Name: Vegan Panforte
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Yield: 12
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 310 g / 2 1/2 cups mixed roasted nuts, chopped and skins removed (I used hazelnuts, almonds and macadamias); 280 g / 1 1/2 cups mixed dried fruit; 90 g / 1/2 cup mixed candied citrus peel; 4 tbsp cacao powder; 1 tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp ground mixed spice; 100 g / 1 cup plain flour, (or gluten-free plain flour); 120 ml / 1/2 cup maple syrup, (or agave nectar); 100 g / 1/2 cup brown sugar, (or coconut sugar); 3 tbsp olive oil; 120 ml / 1/2 cup boiled water; Icing sugar, (confectioners sugar)

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Panforte is an Italian Christmas cake made with chocolate, nuts, fruits and a bit of spice. This vegan recipe is easy to make for a last-minute festive dessert.

Vegan Panforte - A traditional Italian Christmas cake with fruits, nuts & chocolate!

I have a new favourite Christmas dessert. This vegan Panforte.

What is Panforte?

Panforte is a traditional Italian dessert made with fruits, nuts and spices.

It dates back to the 13th century in Siena, Tuscany, hence why it’s also sometimes called a Siena cake or Panforte Di Siena.

The texture is somewhere between a fruitcake and a candy and the flavour is sweet, festive and completely delicious!

Panforte keeps really well (it will stay fresh in an air-tight container for a few weeks) so it’s perfect for gift-giving.

You can either serve it in slices or cut it into squares or strips.

A dusting of icing sugar on top not only makes it look pretty but turns it into a real festive show-stopper.

I love to add fresh holly leaves on top for a simple added decoration.

Compared to most other Christmas treats, Panforte can be a fairly healthy option.

With fruits, nuts, natural sugars, minimal flour and just a small amount of oil. It’s easy to make gluten-free too! (Just use gluten-free flour).

More treats to make

Candied Peanuts with Sesame Seeds

Vegan Danish Butter Cookies

Vegan Chocolate Orange Christmas Pudding

📖 Recipe

Vegan Panforte

Yield: 12 slices

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

Panforte is a traditional Italian dessert made with fruits, nuts and spices - somewhere between a fruitcake and a candy!

Ingredients

310 g / 2 ½ cups mixed roasted nuts, chopped and skins removed (I used hazelnuts, almonds and macadamias)
280 g / 1 ½ cups mixed dried fruit
90 g / ½ cup mixed candied citrus peel
4 tbsp cacao powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground mixed spice
100 g / 1 cup plain flour, (or gluten-free plain flour)
120 ml / ½ cup maple syrup, (or agave nectar)
100 g / ½ cup brown sugar, (or coconut sugar)
3 tbsp olive oil
120 ml / ½ cup boiled water

To serve

Icing sugar, (confectioners sugar)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 170 degrees C. Oil the sides and line the base of a 30cm spring-form tin with non-stick paper.
Mix the nuts, fruit, peel, cacao powder, spices and ﬂour in a large bowl.
In a small saucepan, add the maple syrup, brown sugar and olive oil. Mix on a medium heat until the sugar has been dissolved. Stir in the hot water.
Stir the wet into the dry and mix until everything is well combined.
Transfer the mixture to the baking tin and press down evenly with a spoon or wet hands.
Bake for 25 minutes or until you can see the sides of the cake start to bubble slightly.
Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing and allowing to cool completely.
Dust with icing sugar and serve.

Notes

You can either serve it in slices or cut it into squares or strips. A dusting of icing sugar on top not only makes it look pretty but turns it into a real festive show-stopper. I love to add fresh holly leaves on top for a simple added decoration. This delicious vegan Christmas cake recipe can be kept in an air-tight container for a few weeks.