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Vegan Gluten free Christmas Cake - Fruit Cake
4.8 from 54 votes

Vegan Gluten free Christmas Cake - Fruit Cake

This vegan and gluten-free Christmas fruit cake features dried fruits, nuts, and seeds soaked in orange juice with optional spirits, combined with gluten-free flours and pumpkin pie spice. The dense cake offers rich, spiced, fruity flavors with a moist crumb, suitable for holiday celebrations, and accommodates vegan and gluten-free diets.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Total Time
1 hr
Servings: 10
Calories: 231 kcal
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Vegan, gluten-free

Ingredients

  • 1 cup orange juice upto half cup of rum, brandy, whiskey or a mix, or a combination with liquor
  • 1.25 to 1.5 cups dried fruit I use pecans, cashews, walnuts, roasted sunflower seeds, candied ginger, currants, chopped dates, candied orange peel, cherries/apricots etc
  • 1.25 to 1.5 cups nut I use pecans, cashews, walnuts, roasted sunflower seeds, candied ginger, currants, chopped dates, candied orange peel, cherries/apricots etc
  • 1 tbsp chia seeds (not optional as they help thicken the leftover orange juice. You an use 1.5 tbsp flax seed meal as a sub)
  • 1/4 to 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 tbsp neutral cooking oil I use organic safflower, generic cooking oil
  • 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup white rice flour
  • 3/4 cup almond flour
  • 1/4 cup potato starch
  • 1.5 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp citric acid , optional **
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Add juice, dried fruit, nuts, seeds, and chia seeds to a bowl and mix. Let sit refrigerated for a few hours to overnight.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Line a loaf pan with parchment or grease it. 
  3. Take the juice bowl out from the fridge. Add sugar, oil and vanilla to the bowl and mix in until sugar is combined. In another bowl, add the dry ingredients and whisk. (You can omit the citric acid from the dry. I like the air it adds to gluten-free baked goods. See my glutenfree cinnamon roll bread post for details about the use of citric acid) 
  4. Combine the dry and wet and mix to make a batter. Drop in parchment lined pan.
  5. Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes. Check with a toothpick from the center of the cake. it should come out almost clean. Bake longer if needed. 
  6. Cool for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan. Cool completely before slicing (cool lightly covered by a towel). Store on the counter covered for upto 2 days, refrigerate for upto 10, freeze for upto 2 months. If using liquor, you can store the cake on the counter and refrigerator for longer. 

Notes

  • Soak dried fruits and nuts in orange juice or a combination with rum, brandy, or whiskey overnight for best flavor and moisture.
  • If omitting citric acid, substitute with club soda and adjust orange juice quantities as noted for texture.
  • For additional lightness, fold whipped aquafaba into the batter before baking.
  • Use parchment paper to line the loaf pan to prevent sticking and ease removal.
  • Store the cake covered at room temperature up to two days, refrigerate up to ten days, or freeze for longer storage.
  • Optional glazes include fruit preserves mixed with liquor or a sugar and vegan butter syrup warmed until smooth.

Nutrition Information

Calories 231kcal (12%) Carbohydrates 23g (8%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 14g (22%) Saturated Fat 1g (5%) Sodium 63mg (3%) Potassium 216mg (5%) Fiber 2g (8%) Sugar 10g (20%) Vitamin A 55IU (1%) Vitamin C 12.6mg (14%) Calcium 77mg (8%) Iron 0.9mg (5%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 10 Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 231

% Daily Value*

Calories 231kcal 12%
Carbohydrates 23g 8%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 14g 22%
Saturated Fat 1g 5%
Sodium 63mg 3%
Potassium 216mg 5%
Fiber 2g 8%
Sugar 10g 20%
Vitamin A 55IU 1%
Vitamin C 12.6mg 14%
Calcium 77mg 8%
Iron 0.9mg 5%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.