Eggless Fruit Cake with Buttermilk: Simple and Easy Recipe
Fruit cake is a classic that works any time of year, especially at Christmas. This eggless fruit cake made with buttermilk (or thick yogurt) is moist, tender and lightly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s packed with dried fruits and nuts, and it’s alcohol-free—perfect for a family-friendly dessert.
The natural sweetness from raisins, cranberries and candied peel helps keep the cake fresh. The texture and flavor improve after a day, so it’s ideal to slice and serve the next day. Stored at room temperature, it will stay good for about 4–5 days. If you need to keep it longer, refrigerate for up to a week.
Ingredients
For best results, use ingredients at room temperature. Cold butter or chilled yogurt can make it harder to combine everything smoothly.
- All-purpose flour: 225 g
- Curd / yogurt / thick buttermilk (at room temperature): 240 ml
- Brown sugar (or white sugar): 170 g
- Softened butter: 150 g
- Salt: 1/4 tsp
- Ground cinnamon: 1/2 tsp
- Ground nutmeg: 1/4 tsp
- Baking soda: 1 tsp
- Vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste: 1/2 tsp
- Raisins: 1/2 cup
- Cranberries: 1/2 cup
- Walnuts: 1/2 cup
- Dried plums / prunes: 1/2 cup
- Candied orange peels: 1/3 cup
I recommend a total combined weight of dried fruits and nuts around 350–375 g for balance.
Method
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- In a bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, salt and the ground spices so they are evenly combined. Stir in the dried fruits and nuts, then set this mixture aside.
- In another bowl, cream the softened butter with the brown sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla, then fold in the buttermilk (or yogurt) and mix until combined.
- Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry mixture until just combined. Take care not to overmix.
- Immediately pour the batter into a greased pan and smooth the top with a spatula.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 60–70 minutes at 350°F, or until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with aluminum foil after about 30 minutes to prevent over-browning.
- Remove the cake from the oven and let it cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before turning it out to cool completely on a wire rack.
- Slice and serve. The cake tastes even better the next day—enjoy!
Step by Step Video: How to make Eggless Fruit Cake
Eggless Fruit Cake: Printable Recipe
Eggless Fruit Cake
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 225 g All-purpose flour
- 240 ml Curd / yogurt / thick buttermilk (room temperature)
- 170 g Brown sugar (or white sugar)
- 150 g Softened butter
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp Ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Vanilla extract or paste
- 1/2 cup Raisins
- 1/2 cup Cranberries
- 1/2 cup Walnuts
- 1/2 cup Dried plums / prunes
- 1/3 cup Candied orange peels
Instructions
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt and spices until evenly combined. Stir in the dried fruits and nuts and set aside.
- Cream the softened butter and brown sugar together, then add the vanilla. Mix in the buttermilk or thick yogurt until smooth.
- Fold the wet ingredients into the dry mixture until just combined.
- Pour the batter into a greased pan and smooth the surface.
- Bake at 350°F for 60–70 minutes or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, cover loosely with foil after 30 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove and cool completely on a rack.
- Slice and serve. Enjoy!
Video
Let us know how it was!