Christmas Fruitcake - Vegan Recipe - This Wife Cooks™ (2024)

Christmas Fruitcake ~

This classic Old English style fruitcake is rich, easy to make, and perfect for 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.

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.

For this updated vegan fruit cake recipe, aquafaba is usedin 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.

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.

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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