Amazing Christmas Fruit Cake (No added sugars)

Christmas baking feels extra special when the kitchen fills with the aroma of spices, citrus, and slow-baked fruit. This Eggless Wholewheat Christmas Fruit Cake is a lighter, wholesome twist on the classic plum cake — made with no added sugar. All the sweetness comes naturally from dried fruits like dates, apricots, prunes, and raisins.
It’s rich, moist, perfectly spiced, and tastes even better the next day. This No Added Sugar Plum Cake is a beautiful addition to your festive table and a lovely homemade gift.

Let’s look at the main ingredients!

Dried Fruits (Dates, Apricots, Prunes, Raisins)

These naturally sweet fruits replace added sugar completely. Dates add caramel-like sweetness and moisture, apricots bring a pleasant tang, prunes or dried plums add depth, and raisins give little bursts of sweetness in every bite.

Orange Zest

Fresh citrus oils brighten the cake and give it that unmistakable Christmas aroma.

Spices (Cinnamon, Cloves, Nutmeg)

Warm spices create the classic festive flavour profile. They balance the sweetness and add richness.

Instant Coffee

Just a tiny amount boosts the depth of flavour and enhances the caramel notes of the dried fruits.

Hot Water

Helps plump up the fruits and extract their natural sweetness.

Ghee or Butter

Adds richness and rounds out the flavours, giving a soft yet hearty crumb.

Orange Juice

Adds moisture along with a sweet-tart freshness. It also helps the cake rise in absence of eggs and dairy.

Rum or Brandy (Optional)

Adds that traditional holiday warmth, but you can easily skip it.

Wholewheat Flour

Gives structure and a hearty feel while keeping the cake more wholesome than traditional versions.

Dates (for blending)

Used with the flour to create a sweet, fine dry mix that replaces sugar completely.

Baking Soda & Baking Powder

Ensure proper rise and help keep the cake soft even without eggs.

Salt

Balances flavours and enhances the sweetness of the dried fruits.

If you are looking for more wholesome Christmas Bakes, you may like these recipe.

A link to my Christmas playlist is also here!

Why You Will Love This Christmas Fruit Cake

• Eggless and made with wholewheat flour
• No added sugar — sweetness comes purely from fruits
• Warm, spiced, and incredibly festive
• Great make-ahead Christmas bake (gets better the next day!)

As this wholesome naturally sweet fruit cake cools and its flavours deepen, it becomes everything we love about Christmas—comforting, nostalgic, and filled with little bursts of sweetness in every bite. Whether you’re baking it for your family, gifting it to friends, or adding it to your festive table, this Eggless Wholewheat Christmas Fruit Cake brings all the warmth of the season without any added sugar. Make it a day ahead, slice it slowly, and enjoy the magic of a truly homemade Christmas treat.

Eggless Wholewheat Christmas Fruit Cake (No Added Sugar)

Serves: 8 Prep Time: 30 mins Cooking Time: 60 mins 60 mins

Rating: 5.0/5

( 1 voted )

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Ingredients

200g Chopped Dried Fruits

• 100g - Chopped Prunes
• 100g - Chopped Apricots

60g - Chopped Dates

130g - Raisins

1/2 tsp - Cinnamon

1/4 tsp - Clove

1/4 tsp - Nutmeg

1 tsp - Instant Coffee/Expresso Powder

Zest of 1 Orange

1 cup (250ml) - Hot Water

1/4 cup (45g) - Ghee/Butter

1/4 cup (60ml) - Orange Juice

1/4 cup (60ml) - Rum/Brandy/Water

30g to 50g - Chopped Nuts

1.25 cup (160g) - Wholewheat Flour/White Wholewheat Flour

60g - Chopped Dates

1/2 tsp - Baking Powder

1/2 tsp - Baking Soda

1/4 tsp - Pink Salt or 1/8 tsp - Salt

Instructions

1. Soak the fruits:
   In a bowl, combine chopped dried fruits with orange zest, spices, instant coffee, and hot water. Mix, cover, and let it rest for 30 minutes to an hour.

2. Add liquids:
   Add ghee or butter, orange juice, rum or brandy, and salt. Mix again.

3. Prepare dry ingredients:
   Grind wholewheat flour, dates, baking soda, and baking powder together until fine.

4. Make the batter:
   Add the dry mixture to the soaked fruits. Fold gently into a thick batter.

5. Bake:
   Transfer to a lined 7–8 inch cake pan and bake at 170°C for about 60 minutes, or until a skewer comes out clean.

6. Cool completely:
   Allow the cake to cool fully before slicing so the crumb sets beautifully.

7. Store any leftovers in a covered container in the fridge for upto a week.

Notes

• Depending on your wholewheat flour, you may need slightly less water, upto a 1/4 cup less. So if you want to use alcohol in the recipe, soak the fruits in 3/4 cup hot water and add upto a 1/4 cup more if needed, to adjust the consistency.
• Grind the date and flour mixture into a very fine powder, until the dates have turned into a powder. Grinding dates with flour helps in processing them finer without turning them sticky.
• Prunes and apricots are slightly tart. So this combination of fruits work really well and the sweetness of the recipe is balanced accordingly. If you make it with more sweeter dried fruits (that are not tart), you will need to use slightly less fruits.
• After baking, the top of this cake has a dull appearance. You can brush the top with a few drops of melted ghee or butter.

Did You Make This Recipe?

Have you made this recipe? Tag me on Instagram at @VanillaTrails and use the hashtag #MadeWithVanillaTrails.