If you’re looking for a holiday dessert that feels special – but requires minimal ingredients and prep – you’ve found it! This dairy-free cranberry Christmas cake is festive enough for any holiday gathering, but is super simple to make with just seven ingredients. Fresh tart cranberries cut through the sweetness of the cake, making for a perfectly balanced dessert.
Ingredient Notes
Here’s a photo of all the ingredients you’ll need:
As far as product suggestions go, the only “specialty” ingredient you’ll need is dairy-free butter. I recommend using Country Crock plant butter sticks for this recipe. You can either use the avocado oil sticks or the generic plant butter baking sticks. If you need a soy-free option, Earth Balance soy free sticks are a good choice. Note that some dairy-free butters, especially tub versions, have a higher moisture content that can alter the texture and crumb of the final product. I recommend using the suggested options to avoid this issue.
Instructions
You’ll find the full recipe amounts and instructions in the recipe card below, but here’s a helpful overview with photos and tips.
Start by beating the eggs with the granulated sugar using a stand mixer or a hand mixer. You want to do this for about 5 minutes. Yes, it seems like a lot of time, but it’s necessary. Since this recipe doesn’t use any leavening agent, beating the eggs with the sugar thoroughly is essential to incorporate air into the batter for light leavening. (This cake will still be denser though than a standard vanilla cake.)
Add the dairy-free butter and vanilla and beat again for another 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
Stir in the flour, cranberries, and pecans. Mix until just combined.
Pour into a greased 9×13 baking dish, and bake for about 40-50 minutes or until a toothpick pulls clean from the center.
Let cool in the baking dish, then slice and enjoy!
Recipe FAQ
Here are some common questions that may come up as you’re preparing this recipe:
Store covered at room temperature for up to 1-2 days. This cake is fairly dense and moist so you don’t want to leave it at room temperature much longer than that. If storing longer, refrigerate for up to 5 days, or freeze. If eating from the fridge or freezer, let it come to room temperature before serving or pop a slice in the microwave to warm it up.
Yes! Once cooled, wrap slices or the whole cake tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a ziptop bag or airtight food storage container. Freeze for up to 3 months for best quality. Thaw at room temperature when ready to enjoy, or pop a slice in the microwave.
Fresh cranberries are best for this recipe because they provide a tart contrast to the sweetness and buttery flavor in the cake. They also provide additional moisture.
Allergens in this Recipe
Disclaimer: Always double check ingredients and labels yourself prior to making a recipe. While I try to check all ingredients for allergens, there’s always the chance I may miss something, or manufacturer formulations can change.
As written, this recipe is dairy free.
This recipe does contain wheat/gluten (in the flour), eggs (in the eggs), nuts (in the pecans), and soy (in the dairy-free butter). I don’t recommend substituting the flour and eggs in this recipe, as I’m not sure the structure of the cake will hold up without those. However, you can easily make this soy free by using a soy-free dairy-free butter (like Earth Balance soy free sticks). You can also easily make this nut free by skipping the pecans (and double checking that your dairy-free butter does not contain nuts).
More Dairy Free Christmas Desserts
If you’re looking for more holiday desserts that are dairy free, you’ll definitely want to try our matcha Christmas cookies. These are Christmas-tree shaped cookies that are naturally green thanks to the addition of matcha green tea powder. So fun for the holidays!
You also might want to try our dairy free eggnog bread – a tasty sweet quick bread recipe that’s topped with a powdered sugar glaze. Or, whip up these dairy free gingerbread cupcakes with cinnamon frosting. Lots of delicious options!
I hope you enjoy this recipe! If you get a chance to try it, please leave a recipe rating or comment below.
Dairy Free Cranberry Christmas Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup dairy-free butter, softened (i.e. 1 ½ sticks; recommend Country Crock plant butter sticks)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 12 oz fresh cranberries
- ½ cup chopped pecans (optional)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a baking 9×13 baking dish.
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In the bowl of a stand mixer (or using a regular bowl with a hand mixer), beat the sugar and eggs together for approximately 5 minutes, until well combined and airy.
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Add the dairy-free butter and vanilla and beat for another 1-2 minutes, until light and fluffy.
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Add the flour, cranberries, and pecans. Stir together until combined.
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Pour the mixture into the prepared 9×13 baking dish. Bake at 350 degrees F for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick pulls out clean from the center. Let cool in the pan, then slice and enjoy.
Recipe Notes
- Since this recipe doesn’t use any leavening agent, beating the eggs with the sugar for a full 5 minutes is necessary to incorporate air into the batter for light leavening.
- This cake will have a different texture than something like a standard vanilla cake; it is meant to be a bit more rich, buttery, and dense.
Nutrition analysis (approximate per serving): 280 calories, 12 g fat, 4.5 g saturated fat, 100 mg sodium, 40 g carbohydrate, 1.5 g fiber, 26 g sugar, 3 g protein, Vitamin D: 1%, Calcium: 1%, Iron: 6%, Potassium: 1%
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