Last week, my mother decided to bake her special vegan christmas cake. While I was initially planning to share this recipe on the 25th, I am sharing it ahead at my mother’s request. It is a delightful cake and I am sure you will enjoy it, if you do try it.

Vegan Christmas Cake

Time taken: 3 hours

Makes 20 slices

Ingredients:

• Dates – 1 cup, chopped
• Raisins – ½ cup
• Cashewnuts – ¼ cup
• Almonds – ¼ cup, chopped
• Caramelized peanuts – ½ cup
• Cherry – ¼ cup, chopped
• Chow chow (choko) – ½ cup, chopped
• Ginger preserve – 1 tbsp
• Puhul dosi (pumpkin preserve) – ¼ cup, chopped
• Lemon rind – 1 tsp
• Orange peel preserve – 1 tbsp
• Mixed peel – ½ cup
• Coconut treacle – 4 tbsp
• Caramel syrup – ¼ cup
• Almond oil – 3 tbsp
• Vegetable oil – ¼ cup
• Mixed spice (Cardamom, Cinnamon, Cloves) – 2 tsp
• Thick tea – 1 tbsp
• Semolina – ½ cup
• Flour – ½ cup
• Baking powder – 1 tsp
• Baking soda – 2/3 tsp
• Rose essence – ¼ tsp

Method:

1. Chop all the ingredients mentioned above (dates, raisins, cashewnuts, peanuts, almonds, chow chow, lemon rind, orange peel preserve, mixed peel, ginger preserve, cherries and puhul dosi/ pumpkin preserve) and mix together in a bowl.
2. To the bowl, add the liquids stirring them in as you do so. Add the honey, caramel syrup and thick tea and let it soak for about ½ hour.
3. Mix well before adding the vegetable oil and almond oil. Add the rose essence and cinnamon, cardamom and clove mixed spice to the bowl.
4. Gradually stir in the semolina.
5. Sift the flour with the baking powder and soda and add the flour mix to the bowl.
6. Whisk the contents of the bowl together so that there are no flour lumps anywhere.
7. Transfer the cake batter to the baking tray and bake at 120⁰C/248⁰F for 1 to 1 ½ hour till the cake is browned at the top and the cake is baked through.
8. After the cake cools, cut the cake into pieces and wrap the pieces into Christmas wrappings.

Recipe source: Raji Thillainathan.