Vegan cranberry and walnut cake

I remembered the first time I tried to make this cake on a late evening when I was already feeling lazy and craving something sweet, but didn't want to make a big mess. I grabbed a forgotten pack of margarine from the fridge and a leftover jar of apricot jam that no one was touching. The first time it turned out a bit dry, I admit, because I eyeballed the flour and forgot to sprinkle the nuts at the end; I mixed everything into one layer. But now, after a few attempts, I know what to pay attention to and I can almost do it with my eyes closed. I like that it’s quick, you don’t need a mixer or fancy tools, and even if you forget something, no one gets upset – it’s hard to mess this cake up.

Let me give you a few quick pointers so you know what to expect. It takes about an hour, including cooling, for a large tray (25 by 38 cm, let’s say). You’ll get about 30 pieces, unless you sneak some crispy edges right from the tray (which I usually do). It’s not complicated at all, and it’s perfect to try when you’re pressed for time or have guests. The ingredients are accessible, and there’s nothing fancy about the technique.

INGREDIENTS AND THEIR PURPOSE

To save you the trouble of measuring everything by eye, here’s exactly what I use for one tray:

- 375 grams of vegetable margarine (that’s one and a half packs). It should be cold, straight from the fridge – this helps achieve the crumbly texture of the base, like a shortbread, if you’ve ever made one.
- 260 grams of all-purpose flour (about 2 cups heaped, but it’s best to weigh it). It gives structure to the dough; otherwise, it would turn into a paste.
- 85 grams of rolled oats (1 and a half cups). I add them because they give a rustic touch and keep the cake tender; it’s not the kind that’s tough.
- 220 grams of brown sugar (1 cup, packed). Brown sugar adds a bit of flavor and keeps the cake soft inside so it doesn’t dry out.
- 75 grams of shredded coconut (1 cup). I’m not a huge fan of coconut, but it works well here, adding a bit of sweetness and keeping the dough tender. It’s not a must; if you don’t have it, no worries.
- Zest of one lemon (or an orange). I prefer lemon because I feel it pairs better with cranberries, but I’ve also made it with orange.
- 1 teaspoon of baking soda. This is for a little lift and to prevent the top from becoming too hard.
- 120 grams of toasted and chopped nuts (about 1 cup). I don’t grind them; I crush them with a knife so that they remain in large pieces.
- For the sweet layer in the middle: 1 small can of cranberry jam (or a cranberry jelly – I’m not sure; sometimes it’s available, sometimes it’s not; if I don’t have it, I just use apricot jam – 350-400 grams). I’ve made it with all sorts of jams; I don’t stick to a rule; whatever you have at home works.

That’s about it, so don’t say you don’t have what you need!

HOW I MAKE THE CAKE, STEP BY STEP

1. First, I take the margarine out of the fridge and cut it into cubes. I put it over the flour in a large bowl and start rubbing it between my fingers with the flour, like for a tart dough. It shouldn’t melt; the idea is to keep it a bit sandy, not to turn it into cream. If you have warm hands (like me), it doesn’t hurt to run them under cold water first.

2. Over the mixture of flour and margarine, I add the oats, brown sugar, shredded coconut, lemon zest, and baking soda. I mix them with a spoon, then knead a bit with my hand, but I don’t overdo it – the dough shouldn’t be beaten; you want it to be crumbly. If it feels too dry and doesn’t hold together at all, add a tablespoon or two of cold water.

3. I divide the dough in half. I take one half and press it directly into the tray with my palm. It doesn’t need to be perfectly even, but it should cover the bottom completely without showing the tray. I grease the tray with a bit of margarine beforehand, even if it’s non-stick. I’ve noticed it doesn’t stick, but it makes me feel safer.

4. In a small bowl, I mix the apricot jam with the jelly or cranberry jam. Sometimes I just use apricots, sometimes I mix in oranges or berries if I can’t find cranberries. I don’t heat it; I just make sure it’s at room temperature so it spreads easily. I spread the mixture evenly over the dough in the tray.

5. In the remaining half of the dough, I add the crushed nuts. I don’t know why, but if I add them at the beginning, they don’t seem to stand out as much – I prefer to mix them in now, even directly in the bowl or on the counter. I crumble the rest of the dough between my fingers, as if I’m adding a crumble topping, and sprinkle it over the jam layer. It doesn’t need to be completely covered; it’s actually fine if a bit of the filling shows through the pieces of dough.

6. I lightly press down with my palm to bind the top a bit.

7. I put the tray in a preheated oven at 175°C (medium; on my gas stove, it’s somewhere between setting 3 and 4). I let it bake for about 30 minutes, until the top starts to brown slightly and smells of lemon zest and nuts.

8. Very important! I let it cool in the tray; otherwise, it crumbles badly if I cut it while it’s warm. Once it’s cool, I cut it with a wide knife so it doesn’t fall apart. Usually, I get about 30 squares, some smaller, some larger; I don’t stress about geometry.

WHY I MAKE IT OFTEN

I end up making this cake often because it works every time, even with improvisations. You don’t have to babysit it; it doesn’t fall apart, and it doesn’t act up like other vegan cakes. Plus, being egg-free and dairy-free, it fits any meal, whether during fasting or when hosting friends who are on a diet or have intolerances. It’s filling – it’s not the kind of airy cake without substance; a piece really satisfies your hunger with coffee or tea. And it’s great the next day; in fact, I think it tastes even better after sitting overnight.

TIPS, SUBSTITUTIONS, AND SERVING

Tips

- Don’t add too much flour; I’ve had moments when I got carried away, and it turns out too dry and crumbly. Measure as accurately as you can.
- Don’t stress if you don’t have cranberry jam – it works with almost anything: plums, sour cherries, peaches, oranges, even simple fruit spread, as long as it’s a bit tart.
- Toasted nuts add flavor, but I’ve also tried peanuts or almonds; it’s flexible, just use what you have.
- If you see the dough sticking too much to your hands, put it in the fridge for 5-10 minutes.
- For a smaller tray, use half the amounts, but reduce the baking time by about 7-8 minutes.

Substitutions

- You can replace margarine with vegan butter if you have it and aren’t strictly fasting. Using oil doesn’t yield the same crumbly texture; I’ve tried it, and it becomes a bit greasy and heavy.
- You can substitute the rolled oats with bran or even semolina, but the final texture will be slightly different.
- For a gluten-free version, I’ve made it with gluten-free flour mix and certified GF oats – it doesn’t rise as much, but the cake holds together.
- If you don’t like coconut, feel free to omit it; it’s not a tragedy, but add an extra tablespoon or two of oats or flour.

Variations

- You can add raisins, dried cranberries, or even a thin layer of grated apples mixed with jam.
- The top can be sprinkled with a bit of brown sugar or cinnamon.
- Instead of nuts, you can use a mix of raw seeds or pistachios if you’re in the mood for experiments.

Serving

- I usually eat it plain, with black tea or strong coffee. It also pairs well with a spoonful of plant-based yogurt on the side if you’re into combinations.
- Cut smaller, it’s great for lunch boxes or picnics; it doesn’t crumble during transport if it’s well-cooled.
- With a spoonful of vegan chocolate spread on top, if you want it to be more decadent, but I rarely do that because it already feels rich enough.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

1. Can it be made with butter instead of margarine?
Yes, if you’re not fasting, it works with butter, but the cake won’t be vegan anymore. The texture is a bit more crumbly with butter, and the flavor changes – it’s richer.

2. What jam should I use if I don’t have cranberries or apricots?
Any tart jam will do. Plums, sour cherries, berries, even blackberries or currants. Just avoid overly sweet jams, as they make the cake heavy.

3. Can the cake be frozen?
Yes, you can freeze pieces, wrap them in foil, then take them out and let them sit at room temperature. The texture remains okay, but I wouldn’t recommend refreezing after thawing.

4. What should I do if the dough doesn’t hold together?
If it’s too crumbly and doesn’t stick at all, add a tablespoon of cold water, a maximum of two. Soft margarine or room temperature margarine won’t work here, as it becomes too sticky.

5. What can I replace oats with if I have an allergy?
You can use bran, semolina, or even coarsely ground cornflakes. Or slightly increase the amount of flour.

NUTRITIONAL VALUES (approximate)

For one piece of cake (out of 30 cuts), I estimate around 160-170 calories. It’s quite filling, with a lot of fat from the margarine and nuts, and a bit more carbohydrates from the sugar and jam. Carbohydrates are around 18-20g per piece, fats about 8-9g, and protein around 2g (the oats and nuts help a bit). What I like is that it’s not loaded with sugar like other vegan cakes; you can easily reduce the sugar amount, especially if you use a sweeter jam or canned cranberries with sugar. If you’re watching your figure, you can cut it smaller or limit yourself to one or two pieces. It’s not exactly diet food, but it’s not a sugar bomb either.

HOW I STORE AND REHEAT IT

I keep it covered with foil in the tray, at room temperature; it lasts without problems for 3-4 days. If you made a lot, you can put pieces in a container in the fridge, but make sure it’s not humid there, as it will absorb moisture and get soggy. If you want it to taste like it just came out of the oven, you can microwave a piece for 10 seconds or leave it for 5 minutes in a warm oven, but without drying it out. It can also go in the freezer, as I mentioned, wrapped in foil and then in a bag. I’ve never had it pick up any flavors or spoil, but I haven’t kept it there for more than a month.

That’s how I make this cake – it’s unpretentious, and as long as you remember to let it cool, you can’t really go wrong.

We put the flour in a bowl, then cut the cold margarine into cubes and mix it with our hands together with the flour until we obtain a crumbly dough. We add the next 6 ingredients and mix well. We divide the dough into two and press one half of the dough into a well-greased baking tray with margarine. In a bowl, we will mix the apricot jam with the cranberry gelatin and add this mixture on top of the dough in the tray. We level it well. In the other half of the dough, we will add the roasted and coarsely chopped nuts, then we crumble the dough between our fingers and sprinkle it on top of the cake. We press the top dough gently with our hands and bake the cake in the preheated oven at 175°C until it is lightly browned (about 30 minutes). Let it cool in the tray, then cut it into squares and serve. It yields approximately 30 pieces.

 Ingredients: Ingredients for a 25cm/38cm tray, ingredients in grams and cups (250 ml measuring cup) 375 g margarine (1 and a half packets) 260 g flour (2 cups) 85 g oats (1 and 1/2 cups) 220 g brown sugar (1 cup) 75 g coconut flakes (1 cup) zest of one lemon (orange) 1 teaspoon baking soda 120 g roasted nuts (1 cup) Filling: one can of cranberry jelly (or 350 g jam) 300 g apricot jam (or orange)

 Tags:  lenten cake nut cake