The Best Vegan & Alcohol-Free Black Cake
This Vegan and Alcohol-Free Black Cake is rich, moist, full of perfectly spiced fruity flavour, and has that classic pudding-like consistency. Although alcohol-free, this vegan version of the much beloved black cake tastes short of nothing - even the non-vegans were in disbelief. Bonus: you don't have to pre-soak the fruits!
Ingredients
Fruit Puree
- 1 1/2 cups mix dried fruits
- 1 cup unsweetened orange juice you may use grape or apple juice
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon or a medium cinnamon stick
- 1/4 tsp all-spice
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
Dry Ingredients
- 2/3 cup sunflower oil or other neutral-flavoured oil
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup applesauce
- fruit puree ~1 1/2 cups
- 3 tbsp browning
Wet Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves
- 1/8 tsp ground all-spice
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/3 cup chopped nuts optional
Instructions
Make the fruit puree
- Add the mix of dried fruits (washed) to a medium saucepan with along with the ground cinnamon, clove, allspice, and orange juice. Bring to a boil, then turn the heat to low. Allow to boil until the fruits are softened and the juice has reduced (40-50 minutes).
- Add the fruits to a blender once cooled slightly, or completely. Blend until pureed.
Make the cake
- In a bowl, mix the oil, applesauce, sugar, fruit puree, and browning, well. It will take a moment to incorporate the oil. Then, add the sifted flour, ground spices, and baking powder. Mix with a whisk then gently fold with a spatula. Then, fold in the optional chopped nuts.
- Transfer the cake batter to a greased pan. Bake in an oven preheated at 180° Celsius or 360°Fahrenheit, for 40-50 minutes. Baking times vary (see notes.)
Enjoy!
- This cake is best enjoyed when it's completely cooled, and it gets even more moist and delicious the longer it sits. Enjoy with ginger beer soda or a hot cup of tea.
- To store at room temperature, cover the cake with a tea towel, or wrap in cling film, for up to 3 days, or refrigerate in an air-tight container for up to 7 days.
Notes
- You can make your own applesauce: First, wash and chop your apple(s) and transfer to a saucepan. Add a bit of water and cook on medium heat until the pieces are fork-tender, and there's no remaining water. Then, transfer to a blender after slightly, or completely, cooled. Blend until pureed. Voila!
- For a more hassle-free experience, you can prep the fruit puree in advance - store it in the fridge and make the cake at another time. Do the same for the applesauce, and browning (if you're making your own).
- Keep an eye to avoid burning - when boiling the fruits, or making the applesauce, check every now and then to ensure that they don't burn. This is not a recipe for disaster lol.
- Adjust this recipe to your preferences - if you like chunky fruits in the cake for texture, put aside some of the fruits before blending into a puree. If you prefer a less dark cake, reduce the browning. Add your favourite chopped nuts, or leave 'em out.
- Don't overbake the cake - this cake may appear soft even when it's finished, but you have to let it cool to set. Overbaking can result in tough edges and alter the cake's flavour profile. Check the notes under "Baking Time" for more instructions.