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    Recipes » Recipes » Baking & Desserts

    Gluten-Free Vegan Fruit Cake

    Last updated - December 17, 2021; Published - September 24, 2020 By Rhian Williams 39 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe
    A collage of two gluten-free vegan fruit cake photos

    This Gluten-Free Vegan Fruit Cake is seriously moist, beautifully fragrant and not overly sweet! It's honestly undetectably vegan and gluten-free and has an almost melt-in-your-mouth texture reminiscent of stollen. Unlike a lot of other gluten-free cakes, this one definitely doesn't dry out quickly, as the fruit keeps it moist for a long time and the flavour actually improves over time. This means it's perfect for Christmas, gifting, or making in advance when entertaining guests.

    A gluten-free vegan fruit cake with two slices next to it
    What type of alcohol should you use to make Fruit Cake?

    Commonly used alcohol types are rum, brandy or sherry, but you can use any alcohol you like.

    If you need this recipe to be gluten-free, make sure to check that the alcohol you use is gluten-free.

    If you need it to be vegan, you can use the website barnivore.com to make sure that your alcohol is vegan.

    Can you make Fruit Cake without alcohol?


    Fruit Cake traditionally contains alcohol as the dried fruits are soaked in alcohol before being added to the cake batter. To make alcohol-free fruit cake, you can replace the alcohol by soaking the dried fruit in orange juice or apple juice instead.

    Can you make Fruit Cake without soaking the dried fruit a day in advance?


    Yes - you can do this by placing the dried fruit and alcohol (or juice) mixture in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 1 - 1 ½ minutes. Then leave to soak for 30 minutes.

    How to make this recipe

    Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe.

    • Place chopped dried fruits, walnuts and spices in a bowl and add sherry/brandy until covered.

    Tip: Leave to soak in the fridge for at least 24 hours.

    Chopped dried fruits and chopped nuts soaked in sherry in a glass mixing bowl
    • Mix together all the ingredients in a glass mixing bowl, using a measuring jug to measure out the plant-based milk.
    Raw gluten-free vegan fruit cake batter in a bowl
    • Transfer the batter to a one-pound loaf tin.

    Tip: Make sure to line the loaf tin with greased baking paper - this will make removing the bread from the tin so much easier!

    Raw gluten-free vegan fruit cake batter in a loaf tin lined with baking paper
    • Sprinkle over flaked almonds to decorate, if desired.
    Raw gluten-free vegan fruit cake batter in a loaf tin scattered with flaked almonds
    • Bake in the oven for 45 minutes.
    A gluten-free vegan fruit cake in a loaf tin lined with baking paper
    • Remove from the loaf tin and leave to cool on a cooling rack before slicing.
    A gluten-free vegan fruit cake loaf on a wire rack

    How long does this Fruit Cake keep for?

    This Fruit Cake keeps covered in the fridge for a few days.

    Substitutions you can make

    • You can use any type of dried fruit: I used a mixture of dates, cranberries, dried figs, prunes and dried apricots, but you can also use raisins, sultanas, sour cherries, mango, papaya or pineapple.
    • You can replace the alcohol with orange juice or apple juice.
    • You can replace the chopped walnuts with pecan nuts.
    • You can use any type of oil: coconut oil, olive oil or vegetable oil.
    • You can use any type of plant-based milk: almond milk, rice milk, soy milk, cashew milk, oat milk etc.
    • You can replace the ground almonds with ground walnuts.
    • For a nut-free version: replace the ground walnuts with ground sunflower seeds and use a nut-free plant-based milk.
    • You can use plain flour, wholemeal (whole wheat) flour or spelt flour instead of the gluten-free flour if you’re not gluten-free.
    • This is definitely not as sweet as a traditional fruit cake. If you prefer a sweeter cake, add 4 tablespoons of sweetener of choice, such as maple syrup.
    A sliced gluten-free vegan fruit cake loaf against a grey background

    More fruity vegan desserts

    • Cherry Bakewell Cake
    • Blueberry Pie
    • Apple Cake
    • Fig Upside Down Cake
    • Chocolate Orange Cake
    • Raspberry Dark Chocolate Blondies

    If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.

    Watch how to make this recipe

    A gluten-free vegan fruit cake with two slices next to it

    Gluten-Free Vegan Fruit Cake

    This Gluten-Free Vegan Fruit Cake is seriously moist, beautifully fragrant and not overly sweet!
    4.05 from 46 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: British
    Keyword: gluten-free fruit cake, vegan christmas cake, vegan fruit cake
    Prep Time: 20 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
    Servings: 10 slices
    Calories: 317kcal
    Author: Rhian Williams

    Ingredients

    • 300 g (1 ½ cup) dried fruit , finely chopped (I used a mixture of dates, dried cranberries, dried figs, prunes and dried apricots, but you can use whatever dried fruit mix you like)
    • 1 tablespoon unwaxed orange zest (or sub 1 teaspoon orange extract)
    • 50 g (½ cup) walnuts , finely chopped (or sub pecan nuts)
    • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • 1 teaspoon mixed spice (or sub a mixture of nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves)
    • Generous amount brandy or sherry (ensure vegan/gluten-free if necessary - or sub apple or orange juice)
    • 60 g (¼ cup) coconut oil (or sub olive or vegetable oil)
    • 200 ml (⅘ cup) unsweetened almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)
    • 4 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
    • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • Pinch salt
    • 150 g (1 ¼ cup) ground almonds (almond meal) *
    • 150 g (1 ¼ cup) gluten-free flour blend (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
    • 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
    • ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)

    To decorate (optional):

    • Flaked almonds

    Instructions

    • Place the dried fruit, orange zest, walnuts, ginger, cinnamon and mixed spice in a bowl and add a generous amount of brandy or sherry, until everything is roughly covered.
    • Keep covered in the fridge for around 24 hours, to allow the flavours to develop.
    • Before making the cake, preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
    • Place the coconut oil in a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave (skip this step if using any other oil).
    • Once melted, add the milk to the same bowl along with the maple syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, salt and ground almonds.
    • Sift in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
    • Add the dried fruit mixture (along with any residual brandy), adding a tiny splash more milk if it’s looking too dry.
    • Transfer mixture into a loaf tin lined with greased baking paper (I used a one-pound loaf tin).
    • Scatter over flaked almonds before baking, if desired.
    • Bake in oven for 45 minutes until risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
    • Keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days.

    Video

    Notes

    *You can alternatively use almond flour.
    • This is definitely not as sweet as a traditional fruit cake. If you prefer a sweeter cake, add 4 tablespoons of sweetener of choice, such as maple syrup. 
    • You can also make this without soaking the dried fruit a day in advance - place the dried fruit and alcohol (or juice) mixture in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 1 - 1 ½ minutes. Then leave to soak for 30 minutes.
    Nutrition Facts
    Gluten-Free Vegan Fruit Cake
    Amount Per Serving
    Calories 317 Calories from Fat 162
    % Daily Value*
    Fat 18g28%
    Saturated Fat 6g30%
    Polyunsaturated Fat 3g
    Monounsaturated Fat 1g
    Sodium 58mg2%
    Potassium 274mg8%
    Carbohydrates 39g13%
    Fiber 6g24%
    Sugar 20g22%
    Protein 6g12%
    Vitamin A 8IU0%
    Vitamin C 2mg2%
    Calcium 139mg14%
    Iron 2mg11%
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
    Made the recipe?Tag @rhiansrecipes on instagram and use the hashtag #rhiansrecipes!

    Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase any of these products, a small percentage will come to me with no extra cost to you! This income will go towards the running of this blog – thank you.

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Carolyn

      January 04, 2021 at 2:01 am

      5 stars
      I just made this fruitcake using rum. Delicious. It was easy. I am so glad I found Rhian;s Recipes.

      Reply
      • Rhian Williams

        January 04, 2021 at 4:58 pm

        Thank you so much, so happy to hear that!

    2. Mandy C

      November 28, 2021 at 9:00 pm

      5 stars
      Fantastic! It came out looking just like your photo. For GF flour I used cassava and a tsp of xanthan gum. My alcohol of choice was Cointreau, yummy!

      Reply
      • Rhian Williams

        November 29, 2021 at 1:26 am

        Thank you so much, so happy to hear that!

    3. Shell Bell

      December 15, 2021 at 9:54 am

      5 stars
      I doubt you will ever reproduce the heavy richness of a traditional christmas cake that is vegan and gluten free but this recipie is pretty darn good.

      I've made this cake 2 years running now. I think its a great base for you to build up the flavours that you personally like. We like a lot more spice in our christmas cake than in this recipe but it's so easy to do and the results are great so I'm a fan. I found it needed a little more baking time than stated but as long as your checking with your skewer you will be fine.

      Reply
      • Rhian Williams

        December 15, 2021 at 5:37 pm

        Thank you so much, so happy to hear that!

    4. Anchal

      December 17, 2021 at 6:16 am

      Hi Rhian,
      Can I substitute the almond meal with
      Oath meal

      Reply
      • Rhian Williams

        December 17, 2021 at 12:14 pm

        No sorry that won't be right texture-wise, but you can replace it with ground walnuts, ground pecans or ground sunflower seeds!

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    Photo of Rhian Williams from Rhian's Recipes

    Hi, I'm Rhian! I make easy, undetectably vegan + gluten-free recipes, including healthy comfort food and naturally sweetened desserts using plant-based ingredients.

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