Fruitcake, after the holidays… You think I’m nuts and well, you’re right. See, I didn’t have time to make this before the holidays and I needed a little fruitcake in my life. This one is moist, rich, dense and sweet like most fruitcake yet it is relatively low-fat and low-sugar. Obviously if you’re one of them fruitcake haters well, don’t make it!
To reduce the sugar further you could replace the maple sugar by unsweetened orange juice concentrate. Adding candied orange peel and candied ginger would be a good variation.
This cake would easily keep a week if you didn’t eat it all way before that. It also freeze well.
Ingredients
- 235 ml (1 cup) orange juice
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) rum
- 235 ml (1 cup) carrots, coarsely chopped
- 235 ml (1 cup) raisins
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) maple sugar (or sub vegan sugar of your choice)
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) pomegranate molasses
- 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) ground cinnamon
- 1.25 ml (1/4 tsp) ground cloves
- 1.25 ml (1/4 tsp) ground cardamom
- 1.25 ml (1/4 tsp) ground mace
- 60 ml (1/4 cup) vegetable oil (I use canola)
- 470 (2 cup) whole wheat flour
- 5 ml (1 tsp) baking soda
- 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) baking powder
- 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) salt
- 470 ml (2 cup) mixed dried fruits, coarsely chopped (I used cranberries, figs, apricots)
- 235 ml (1 cup) dried currants
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) walnuts, coarsely chopped
- 120 ml (1/2 cup) hazelnuts
- zest of one orange
Combine orange juice, rum and raw carrots in a blender and process until puréed. Put this mixture in a sauce pan with the raisins, maple sugar, pomegranate molasses, and spices. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 165°C (325°F) and spray two 1L (1 quart) loaf pans with oil.
In a large bowl mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add the dried fruits and nuts and combine. Add the liquid mixture and the oil and mix well. Pour into the loaf pans and bake for 75 minutes. Invert on racks to cool.
Makes two medium size cakes.
Hi Julie B. I will definitely try this recipe for Christmas. I have recently adopted a 99% vegan diet (can’t break the little bit of milk in my morning tea) and was wondering how I was going to manage without my gorgeous rich Christmas cake this year.
Do you think that spelt flour would work as well? I am trying to avoid wheat whenever I can.
Thanks!
Karen
I love your blog and your recipes! Any suggestions for Thanksgiving recipes? What can I do for an entree instead of a turkey? I need help! Will be preparing an entire meal! Thanks!
Hi Karen, spelt flour would work fine but just so you know, spelt is a species of wheat and therefor it is not gluten-free, should you be concerned about gluten.
Happy Thanksgiving Ann! So sorry I could not reply to your question in time, I’ve been swamped. How did it turn out?
My approach to holiday cooking is always going with luxurious meals which do not try to emulate holiday traditions. The very thought of fake turkeys, green beans casserole and sweet potatoes with marshmallows makes me ill. I prefer elaborate menus, luxurious ingredients, multiple courses, decadent deserts and the best wine I can afford. To me that’s a celebration while Tofurky is closer to punishment. But that’s just me.
One example of such a meal for a Sol Invictus party is posted here.
I can’t seem to find mace do you have a substitute? 1/4 cup seems like a lot.
Thanks for pointing out this mistake Franny! I’ve now corrected it.
Franny, nutmeg and mace are made from the same seed pod. The flavors are similar, though nutmeg is a little sweeter and more assertive. You can usually substitute nutmeg for the mace with good results.
You might find that after you’ve been vegan for a while that you start to dislike the taste of cows milk in tea – a few years with plant milks and cows milk will taste more and more rancid til you get a physical gagging/retching reaction.