Vegan Cranberry Orange Cake with Dates Oil-Free Whole Grain Fruit Sweetened

Colors pop and flavors dazzle in this dense satisfying holiday cake that's all about the cranberries! Frosting makes this cake a gloriously festive dessert. Or skip the frosting and enjoy it as a healthy snack on the go.

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 20

Cook Time 45

Total Time 1 5

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American, Anti Inflammatory Diet, Plant-Based, Vegan, Vegan Fusion, Vegetarian, WFPB, WFPBNO, Whole Food Plant-Based

Servings

Equipment

1 blender or food processor
One 8 or 9 inch round cake pan (or two 6 or 7 inch cake pans for a small layer cake)

Ingredients

1 to 2 teaspoons oil or vegan butter for greasing pan(s) (optional, if not using a paper cake liner*)
1 to 2 tablespoons flour for dusting pan(s) (optional, if not using a paper cake liner*)
1 cup orange juice
1 cup dates, cut into ¼ inch slices* (divided)
½ cup pitted prunes, cut in half
1 cup whole wheat pastry flour
¾ cup oat flour
2 teaspoons ground flaxseed
1 teaspoon cardamom
¼ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
¾ teaspoon baking soda
1 to 2 tablespoons grated orange zest
½ cup plain unsweetened vegan yogurt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2-½ cups cranberries (fresh or frozen)

Instructions

If you are not using a paper cake pan liner such as DecPac, use oil or vegan butter and all purpose flour to grease and flour one 8 or 9 inch cake pan, or two 6 or 7 inch cake pans, preferably lining bottom with parchment paper.
Preheat oven to 350°
Place orange juices, halved prunes and ½ cup of sliced dates in the bowl of a blender or food processor. Pulse until you create a wet, smoothie-like paste. Set aside.
Place whole wheat flour, oat flour and all other dry ingredients including orange zest in a large bowl. (Do not add the cranberries or chopped dates yet.) Use a cake spatula to mix the dry ingredients.
To the dry ingredients in the bowl add the yogurt, vanilla extract and the smoothie made from orange juice, dates and prunes. Mix with your spatula until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated .
Fold in cranberries and the remaining ½ cup of sliced dates until the dates and cranberries are evenly distributed throughout the batter. If using frozen cranberries you don't need to thaw them first.
Place batter into the prepared cake pan or pans and bake in preheated 350° oven for approximately 45 minutes or until a fork or toothpick inserted at the center comes out clean. If you are starting with frozen cranberries, the baking time is a little longer, but baking time also depends on your oven and other factors.
Cool completely before unmolding, removing paper liner and before frosting.
Optional: frost with Healthy Vegan Cardamom Frosting or Kite Hill Cream Cheese Vegan Cardamom Frosting

Notes

*Any kind of date is okay, just be sure to remove pits and hard bits before slicing and measuring them.

**I love using DecoPac siliconized paper cake pan liners instead of greasing and flouring my pans. These liners not only help me avoid using added fats, they also save time.

Keyword carrot cake, cranberry, cranberry cake, dairy free, dairy free baking, dairy free cake, date, dates, egg free, egg free baking, fresh cranberry, fresh cranberry cake, guilt-free, healthy vegan baking, healthy vegan cakes, oil free baking, oil free vegan, oil free vegan cake, oil-free, plant based cranberry cake, plant-based, sugar-free, vegan, vegan baking, vegan cakes, vegan cakes for the holidays, vegan cranberry cake, vegan holiday cake, wfpb, wfpb baking, wfpb cake, wfpb cake recipe, wfpb cake recipes, wfpb fruit cakes, wfpbno, whole food, whole food plant based cake recipes, whole food plant-based, whole grain vegan cake

Tried this recipe? Let me know how it was!