Eggless Fruit Cake (Christmas Cake)
An easy version of eggless fruit cake that is loaded with nuts, dried fruits, and warm cozy spices. A must-bake treat during the Christmas holiday season. This Christmas fruit cake is egg-free, alcohol-free, and no fruit soaking required, yet incredibly delicious that everyone can enjoy.

❤️ You’ll Love This Eggless Fruit Cake Recipe
Taste & Texture:
- Soft, moist with tender crumbs.
- Full of nuts and fruits in every bite.
- Flavored with the right amount of warm spices.
Egg-Free: Ideal for those with egg allergies or who don’t eat eggs due to religious reasons or simply don’t have eggs in the fridge. You won’t realize there are no eggs in this Christmas fruit cake. We are not compromising on texture or richness.
Quick & Easy: This is the instant version of eggless fruit cake. We don’t need to soak dry-fruits overnight. Plus, no need to mature the cake with alcohol. It’s just bake and enjoy kind of cake.
Traditional Fruit Cake Vs My Recipe
- Regarding the classic fruit cake, steeping the dried fruits in alcohol (rum or brandy) is a time-honored method, giving the cake its signature boozy depth and acting as a preservative for extended storage. In contrast, my recipe offers a quick twist to this tradition, opting for a quick soak (15 mins) in orange juice that’s friendly for all ages and ready in just a fraction of the time.
- While the traditional cake is a make-ahead marvel, aging gracefully over weeks, my eggless version is more of a ‘bake and enjoy’ treat, perfect for those who prefer their sweets without the wait.
- This contemporary take on the classic doesn’t compromise on the festive feel, ensuring a moist, flavorful experience while remaining a delightfully short-term guest in your fridge, best enjoyed within 3-4 days.
🧾 Ingredient Notes
- Dried Cranberries: Cranberries add a pop of color and a tangy twist to the cake.
- Raisins: I have used regular & golden raisins. But you can use sultanas, black raisins, or any other variety that you have.
- Nuts: I have used almonds only. You can use other nuts like cashews, walnuts, hazelnuts, etc.
- Tutti Frutti or Candied Mixed Peel: This colorful ingredient is not just for visual appeal; it brings a delightful candied zestiness to the cake.
- Orange Juice: It has to be freshly squeezed orange juice. It is the key to getting that bright citrus flavor. Bottled juice won’t give that nice flavor.
- Orange zest: It is the outer bright orange layer of the orange rind. Use the Microplane zester to get the zest. Make sure not to grate the inner white part of the rind, just grate the orange part. The white part is bitter and makes the cake slightly bitter taste.
- Tip: It is much easier to zest the oranges before juicing.
- All-Purpose Flour: For all my baking recipes, always spooned the flour into a measuring cup and leveled it (not scooped from the bag or container).
- Baking Soda: This leavening agent ensures the cake rises, which is especially important in an eggless recipe.
- Ground Cinnamon & Ginger: Ground spices have a fairly short shelf-life so always buy in small quantities. Make sure to store your spices in a cool, dry space and away from the heat.
- Nutmeg: I highly recommend buying the whole nutmeg and grating it yourself freshly as needed using a Microplane zester. Ready store-bought nutmeg powder loses its flavor so quickly.
- Unsalted Butter: It is best to use unsalted butter and add salt to the recipe. This way I can control the salt intake because different brands of salted butter vary in salt content.
- Make sure your butter is softened at room temperature.
- Light Brown Sugar: It adds a hint of caramel flavor, which is essential for the deep, rich flavor of the cake.
- Vanilla: Try to use high-quality pure vanilla extract. Stay away from imitation essence or artificial vanilla.
- Plain Yogurt: It is a great egg substitute, adding moisture and fat for a tender cake. Always use full-fat whole milk yogurt to get rich, tender crumbs.
- Make sure that yogurt is at room temperature otherwise your wet mixture will look curdled.
👩🍳 How To Make Eggless Fruit Cake? (Pics)
Prep:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Grease the 9x5x3 inch loaf pan using butter or cooking oil spray and keep it ready.
1) Quick Soak Nuts & Fruits: Combine the dried cranberries, raisins, almonds, and tutti frutti or candied mixed peel in a bowl.
2, 3) Pour the freshly squeezed orange juice over them, mix, and let them soak for 10-15 minutes or until you prep the rest of the ingredients.
4) Mix Dry Ingredients: Add all purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ginger, and freshly grated nutmeg.
5) Whisk everything until well combined. If needed you can sift the dry mixture.
6) Make Cake Batter: In a stand mixer bowl, add softened butter and light brown sugar.
7) Use a paddle attachment and beat them until the mixture is smooth, light, and fluffy. Do scrap the sides and bottom of the bowl in between as needed.
8, 9) Add yogurt, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Beat again until well combined.
10) Now take around 2 tablespoons of the dry flour mixture and add to the fruits-nuts mixture.
11) Mix to coat evenly. It helps to avoid sinking nuts and fruit at the bottom while baking.
12) Add the remaining flour mixture to the wet mixture.
13) Beat again on low until combined. Do scrap the sides and bottom of the bowl at least once for even mixing. Be careful not to overmix, which can lead to a denser cake.
14, 15) Add flour-coated fruits & nuts mixture. Fold them in gently to distribute evenly throughout the batter.
16) Bake: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, spread evenly, and smooth the top with a spatula.
17) Place the loaf pan in the oven (in the center rack) and bake for around 60-65 minutes or until the toothpick or skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
18) Allow the cake to cool in the tin for about 20 minutes before removing it. Then, let it cool completely on a wire rack.
Once completely cooled, chill the cake in the fridge, and then you can slice the cake. Slicing chilled cake makes a clean cut without crumbling the cake. Bring it to room temperature before serving.
💭 Tips For Perfect Eggless Fruit Cake
- Ensure your butter is softened at room temperature before beginning to make cake batter. Softened butter blends more easily with the sugar, resulting in a smoother and more uniform cake texture.
- Make clean slices without crumbling the cake: You know that this eggless fruit cake is loaded with nuts and dried fruits. If you cut the cake while it is at room temperature or warm then I am 100% sure that it will crumble and fall apart. So always chill the cake in the fridge overnight and then slice it to get a clean cut.
- Bring the cake to room temperature before serving.
- Other add-in options: Figs, dates, apricots, maraschino cherries, candied ginger, different types of raisins, dried cherries, walnuts, pecans, cashews, etc.
🥣 Storage Instructions
- At Room Temperature, the cake stays fresh for 2 days in an airtight container.
- In the Refrigerator, this eggless fruit cake stays good for up to a week. Make sure to store it in an airtight container.
- To Freeze, wrap the cake slices in plastic wrap, transfer them to a freezer-safe ziplock bag, and store them in the freezer. It stays good for up to 3 months. Thaw quickly in the microwave and serve.
Check Out Other Christmas Baking Recipes
Did you try this eggless fruit cake recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Leave a review in the comment section below.
Eggless Fruit Cake (Christmas Cake)
US measuring cups are used (1 cup = 240 ml)
Ingredients
- ½ cup Dried cranberries
- 1 cup Raisins
- ½ cup Almonds, or walnuts, cashews, pecans
- ⅓ cup Tutti frutti, or candied mixed peel
- ¼ cup Orange juice, freshly squeezed
- 1 ¾ cup All purpose flour (Maida)
- 1 teaspoon Baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon Freshly grated nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon Salt
- ⅔ cup Unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- ⅔ cup Light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 teaspoon Pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup Plain yogurt, full fat, at room temperature
- 1 ½ teaspoon Orange zest, from one orange
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
- Grease the 9x5x3 inch loaf pan using butter or cooking oil spray and keep it ready.
- Quick Soak Nuts & Fruits: Combine the dried cranberries, raisins, almonds, and tutti frutti or candied mixed peel in a bowl.
- Pour the freshly squeezed orange juice over them, mix, and let them soak for 10-15 minutes or until you prep the rest of the ingredients.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Add all purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, ginger, and freshly grated nutmeg. Whisk everything until well combined. If needed you can sift the dry mixture.
- Make Cake Batter: In a stand mixer bowl, add softened butter and light brown sugar.
- Use a paddle attachment and beat them until the mixture is smooth, light, and fluffy. Do scrap the sides and bottom of the bowl in between as needed.
- Add yogurt, vanilla extract, and orange zest. Beat again until well combined.
- Now take around 2 tablespoons of the dry flour mixture and add to the fruits-nuts mixture. Mix to coat evenly. It helps to avoid sinking nuts and fruit at the bottom while baking.
- Add the remaining flour mixture to the wet mixture. Beat again on low until combined. Do scrap the sides and bottom of the bowl at least once for even mixing. Be careful not to overmix, which can lead to a denser cake.
- Add flour-coated fruits & nuts mixture. Fold them in gently to distribute evenly throughout the batter.
- Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan, spread evenly, and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake: Place the loaf pan in the oven (in the center rack) and bake for around 60-65 minutes or until the toothpick or skewer inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the tin for about 20 minutes before removing it. Then, let it cool completely on a wire rack.
- Once completely cooled, chill this eggless fruit cake in the fridge, and then you can slice the cake. Slicing chilled cake makes a clean cut without crumbling the cake. Bring it to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Ensure your butter is softened at room temperature before beginning to make cake batter. Softened butter blends more easily with the sugar, resulting in a smoother and more uniform cake texture.
- Make clean slices without crumbling the cake: You know that this eggless fruit cake is loaded with nuts and dried fruits. If you cut the cake while it is at room temperature or warm then I am 100% sure that it will crumble and fall apart. So always chill the cake in the fridge overnight and then slice it to get a clean cut.
- Other add-in options: Figs, dates, apricots, maraschino cherries, candied ginger, different types of raisins, dried cherries, walnuts, pecans, cashews, etc.
Hello Ma’am,
Can we add unsweetened cocoa powder in it? Any changes need to be done in flour ration due to Cocoa Powder?
And can we replace white sugar with brown sugar?
Not sure, I have never tried with these mentioned changes. So I can’t comment.
Thanks for the recipe, however I have a question, For non alcohol based cake should we use the tetra pack of juice or fresh juice?
fresh juice is better.
But if not possible, you can use tetra pack