Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake (No Alcohol)
This Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake is soft, moist, tender, loaded with dried fruits and nuts, and flavored with warm spices. The recipe is straightforward and quick without pre-soaking the dried fruits and is alcohol-free!
Ingredients
- ½ cup (120ml) orange juice or apple juice
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoon (150ml) water
- ¼ cup raisins
- ¼ cup dates finely chopped
- ¼ cup dried apricots finely chopped
- ¼ cup dried cranberries
- ¼ cup dried cherries or glazed cherries
- ¼ cup candied fruits (Tutti Frutti)
- 3 cups (360g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup chopped almonds
- ¼ cup chopped cashews
- ¼ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoon (210ml) oil (any neutral flavored)
- ¾ cup (180g) sour cream or yogurt
- 1½ cup (300g) dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 tablespoon orange zest
For The Sugar Glaze
- 1 cup (120g) icing sugar
- 3 tbsp cream or milk (or as required)
- ¼ tsp vanilla
Instructions
Making 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, 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-inch 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.
- In a large bowl, add oil, brown sugar, sour cream, vanilla, and orange zest. Mix well until 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. Once thoroughly cooled, invert the cake onto a cooling rack, cake stand, or serving dish.
Making The Glaze
- 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.
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.
Notes
- Measurements: I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to measure the ingredients for the best results.
- Nuts and Dried Fruits: You can add your choice of dried fruits and nuts to the cake. 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.
- Bake In The Round Cake Pans: If you do not have a bundt pan, divide the batter evenly in two 8-inch or 9-inch round cake pans. Bake the cake layers for 25-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The baking time may vary depending on the oven.
- Make a Smaller Cake: To make a small cake, half the recipe and bake it in an 8-inch or 9-inch cake pan. Depending on the oven, the baking time will be 25-35 minutes or longer.
Nutrition (Approximate Values)
Calories : 300kcalCarbohydrates : 43gProtein : 3gFat : 14gSaturated Fat : 2gPolyunsaturated Fat : 3gMonounsaturated Fat : 8gTrans Fat : 0.04gCholesterol : 5mgSodium : 144mgPotassium : 135mgFiber : 1gSugar : 25gVitamin A : 183IUVitamin C : 4mgCalcium : 63mgIron : 1mg
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