Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake (No Alcohol or Soaking)

This Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake is packed with dried fruits and crunchy nuts, flavored with warm spices and fresh orange zest, and baked into a wonderfully moist, tender holiday cake. Every slice has plenty of fruit and nuts throughout, with warm, festive flavors in every bite.

eggless christmas fruit cake on the plate

Best of all, this alcohol-free fruit cake requires no weeks of soaking the dried fruits. A quick soak in a warm orange juice mixture softens and plumps the fruits before they go into the batter. It is an approachable Christmas Cake when you want all those classic fruit cake flavors without starting the preparation weeks in advance.

Jump to:

About Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake
A Little Story Behind This Cake
Why You Will Love This Recipe
Ingredients and Notes
How To Make Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake
Substitutions and Variations
Storing Suggestions
Baking Tips For Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake
FAQ For Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake
More Eggless Cakes
Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake (No Alcohol)

About Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake

Traditional Christmas Fruit Cake can involve soaking dried fruits in alcohol for several weeks or even months. This recipe takes a much simpler approach.

Instead of a long soak, I briefly heat the dried fruits with orange juice and water. The warm liquid softens and plumps the fruits while adding citrus flavor. Once the mixture cools, add the fruits and their flavorful soaking liquid directly into the cake batter.

The batter combines brown sugar, sour cream, oil, orange zest, vanilla, and warm spices, plus plenty of dried fruits and nuts. Oil helps the cake stay moist, while sour cream gives the crumb tenderness and richness without using eggs.

And this is definitely a fruit cake that lives up to its name. As you can see from every slice, the dried fruits and chopped nuts are distributed generously throughout the cake rather than setting in only a few areas.

I love baking this recipe in a Bundt pan because it makes a beautiful centerpiece for a Christmas dessert table and gives you plenty of servings for holiday parties and gatherings. You can also bake the batter in round cake pans or halve the recipe for a smaller cake.

A Little Story Behind This Cake

When I worked at a research company, December always brought plenty of potlucks and holiday gatherings. This Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake became one of the cakes I loved making for those occasions.

I usually baked it in a Bundt pan because one large cake was easy to carry, looked festive on the table, and gave me plenty of slices to share. I also loved that I didn't have to plan weeks ahead to soak the dried fruits.

Even now, that's one of my favorite things about this recipe. You can make a Christmas fruit cake without weeks of prep and still get a cake packed with softened fruits, nuts, citrus, and warm holiday spices.

Why You Will Love This Recipe

Eggless and Alcohol-Free: You don't need eggs, rum, brandy, or any other alcohol to make a flavorful Christmas Fruit Cake.
No Long Soaking: You don't need to remember to soak the dried fruits weeks before Christmas.
Loaded with Fruits and Nuts: Every slice has plenty of dried fruits and crunchy nuts.
Moist and Tender: Oil and sour cream help create a rich, moist crumb that stays tender even after refrigeration.
Wonderful Holiday Flavor: Brown sugar, orange zest, vanilla, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg give the cake a warm and festive flavor.
Easy to Customize: Use your favorite combination of dried fruits and nuts while keeping the total quantities the same.
Perfect For Entertaining: The large Bundt cake makes plenty of servings for Christmas parties, potlucks, and holiday gatherings.

ingredients for eggless christmas fruit cake

Ingredients and Notes

For the Cake

Orange Juice: Orange juice adds a fresh citrus flavor and helps soften and plump the dried fruits. Fresh orange juice works beautifully, especially since you will also need orange zest for the cake. You can substitute apple juice for a milder flavor.
Dried Fruits: I use a combination of raisins, dates, dried apricots, dried cranberries, dried or candied cherries, and candied fruits. Customize the combination based on what you have or prefer, but keep the total amount at 1½ cups. Chop larger fruits, such as dates and apricots, into small pieces for even distribution throughout the cake.
All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour provides enough structure to support the generous amount of dried fruits and nuts while still giving the cake a tender crumb. For the most consistent results, measure the flour with a kitchen scale.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda: This eggless cake uses both baking powder and baking soda for leavening. Make sure they are fresh for the best rise and texture.
Salt: A small amount of salt balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors of the fruits, spices, and vanilla.
Ground Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg give this fruit cake its warm and festive flavor. The spices complement the dried fruits and orange without overpowering them.
Nuts: I use a combination of chopped almonds, cashews, and pecans or walnuts. You can use your favorite nuts or a combination of different varieties, keeping the total amount at ¾ cup. Chop the nuts into small pieces so they distribute evenly throughout the batter.
Neutral-Flavored Oil: Oil helps create a moist, tender cake and keeps it soft even after refrigeration. Use a neutral-flavored oil such as sunflower, canola, avocado, or vegetable oil.
Brown Sugar: Brown sugar adds sweetness, moisture, and a subtle molasses flavor that pairs especially well with the dried fruits and warm spices. I prefer dark brown sugar for a deeper flavor, but light brown sugar works well too.
Sour Cream: Sour cream adds richness and moisture and helps create a soft, tender crumb without eggs. You can replace it with the same amount of plain, full-fat yogurt.
Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla rounds out the warm spices, citrus, and dried-fruit flavors.
Orange Zest: Fresh orange zest adds a bright citrus aroma and balances the fruit cake's richness. Zest the orange before squeezing it for juice.

For the Sugar Glaze:

Icing Sugar: Icing sugar creates a smooth glaze that sets nicely over the Bundt cake. Sift it first if it has any lumps.
Cream or Milk: Cream makes the glaze slightly richer, while milk also works perfectly well. Start with the recipe amount and adjust as needed to reach a thick but pourable consistency.
Vanilla Extract: A small amount of vanilla adds flavor to the simple sugar glaze without competing with the orange and spices in the cake.

eggless christmas fruit cake on the cake stand

How To Make Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake

Baking The Cake

Add orange juice, water, and all the dried fruits in a medium saucepan.
Heat the pan on medium heat and bring the mixture to a boil.

Once it starts boiling (do not boil for longer), turn off the heat and set aside the pan.
Allow the dried fruit mixture to cool.

Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).
Generously grease a 9 or 10-inch (at least 10-12 cups) bundt pan with oil spray or butter.
Set it aside.
Sift flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg in a medium bowl and whisk until well combined.

Add chopped nuts to the flour mixture and mix well.

Add oil, brown sugar, sour cream, vanilla, and orange zest in a large bowl.
Mix well until everything is well combined.

Add the dried fruit mixture with the liquid to the wet ingredients and mix well to combine.

Add dry ingredients in 2-3 parts to the wet and mix until everything is incorporated.
Do not overmix.

Pour the batter evenly into the prepared bundt pan and smooth the top with a spatula.

Bake the cake for 45-55 minutes or until the cake tester inserted in the center comes out clean.
Because every oven is different, keep an eye on the cake after 40 minutes of baking.
If your cake top is browning too quickly, loosely cover it with aluminum foil and continue baking.
Remove the cake from the oven and place the pan on a cooling rack.

baked eggless christmas fruit cake in the pan

Once thoroughly cooled, invert the cake onto a cooling rack, cake stand, or serving dish.

Making The Sugar Glaze and Topping The Cake

Whisk the icing sugar, cream (or milk), and vanilla in a bowl or cup.
Add more sugar for a thicker glaze and more cream or milk for a thinner consistency.

Drizzle the glaze on top of the cake and garnish with dried fruits, if desired.
Let the glaze set for a few minutes before slicing the cake.

topping the cake with sugar glaze and dired fruits

Substitutions and Variations

Flour: Instead of all-purpose flour, use cake flour for a more delicate and tender cake texture. Or, swap half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour to add more wholesomeness to the cake.

Brown Sugar: I used dark brown sugar, but you can use light brown or white granulated sugar instead.

Sour Cream: I mostly use sour cream for my baked goods. But if you do not have sour cream, replace it with the same amount of plain yogurt.

Oil: To add buttery flavor, swap half of the oil with melted unsalted butter.

Spices: I used ground cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. But you can add your choice of ground spices, such as ground cloves, allspice, or cardamom.

Dried Fruits: The recipe does not require adding the same dried fruits. You can use your favorite dried fruits, change the ratio, and make the recipe your own. Dried fruits such as dates, apricots, glazed cherries, dried cherries, dried cranberries, dried plums, dried pineapples, dried mangos, raisins, candied fruits (Tutti Frutti), candied citrus peels, and prunes can be used for the cake. You can use any dried fruits you choose, but keep the same amount (1½ cups) as the recipe suggests.

Nuts: I added almonds, cashews, and pecans. But you can add your choice of nuts. You can even add only one type of nut or more than three types of nuts. Some suggestions are walnuts, pistachios, and macadamia nuts.

Orange Juice: Use apple juice instead of orange juice. If you do not want to use fruit juice, you can replace it with water.

Vanilla Extract: With vanilla extract, you can add pineapple or orange extract to add fruity flavor to the cake.

Sugar Glaze: To make the cake more refreshing, top it with orange glaze instead of sugar glaze. To make the orange glaze, add orange juice instead of cream or milk.

Storing Suggestions

Store the cake tightly covered at room temperature for three days. If your kitchen is warm, refrigerate the cake after a day.

This Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake will stay in the fridge for a week.

Baking Tips For Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake

Measurements: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients for the best results.

Nuts and Dried Fruits: Finely chop the nuts and dried fruits for their even distribution in the cake.

Mixing The Batter: Do not overmix the batter to get a soft and tender cake.

Baking the Cake: Every oven is different, so keep an eye on the cake after 40 minutes of baking. Overbaking may dry the cake, and underbaking may cause it to sink. If the top of the cake browns too quickly, loosely cover the cake with aluminum foil and continue baking.

Sugar Glaze: You can skip the glazing; the cake will still be delicious.

FAQ For Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake

Can I Use Whole Wheat Flour?

You can use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. If possible, I recommend using whole wheat pastry flour. The best way is to use half all-purpose and half whole wheat flour. However, please note that the taste and texture of the cake will be slightly different if whole wheat flour is used.

Can I Make This Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake Dairy-Free?

I used sour cream for this cake, the only dairy product. For the plant-based cake, you can replace the sour cream with dairy-free yogurt. For the sugar glaze, add water, dairy-free milk, or orange juice instead of milk.

Do I Need To Use Fruit Juice?

You can also make this cake without fruit juice. Replace the juice with water and use 270ml of water in total.

Can I Use a Round Cake Pan?

You can use two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans instead of the bundt pan. The baking time will be 25-35 minutes or longer; keep an eye on the oven after 25 minutes of baking. Check the cake's doneness by inserting a cake tester in the center; it should come out clean.

Can I Half The Recipe To Make A Smaller Cake?

Yes, definitely! To bake a small cake, you can half the recipe and use an 8-inch or 9-inch cake pan. The baking time will be 25-35 minutes or longer; keep an eye on the oven after 25 minutes of baking. Check the cake's doneness by inserting a cake tester in the center; it should come out clean.

About Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake

A Little Story Behind This Cake

Why You Will Love This Recipe