Vegan Pound Cake with Cranberries
This vegan Christmas pound cake is a soft, fluffy holiday loaf studded with dried cranberries and raisins, finished with a simple coconut-oil glaze. It is made without any eggs, butter or dairy, and it bakes up tender enough that even your non-vegan friends will reach for a second slice. Best of all, the batter comes together in a food processor, so you need no special baking skills to pull it off.
I first made this awesome vegan pound cake last year and loved every tiny bit of it. Being used to baking with eggs, I just couldn’t believe it when I took this out of the oven and it had the perfect texture and taste. This year I’m making it again, and because it was so good, I decided to share the recipe with you, too. This Christmas vegan pound cake is super soft and fluffy, and for some reason I just love to try new vegan cake recipes.
What goes into this vegan pound cake
The ingredient list is short and friendly. The structure comes from flour, baking powder and baking soda, while soy yogurt and soy milk do the work that eggs and butter usually handle in a classic pound cake. The soy yogurt adds moisture and a gentle tang, and its acidity reacts with the baking soda to give the loaf lift. I used vanilla-flavored soy yogurt, which adds a little extra sweetness and aroma, but plain works too.
I made this vegan pound cake gluten-free using a good all-purpose gluten-free blend, but if gluten is not your enemy, you can use regular flour as well. The cranberries and raisins bring pops of chewy sweetness, and the lemon and orange essential oils give it that bright, festive scent that makes it feel like Christmas. If you don’t have citrus essential oils on hand, a little fresh lemon and orange zest is a fine, food-safe swap.
How to make it perfectly soft and fluffy
Blend everything except the cranberries and raisins in the food processor until smooth, then stir the dried fruit in by hand. The batter will be thick, and that is exactly what you want for a pound cake that holds its shape. Folding the fruit in last, rather than blending it, keeps the pieces whole instead of chopping them into the crumb.
Bake at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes, and trust the toothpick rather than the clock: insert one near the center, and when it comes out clean the cake is done. Ovens vary, so start checking around the 35-minute mark. The most important step is to let the loaf cool fully before removing it from the pan. Vegan cakes are more delicate while warm, and giving it time to set means it releases cleanly instead of tearing.
Why this eggless cake works
A traditional pound cake leans on eggs for structure and butter for richness. Here, the soy yogurt does double duty: its moisture keeps the crumb tender, and its mild acidity activates the baking soda for a good rise, while the baking powder provides a second lift in the oven. The oil and melted coconut oil replace the butter, keeping the cake soft for days rather than drying out the way some eggless bakes can. It is a simple balance of leavening, fat and moisture standing in for what eggs and dairy would normally provide.
Make it your own
This recipe is easy to adapt. If you want it to be refined sugar-free, I recommend using a good brand of stevia powder or any other healthy sweetener. My personal favorite is Green Sugar, which is combined with erythritol as well, but it is only available in Romania. You can also swap the cranberries and raisins for chopped dried apricots, dried cherries or a handful of chopped nuts if that is what you have in the pantry. For more lower-sugar baking ideas, browse my collection of vegan sugar-free desserts.
Storing and serving
Once the glaze has set, this cake keeps beautifully. Store it in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, or in the fridge for up to five; the oil-based crumb stays moist rather than going stale quickly. It also freezes well: wrap individual slices and thaw them at room temperature whenever a holiday craving hits. I would glaze after thawing for the cleanest finish.
A slice is lovely on its own with a warm drink, so set it out alongside one of these cozy healthy coffee drinks for an afternoon treat. If you are putting together a full vegan holiday dessert spread, it sits nicely next to my gluten-free vanilla cake and a batch of vegan whole grain cookies on the table.
If you bake this for your holiday table, I would love to know how it turned out — please rate the recipe and leave a comment below telling me whether you kept the cranberries and raisins or made it your own with a different mix-in. Happy baking and happy holidays!
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Vegan Pound Cake with Cranberries
Ingredients
- 2 cups flour I used gluten-free flour by Schar – Mix It
- 1 Tbsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 cup soy yogurt I used vanilla flavored yogurt by Alpro
- 1 cup soy milk
- ⅔ cup sugar
- 2 tsps vanilla extract
- 10 drops lemon essential oil
- 10 drops orange essential oil
- 6 Tbsps dry cranberries
- 6 Tbsps raisins
- 4 Tbsps oil plus a little more for greasing the pan
Coating:
- 4 Tbsps coconut oil melted
- 4 Tbsps powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add all ingredients, except the cranberries and raisins, to the food processor. Blend until smooth.
- Add the dry cranberries and raisins and mix with a spoon. The batter will be thick.
- Line a pound cake pan with parchment paper and grease it.
- Pour the batter into the pan.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean.
- Let it cool before removing it from the pan.
- Mix the powdered sugar with the coconut oil.
- Pour the glaze over the top of the cake.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. It uses soy yogurt and soy milk in place of eggs and butter, plus oil and melted coconut oil for richness. Every ingredient is plant-based, so the whole cake is fully vegan.
Absolutely. I made mine gluten-free with a good all-purpose gluten-free flour blend. If gluten is not a concern for you, regular all-purpose flour works just as well in the same amount.
If you don’t bake with citrus essential oils, swap in the finely grated zest of a lemon and an orange instead. Zest gives you the same bright, festive citrus aroma and is a simple food-safe alternative.
Replace the sugar with a good brand of stevia powder or another healthy sweetener you trust. My personal favorite is Green Sugar, which is combined with erythritol, though it is only available in Romania.
Bake at 350 degrees F for about 40 minutes, then test with a toothpick near the center. When it comes out clean, the cake is ready. Start checking around 35 minutes since ovens vary.
Stored in an airtight container, it stays fresh at room temperature for up to three days or in the fridge for up to five. The oil-based crumb keeps it moist, and you can also freeze individual slices and thaw them as needed.
One of my favorite Christmas cakes ever 🙂 So flavorful! I made it last year for the first time and ever since then, my daughter keeps asking for it, so now I’m making it once a month. Thank God for dry cranberries from the supermaket.
Now we can have Christmas every month in my kitchen. Amazing recipe, thanks!
You’re welcome! 😀
uleiurile esentiale NU se ingereaza, altfel faina reteta
Pe uleiurile esentiale pe care eu le cumpar scrie clar ca sunt pure si chiar recomanda si diverse tratamente interne. Eu nu le folosesc ca tratament intern, insa decat sa folosesc esente artificiale de portocale si lamaie din comert, prefer sa pun 3 picaturi de ulei esential. Acum fiecare face cum doreste. Pt mine a fost ok. 🙂 Ma bucur ca iti place reteta!