp. (Use your hands to work it through.) Wrap the soaked cheesecloth around the fruitcake then wrap the fruitcake again in a layer of wax paper or parchment paper. This fruitcake can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 6-8 weeks. 

How to Serve Fruitcake

This Christmas Fruitcake should be sliced and served at room temperature.

Christmas Fruitcake ~ A classic Old English style fruitcake that is rich, easy to make, and perfect or the holiday season!

Christmas Fruitcake ~ A classic Old English style fruitcake that is rich, easy to make, and perfect or the holiday season!

Christmas Fruitcake ~ A classic Old English style fruitcake that is rich, easy to make, and perfect or the holiday season!

Christmas Fruitcake ~ A classic Old English style fruitcake that is rich, easy to make, and perfect or the holiday season!

Christmas Fruitcake ~ A classic Old English style fruitcake that is rich, easy to make, and perfect or the holiday season!

More Vegan Christmas Recipes You’ll Love!

  • Vegan Cranberry Orange Cookies 
  • Traditional Vegan Peanut Brittle
  • Vegan Salted Chocolate Chip Cookies
  • Cherry Snowball Cookies
  • Cranberry Coffee Cake

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This classic Old English style fruitcake is rich, easy to make, and perfect for the holiday season!

Christmas Fruitcake

A classic Old English style fruitcake that is rich, easy to make, and perfect or the holiday season!
5 from 8 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: dairy free, make-ahead, vegan
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 2 hours 15 minutes
Total Time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Servings: 8
Calories: 633kcal
Author: Holly Gray
Prevent your screen from going dark

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup light brown sugar packed
  • 1/2 cup vegan butter melted
  • 1 teaspoon allspice
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/2 teaspoon mace
  • 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 3/4 cup aquafaba (liquid from a can of garbanzo beans)
  • 1/2 cup orange juice
  • 1/4 cup molasses
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons cognac divided
  • 16 ounces candied fruit mix chopped
  • 1 cup almonds chopped
  • 1 cup dried cranberries
  • 1 cup dates chopped

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300 degrees F.
  • Into a large stand mixer bowl, add flour, brown sugar, butter, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, mace, sea salt, and baking soda. Mix on medium speed until combined.
  • To the mixture, pour in aquafaba, orange juice, molasses, and 2 tablespoons cognac. Continue mixing on low speed until all ingredients are incorporated.
  • Stir in candied fruit mix, almonds, dried cranberries, and dates.
  • Pour batter into a prepared 9" loaf pan.
  • Bake, uncovered, for 1 hour and 45 minutes.
  • Cover lightly with foil and continue baking an additional 30 minutes. (Total baking time = 2 hours, 15 minutes) Allow cake to cool completely before moving on to the next step.
  • Place cheesecloth in a medium size bowl, then add the remaining 1/4 cup cognac. You may not use all of the cognac; just enough to make the cloth evenly damp. (Use your hands to work it through.) Wrap the soaked cheesecloth around the fruitcake then wrap everything in a layer of wax paper. This fruitcake can be stored in a cool, dry place for up to 6-8 weeks. 
  • Serve at room temperature.

Notes

 
 

Nutrition

Serving: 8g | Calories: 633kcal | Carbohydrates: 118g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 315mg | Potassium: 456mg | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 76g | Vitamin A: 614IU | Vitamin C: 9mg | Calcium: 166mg | Iron: 4mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @thiswifecooks or tag #thiswifecooks!
This classic Old English style fruitcake is rich, easy to make, and perfect for the holiday season!
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Filed Under: Dessert, Holiday, make-ahead, Vegan, Vegan Christmas Recipes, Vegetarian Tagged With: Christmas, comfort food, dairy-free, dessert, holiday, holiday baking, make-ahead

Previous Post: « Vegan Thanksgiving Wellington
Next Post: Sourdough Stuffing Muffins with Apple and Fresh Herbs »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kirsty

    November 14, 2020 at 5:12 pm

    they are super pretty. Perfect for gifting such mini cakes.
    Can u suggest a place in Bangalore where I can get such tins and muffin tray? I badly need them in my life.

    Reply
    • thiswifecooks

      November 15, 2020 at 1:31 pm

      Mini cakes would be such cute and tasty gifts! I’m not familiar with Bangalore but I did find this list. Hope it’s helpful! https://www.bakingo.com/blog/ultimate-guide-where-to-buy-baking-supplies-in-bangalore/

  2. GUSTAVO DE OBALDIA

    November 22, 2021 at 1:24 pm

    5 stars
    Looks amazing! I have a thing for Christmas cakes! I always keep eating them for a couple of months after the season; they keep so well! I am excited to try this new recipe of yours!

    Reply
  3. Kayla DiMaggio

    November 22, 2021 at 7:25 pm

    5 stars
    Fruitcake gets a lot of heat but this was delicious! Loved your spin on this iconic dessert!

    Reply
  4. Michelle

    November 22, 2021 at 8:23 pm

    5 stars
    This vegan fruit cake is absolutely delicious! It had the perfect mix of nuts and dried fruit. Super easy to make ahead and have a dessert ready for the day. Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  5. nancy

    November 23, 2021 at 11:41 pm

    5 stars
    you make christmas fruit cake looks so delicious

    Reply
  6. Vaishali Bhatt

    February 7, 2022 at 8:58 pm

    DELICIOUS!! Thanks for the recepie one of the best I’d ever made

    Reply
  7. Ella

    July 3, 2022 at 9:21 pm

    If I want to use eggs how many?

    Reply
    • thiswifecooks

      July 3, 2022 at 11:46 pm

      Hi Ella ~ Great grandmother’s original recipe called for 4 eggs. Hope this is helpful!

  8. Geri Lynn Woods

    November 29, 2022 at 7:17 pm

    Can I make this without cognac? No alcohol?

    Reply
    • thiswifecooks

      November 29, 2022 at 7:22 pm

      Hi Geri Lynn ~ Yes! You can use an equal amount of orange juice in place of the cognac. Hope this is helpful!

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Hi, I’m Holly! I’m a busy wife and mom. I love cooking for my family and sharing creative and flavorful plant-based recipes.

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