Vegan Fruit Cake
Vegan fruit cake packed with dried fruit, candied peel, orange rind, and almonds, leavened with a soy milk and vinegar reaction instead of eggs. A dense, dairy-free holiday cake baked low and slow.
YIELD
16 servingsPREP
20 minCOOK
2 hrsREADY
3 hrsNo eggs, no butter, no problem. This dense vegan fruit cake gets its lift from a little kitchen chemistry: warm soy milk soured with vinegar on one side, baking soda dissolved in the rest on the other, then the two combine and fizz to raise the batter the moment they meet.
You build the base the old-fashioned way, rubbing margarine into whole-wheat flour with your fingertips until it looks like fine breadcrumbs, then folding through mixed dried fruit, candied peel, grated orange rind, and both ground and chopped almonds.
A double layer of greased wax paper lines the pan and shields the fruit from scorching over the long, gentle bake. It is done when a skewer slid into the center comes out clean.
Chef Tips
- Work the margarine in with cool fingertips so it stays in fine flecks instead of melting into the flour.
- Combine the soured soy milk and the baking soda mixtures right before stirring them in. The rise starts at once, so don’t let it sit.
- Keep the double layer of wax paper for a cake this size, since it bakes long enough to scorch a single-lined pan.
- Let it cool fully in the pan before turning out, or the fruit-heavy crumb can break apart.
Variations
- Soak the dried fruit in orange juice or brandy overnight for a moister, richer crumb.
- Swap the almonds for walnuts or pecans.
- Add a handful of glace cherries for pops of color and sweetness.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 300℉ (150℃).
Grease an 8-inch layer cake pan and line with a double layer of greased wax paper Sift the flour with the mixed spice into a mixing bowl.
Rub the margarine into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar, dried fruit, mixed peel, cherries, orange rind, ground and blanched almonds.
Warm half the soy milk or water in a small saucepan and add the vinegar.
Dissolve the baking soda in the rest of the soy milk or water, then combine the two mixtures.
Stir this mixture into the dry ingredients, stirring well so that everything is combined.
Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan.
Bake for 2 to 2½ hours, or until a skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean.
Leave the cake in the pan to cool, then remove and strip off the wax paper.
Transfer to a wire rack and allow the cake to cool completely.
Comments
No SUGAR in this vegan fruitcake recipe??
Is the second margarine supposed to be sugar? Directions call for adding sugar after blending margarine & flour.
Just updated the recipe, should use 1 cup of sugar.