Vegan Christmas Fruit Cake
By Kat Hale (adapted from a Suma Foods recipe)
Ingredients
- 350g plain flour
- pinch of salt
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp mixed spice
- 70g vegan spread (we use Pure Sunflower Spread)
- 170g soft light brown sugar
- 500g mixed dried fruits (we use a mix of cranberries, apricots, dates, sultanas, currants and prunes)
- 55g chopped glace cherries
- 300 ml plant milk of your choice
- 1 tsp bicarbonate soda
Method:
- Grease and line with baking parchment an 8-inch (20 cm) tin & pre-heat oven to 180 degrees C
- Sift flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and mixed spice in to a large mixing bowl
- Rub in the dairy free spread
- Stir in the sugar, mixed fruit & cherries
- Reserve approx. 50ml of the plant milk and stir the balance into the mix
- Warm up the reserved plant milk (warm but not hot)
- Add the bicarb to the warmed milk then thoroughly stir into the cake batter until well combined
- Pour into lined tin and flatten out lightly.
- Bake for 60 minutes in preheated oven, reduce heat to 160 degrees C and bake for a further 45 minutes – if the top is browning too quickly, place a sheet of baking parchment on the top for the last 45 mins.
- Cake is cooked when a wooden skewer/toothpick comes out clean when prodded into the cake.
- Allow cake to cool in tin for 10 mins, then remove from tin (leave parchment on) to cool completely.
- Either ice the cake with marzipan and royal icing, or keep the cake naked and dress with a dusting of icing sugar and some festive decorations.
The cake will keep for up to 4 weeks in an airtight container, can be frozen either as a whole cake or sliced and individually wrapped in parchment and plastic wrap; if freezing, do not ice first, completely defrost then ice.
Lovely served with vegan spread, or warmed with custard/cream or with vegan cheese as part of a platter.
Happy festive season everyone may it be filled with kindness, joy and happiness.
