Fruit cake loaf - this easy, everyday vegan fruit cake is a simple, homely, old-fashioned cake that is perfect for snacking on with a cup of tea. Eggless and dairy-free.

The siced vegan fruit cake loaf on a sheet of baking parchment with cups of tea.

Fruit cake is a bit of a divisive one and there are a lot of fruit cake haters out there! I however absolutely love a good fruit cake and count it as one of my absolute favourite types of cake.

This fruit cake loaf isn't rich and dense like a Christmas cake, it is a much lighter, more every day kind of affair. The kind of cake that is best enjoyed in thick slices over a cup of tea, and you just can't help going back for another slither. (What Mary Berry would call a cut-and-come-again cake).

It's not fancy or pretty, but it is tasty and satisfying.

It also happens to be extremely easy to make, and the ingredients list is pretty basic.

Vegan fruit cake loaf on a brown surface with cups of tea and bowls of fruit, sugar and spice.

What Do I Need To make Fruit Cake Loaf?:

Mixed dried fruit: I used a shop bought mix of raisins, sultanas, currants and candied peel but feel free to vary the fruit that you use as long as you stick to the same overall weight. Dried cranberries would be lovely, as would chopped dried apricots, figs or dates.

Vegan butter: Make sure that you use a block butter/margarine, NOT the spreadable kind in a tub. I like Naturli Vegan Block or Flora Plant Butter.

Plain flour: Plain (all-purpose) flour is best here. I do not think that this cake will work gluten-free, it will likely just crumble to pieces.

Milk: Any kind of unsweetened non-dairy milk will work but soy is best.

Light brown soft sugar: Dark brown soft sugar would also work. I don't recommend using white sugar, liquid sugars or sweeteners. I also sprinkle the top of the cake with some demarera (turbinado) sugar for a nice crunchy crust; this is optional however.

Baking powder and soda: You need both for the best rise and texture. Don't swap one for the other, they are not the same.

Mixed spice and cinnamon: You can omit, swap or increase the spices as you like. Use pumpkin spice instead of the mixed spice if you can't get hold of it.

How To Make Fruit Cake Loaf:

(Full measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card at the bottom of the page)

Mix the dry ingredients together in a large bowl.

Add the cold, cubed butter and rub it in using your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs and no lumps of fat remain.

Step 1, the butter rubbed into the dry ingredients.

Stir in the sugar and dried fruit.

Add the milk and mix to form a batter. It may look a bit split, that is fine.

Scrape the batter into a greased and lined loaf tin and spread it level. Sprinkle with demarera sugar.

Bake for 60-70 minutes until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.

Top Tips:

As with all of my baking recipes I really do recommend using the metric measurements with a digital scale rather than the cup conversions. Cups are a wildly inaccurate measuring system and you will get far better, more consistent results using a scale, not to mention that it is also easier and less messy than cups!

The cake is ready when it is firm to the touch and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.

Be very careful not to over-bake the cake or it will become dry. Dry cake can be rescued by drizzling over a few tablespoons of simple syrup or alcohol of your choosing (such as brandy).

To get clean slices, use a very sharp serrated knife and cut the cake with a sawing motion rather than pressing straight down.

The cake will keep for about a week in an airtight container at room temperature. It does not keep for a long time like Christmas cake and will dry out over time.

Can I Soak The Fruit In Advance?:

I don't find it necessary in this case, the fruit still ends up being moist as it absorbs steam as the cake bakes.

If you do choose to soak it the risk is that the extra moisture will make the cake too wet and it will sink.

So I recommend only using about 3 Tablespoons of alcohol or orange juice to soak the fruit in and make sure that it is fully absorbed before making the cake (so let it soak for at least a day).

More Vegan Fruit Cakes:

The sloiced fruit cake loaf with bowls of sugar and spice and a tea cup in the background.

If you tried this recipe let me know how it went! Rate it, leave a comment or tag @domestic_gothess on Instagram and hashtag it #domesticgothess

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