Gluten-Free Vegan Christmas Fruit Cake - Rhian's Recipes (2024)

4.38 from 40 votes

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Keyword: gluten-free christmas cake, vegan christmas cake, vegan fruit cake

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 55 minutes minutes

Author: Rhian Williams

For the cake:

• ▢ 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)

For the buttercream:

• ▢ 100 g (⅔ cup) raw cashew nuts soaked in cold water overnight or in hot water for 15 minutes
• ▢ 2 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
• ▢ 4 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk (or sub water or any other plant-based milk)
• ▢ 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For the cake:

• 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).

  See Also

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• 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 the mixture into a baking tin lined with greased baking paper (I used a 7inch/18cm springform tin).

• Bake in oven for around 30 minutes until risen and an inserted skewer comes out clean.

• Once cooked, leave to cool completely before frosting the cake.

For the buttercream:

• Drain soaked cashews and add to a food processor along with all the other ingredients.

• Whizz until completely smooth.

• Taste and adjust flavour if necessary, adding more maple syrup, salt or vanilla if you wish.

• Leave the buttercream to cool before using to frost the cake.

To frost and decorate:

• Once the cake has cooled completely, place onto a large plate or cake stand.

• Use a spatula or knife to cover the top and sides of the cake.

• Best when fresh, but keeps well covered in the fridge for up to a few days.

*You can alternatively usealmond flour.

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 Christmas Fruit Cake

Amount Per Serving

Calories 385Calories from Fat 198

% Daily Value*

Fat 22g34%

Saturated Fat 7g35%

Polyunsaturated Fat 4g

Monounsaturated Fat 3g

Sodium 67mg3%

Potassium 349mg10%

Carbohydrates 45g15%

Fiber 7g28%

Sugar 23g26%

Protein 8g16%

Vitamin A 8IU0%

Vitamin C 3mg4%

Calcium 154mg15%

Iron 3mg17%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.