Years ago I set out to create a reliable vegan Irish Christmas cake, and each year I’ve refined the recipe. This version is likely the simplest and most dependable one I’ve made.
I focused on simplifying the method and the ingredient list without sacrificing the rich, spiced fruit flavor a Christmas cake should have. The cake does need a long, slow bake to stay moist and avoid burning, and it benefits from proper marzipan and icing if you choose to finish it that way.
I developed this vegan version because my son is allergic to eggs and dairy, and I wanted him to enjoy the same traditional Irish cake my family loves. We all appreciate a moist, fruity, spiced cake covered in a layer of soft marzipan and a crisp royal icing finish.
The structure of this recipe was inspired by classic Irish Christmas cake recipes, adapted to be vegan and adjusted for ingredient availability and personal taste. If certain traditional ingredients are hard to find where you live, there are simple substitutions that keep the character of the cake intact. I also prefer to use less preserved citrus than some recipes call for.
This cake isn’t technically difficult, but it involves several deliberate steps. Read through the whole method before you start so you understand the timing: maceration of the fruit, careful mixing to avoid overworking the batter, a long, low-temperature bake, and then the weekly feeding process that keeps the cake flavorful and moist until Christmas.
When to make it
Ideally make this cake at least six weeks before Christmas. That gives you time to “feed” the cake weekly with a little whisky or other liquid and to let the marzipan and icing dry properly. If you’re short on time you can make the cake closer to the holiday — I have made it as late as one week before Christmas with good results — but a longer maturation improves flavor and texture.
Weigh ingredients — don’t use cups
For this cake I strongly recommend weighing ingredients rather than using cup measures. Fruit cakes are forgiving in some ways but small differences matter: weighing yields consistent results and helps avoid a dry or overly dense cake. I include metric and imperial amounts to make baking straightforward wherever you are.
How to make it
Gather and prepare your ingredients first. Quarter the glacé cherries, roughly chop the skinned almonds, and prepare the citrus zest. If oranges are difficult to zest cleanly, remove the thin orange peel (avoiding white pith) and finely chop it. Combine cherries, chopped almonds, ground almonds, sultanas, raisins and citrus zest in a bowl.
Add half the whisky to the fruit and stir to combine. Cover and leave to macerate at room temperature for at least one hour and up to eight hours or overnight. The fruit should plump slightly but remain relatively dry — you don’t want very wet fruit, which can make the cake soggy.
In a separate bowl, cream the softened plant-based margarine or vegan butter with the brown sugar until light. Add the macerated fruit, grated Granny Smith apples, and mixed spice, and fold in. If you can’t find mixed spice, a simple blend of cinnamon, nutmeg and a pinch of cloves will work well. Then fold in the flour and baking powder just until distributed — do not overmix.
Measure and add either aquafaba or applesauce to bind the batter. Aquafaba will produce a slightly moister cake; applesauce yields a lighter texture. Mix only to combine; overworking the batter will make the finished cake tough.
Double-line a 9-inch (23cm) round or square cake tin with baking paper so the lining extends at least one inch above the rim. Tip the batter into the lined tin and smooth the surface with a slightly damp hand or spoon. Lay a circle of baking paper over the top with a small coin-sized hole cut in the center to protect the surface from direct heat while allowing steam to escape.
Bake in the middle of a preheated oven at 160°C fan (320°F fan) for one hour, then reduce the temperature to 140°C fan (285°F fan) and bake for a further two hours. The cake should be very dark when done — that is normal. Test for doneness by inserting a skewer into the center; if it comes out clean, the cake is ready. If not, continue baking and recheck in 15-minute increments.
As soon as the cake comes out of the oven, drizzle the remaining half of the whisky over it, cover loosely with foil and leave to cool overnight in the tin. Once completely cool, remove the cake from the tin but leave the lining paper in place. Wrap the cake in foil and cling film and store in a cool, dark cupboard.
Feed the cake once a week by turning it upside down, poking a few holes with a skewer, and drizzling about two tablespoons of whisky over it. Rewrap and repeat weekly, alternating sides so the cake absorbs evenly. Six weeks of feeding is ideal, though the cake will still be enjoyable with less time.
One week before serving, unwrap the cake and place it on a wire rack to dry for two days, turning it daily. When dry, apply vegan marzipan. If you don’t have store-bought vegan marzipan, make a quick version by mixing ground almonds with icing sugar, almond extract and a little plant milk until it forms a pliable dough. Roll the marzipan to cover the cake, brushing the surface first with a thin layer of marmalade to help it adhere. Trim the edges and allow the marzipan to dry for one to three days until it no longer feels oily to the touch.
Finish with a thick vegan royal icing or rolled fondant. For royal icing, use a fairly stiff consistency — nearly butter-like — if you want to create textured peaks, or smooth it across the cake for a clean finish. Tie a ribbon around the side for a traditional touch.
Storing your vegan Christmas cake
Once iced, the cake will keep loosely covered at room temperature for two to three days. Cakes iced with royal icing can then be stored loosely wrapped in foil or kept in a biscuit tin for several months; avoid refrigeration, which can cause sweating and degradation of the icing. Cakes covered with fondant should be stored tightly wrapped in the fridge and will keep for several months if protected from excess moisture.
If you make this cake, I’d love to hear how it turned out — share a photo or leave a note where you saved this recipe.
📖 Recipe
Irish Christmas cake (Vegan)
A traditional Irish-style Christmas cake, veganized. This moist, fruity, spiced cake is excellent covered in marzipan and finished with vegan royal icing or fondant.
40 minutes
3 hours
3 hours 40 minutes
Ingredients
- 4.25 oz glacé cherries, quartered (120 g)
- 1.75 oz roughly chopped skinned almonds (50 g)
- 1.75 oz ground almonds (50 g)
- 18.5 oz sultanas (525 g)
- 18.5 oz raisins (525 g)
- Zest of 1 lemon and 2 oranges
- 2.35 fl oz whisky (70 ml), divided
- 7.95 oz softened vegan butter or plant-based margarine (225 g)
- 4 fl oz aquafaba (120 ml) or 6.63 oz applesauce (188 g)
- 9.75 oz all-purpose flour (275 g)
- 1.5 teaspoons mixed spice
- 2 grated Granny Smith apples
- 8 oz brown sugar (225 g)
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
Instructions
- Combine cherries, chopped almonds, ground almonds, sultanas, raisins and citrus zest in a large bowl. Add half the whisky, mix, cover and leave to macerate at room temperature for 1–8 hours (overnight is fine).
- Cream the softened vegan butter or margarine with the brown sugar in a separate bowl. Add grated apple and mixed spice and mix to combine.
- Fold the macerated fruit into the creamed mixture. Add flour and baking powder and stir just enough to distribute ingredients — do not overmix.
- Measure and add aquafaba or applesauce, folding it in gently to achieve an even consistency.
- Double-line a 9-inch (23 cm) round or square tin with baking paper, allowing the lining to rise at least 1 inch above the rim. Tip the batter into the lined tin and smooth the top. Place a circle of baking paper over the top with a small hole cut in the center to prevent burning while allowing steam to escape.
- Bake on the middle rack at 160°C fan (320°F fan) for 1 hour, then reduce to 140°C fan (285°F fan) and bake a further 2 hours. The cake should be very dark when fully baked. Test with a skewer; if it is not clean, continue baking in 15-minute increments.
- When done, drizzle the remaining whisky over the warm cake, cover loosely with foil and cool overnight in the tin. Once cool, remove from tin but keep the lining paper. Wrap in foil and cling film and store in a cool, dark place.
- Feed the cake weekly by turning it over, poking holes with a skewer and drizzling about 2 tablespoons of whisky. Repeat weekly, alternating sides, until one week before Christmas.
- One week before serving, unwrap and air the cake on a wire rack for two days, turning daily. Brush with marmalade and cover with vegan marzipan. Let the marzipan dry 1–3 days until not oily, then ice with thick vegan royal icing or roll out fondant to finish.
Nutrition Information (per serving)
Calories 399
Total Fat 13 g
Carbohydrates 71 g
Protein 5 g