Gluten-Free Vegan Fruit Cake

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.

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.

• Mix together all the ingredients in a glass mixing bowl, using a measuring jug to measure out the plant-based milk.

• 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!

• Sprinkle over flaked almonds to decorate, if desired.

• Bake in the oven for 45 minutes.

• Remove from the loaf tin and leave to cool on a cooling rack before slicing.

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.

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

Gluten-Free Vegan Fruit Cake

This Gluten-Free Vegan Fruit Cake is seriously moist, beautifully fragrant and not overly sweet!

4.06 from 37 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.

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