Learn how to make Eggless Plum Cake recipe with step by step pictures. Easy Christmas Plum Cake recipe – soft & moist, with no prior soaking of fruits & nuts!

Today I am sharing a very simple recipe to make Eggless Plum Cake as this year's Christmas special recipe. Almost all through December, I bake a lot of sweets & savories but also end up making one special recipe for Christmas using mixed fruits & nuts. Eggless Fruit Cake and Christmas Pudding recipes are from previous years and to keep up with the tradition, I made plum cake this year. This is a very easy, fail-proof recipe that requires no effort at all.

Egg-free Plum Cake

Christmas will not be the same without plum cake. For years now I had wanted to make eggless plum cake without alcohol, that is suitable for all food groups & age groups to enjoy. I usually make Rich Fruit Cake without eggs but the recipe is slightly elaborate with caramel making. This year, I wanted to simplify the recipe further and made this simple, straight forward version without having to make caramel. And the result is this decadent cake that is nothing short of the traditional cake.

No Soaking of Fruits & Nuts

Traditionally, plum cake is made with dry fruits and nuts soaked for months in rum syrup. For those of us who don’t consume/stock alcohol, it is difficult to do this. For the non-boozy version of the plum cake, the fruits and nuts can be soaked in orange juice. But then again, I am sure there are going to be many like me who forget to do this year after year. I have a simple solution that works out easily. I cook my dry fruits and nuts in thick orange juice and it gets me the best cake without much prior effort. I have been following this for years now but next time, I promise to try the traditional approach.

Eggless Plum Cake – Key Ingredients

The major part of the cake is all about soaked/stewed dry fruits and nuts. In fruit & nut cake, I add almost all dry fruits & nuts but with the plum cake, I keep the dry fruits to the minimum.

Dry Fruits – I used equal amounts of Black Raisins, Cranberries and Cherries.

Nuts – I used equal quantities of Whole Cashews, Almonds and Walnuts

The nuts & dry fruits are soaked/stewed in a mixture of fresh squeezed Orange Juice & Water. You can also use rum if you prefer liquor.

Spices & Other Flavoring Ingredients – Orange Zest or Candied Orange Peel adds a touch of authenticity to the cake. I add spice powders like Clove Powder, Cinnamon Powder & Dry Ginger Powder. I also add the best vanilla extract to flavor the cake.

Egg Replacement – I used Yogurt as the egg replacement in this recipe and it makes the cake very moist & soft.

We will also use the other basic ingredients like Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, Baking Soda & Oil. Yes, this cake is not made with butter but with oil. Another reason why the cake is so moist & soft.

Tips & Important Notes To Make Perfect Eggless Plum Cake

This Christmas Plum Cake is very simple and beginner-friendly recipe with not many technicalities at all. Here are some important points to keep in mind while making this cake.

Make sure all your baking ingredients are at room temperature. Even the stewed dry fruits mixture should be at room temperature when it is being added to the cake batter.
Use the freshest yogurt for best results.
The cake batter shouldn’t be over mixed. This is one recipe where your hand whisk and spatula are more than enough. You don’t need a standup mixer or hand mixer. If the batter is over-mixed, the cake becomes dense.
To get the best textured plum cake, it has to be baked for long time at low temperature. It takes about 60mins at 160°C to get the cake baked to a golden beauty.
Wait for the cake to be completely cooled down and in fact it best to let it rest for a night or a day before cutting it to get clean slices.

Variations

This eggless plum cake recipe is can also be made without yogurt. Just replace it with orange juice or even plain water. The baking time would differ slightly, so keep a close eye on the oven when baking the cake. If you cant find yogurt, you can use equal amount of milk and 1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar to make instant buttermilk.
The choice of dry fruits and nuts are totally based on your taste preferences and availability. Any dry fruits like apricots, tutti frutti, dates, figs, raisins, prunes, cranberries and cherries can be used.
In the place of orange juice, apple juice can also be used to cook the dry fruits & nuts.

Storing & Serving Suggestions

Christmas Plum Cake can be left at room temperature for upto 2 days but for longer shelf life, it must be stored in an airtight container in fridge. Just sprinkle some icing sugar on top and serve as dessert or snack. It tastes best both warm and cold.

Check out other Eggless Cakes

Eggless Rose Pistachio Cake
Eggless Basbousa
Eggless Honey Cake
Eggless Upside Down Peach Cake
Eggless Whole Wheat Carrot Walnut Cake
Eggless Christmas Fruit Cake

Eggless Plum Cake Recipe with Step by Step Pictures

In a mixing bowl, add all the chopped dry fruits and nuts – 10 walnuts, 10 almonds, 10 cashews, 2 tablespoon orange peel, ⅓ cup black raisins, ⅓ cup cranberries and ⅓ cup cherries.

Add ½ cup fresh orange juice followed by ¼ cup of water.

Mix the fruits well and cook covered on low flame for 10-15 mins until the fruits & nuts are softer and there is not a lot of liquid.

Remove from heat and let it cool down completely.

Preheat the oven at 160°C for 15 mins and grease & line a 8” round baking pan.

In a mixing bowl, add all the dry ingredients – 1.5 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cinnamon powder, ⅛ teaspoon ginger powder and ¼ teaspoon clove powder.

Mix it well and set aside.

In another mixing bowl add ⅓ cup oil, ½ cup fresh yogurt/curd and ½ cup sugar.

Whisk it until the sugar is dissolved and the mixture looks well combined.

Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix it in.

Now add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture.

Fold it gently without any lumps.

Next add the cooked nuts & dry fruits. Save 1-2 tablespoon to top the cake before baking.

Gently fold it in. The cake batter should look glossy & smooth.

Pour the cake batter into a greased and lined baking dish. Sprinkle the remaining cooked fruits & nuts on top. (I forgot to save some, so placed a few cranberries on top)

Bake at 160°C for 60-65mins until the tester comes out cleans. Let the cake cool down completely before cutting it. It is optional to dust icing sugar on top.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 days or for a week in the fridge.

Recipe Notes

The cake takes a long time to bake at low temperature of 160°C. Keep a close eye on the cake after the 55 minute mark and check for done-ness. Depending on the oven temperatures & makes, the baking times could vary.
Instead of orange juice, apple juice can be used too.
If you have time, soak the fruits for upto a few days in the fridge.
Refer to this recipe for soaking fruits for Christmas.

Recipe Card

📖 Recipe

I would be delighted to know if you have tried this recipe, don’t forget to share your feedback and comments below. If you have any questions, you can e-mail me! I am also available on Facebook, Pinterest, Instagram and Twitter 🙂

Eggless Plum Cake | Easy Christmas Plum Cake Recipe