This simple and very delicious Vegan Apple Cake is light and fluffy, loaded with fresh apples, and has a super crunchy, sugar and flaked almond top. No mixer required!
We're all about the apples right now with Apple Baked Oatmeal, Vegan Apple Muffins, and now Vegan Apple Cake ....And let's just take a moment to talk about and drink in those delicious baking smells before I begin. We're talking the ultimate freshly baked cake smell with wafts of sweet apple and fragrant cinnamon. This my friends is a cake that feels and smells like fall!
The cake itself is perfectly tender, nicely spiced, heavy on the meltingly soft apple, sweet but not too sweet .. except for the crunchy, optionally nutty, sugar sprinkled topping which is my favourite part.
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Ingredient & equipment notes
(For detailed measurements and instructions, see the printable recipe card).
The pan - To make this eggless apple cake you will need either a round 9inch cake pan that is at least 3 inches deep or a 9 x 13inch pan/dish. I recommend a springform cake pan if you can because it's best not to invert the cake when removing it because of the sugary topping. Alternatively, just bake it in a pan or dish that it can stay in for serving like a 9 x 13inch casserole dish.
Here is the rundown on the ingredients you need to make Vegan Apple Cake and why you need them:
- All purpose flour - Gives the perfect texture and the flavour doesn't compete with the subtle apples and spices like other flours would. If you are in the UK use plain flour.
- Baking powder,baking soda & vinegar – Baking powder as per usual in a cake, and also baking soda and vinegar which create a chemical reaction, creating bubbles and fizz. This is important in an eggless apple cake because it replaces the leavening which would otherwise be provided by eggs, helping the cake to rise well and be fluffier.
- Vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg & salt – For amazing flavour. Cinnamon and nutmeg work so well with the apple. If you aren't a fan of nutmeg you can omit it but I don't recommend you skip the cinnamon or the vanilla.
- Sugar - Sugar is important for flavour, structure, leavening and sweetness in a cake. I used organic cane sugar but white granulated will be fine, as would brown sugar. Bear in mind though that using brown sugar will change the colour and flavour of the cake. A really course sugar like turbinado is great to sprinkle on the top for texture. I see people reducing the sugar in baked goods a lot but know that if you do it will affect the flavour, crumb and appearance of the cake and you won't get the best result.
- Vegan yogurt - For moisture, tenderness and a slightly tighter crumb than more delicate cakes so that it can hold those apple chunks tight. Any plain or vanilla store bought vegan yogurt is fine or use my vegan yogurt recipe.
- Plant Milk: Any will do although I recommend using unsweetened. Don’t be tempted to use water instead of milk. It doesn't work as well.
- Oil - Some fat is necessary. It is what produces a soft, cake-y crumb. It also acts as a preservative. If you eat/bake oil-free you can replace the oil with the same amount of drippy nut-butter. Cashew butter gives the least nutty and most buttery flavour. Be sure to blend it with the milk before adding though so that it incorporates fully. The texture won't be quite as good as it is with oil but you will still get a good result.
- Apples - And lots of them! See under the heading "Best apples for apple cake" for more info on choosing the best apples.
- Flaked Almonds - Totally optional and only for sprinkling on the top prior to baking. They add lovely texture and nuttiness and makes it look really pretty too. You can omit them if you need the cake to be nut-free.
Best apples for apple cake
You can use whatever your favourite variety is or you can go for optimum flavour and texture by using a couple of different varieties. Play around with sweet, tart, firm and soft varieties to give your cake more interest.
I usually use a blend of crunchy, tart Granny Smith and sweet Gala or Fuji apples. If I were in England I'd be using at least 50% Bramley apples. They are so good for baking, but sadly we don't get them here.
How to make vegan apple cake
Ok, let's get down to how to make this beauty of a cake:
Step 1 - Mix the flour and spices together in a large bowl.
Step 2 - In another bowl, mix the wet ingredients and the sugar together really well. Partially dissolving the sugar in the liquid before adding it to the flour helps inhibit gluten formation which will make your cake more tender and soft.
Step 3 - Mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients to form a thick batter.
Step 4 - Add the apple to the bowl and fold it through the batter.
Step 6 - Spoon into the prepared pan, sprinkle with coarse sugar (LOTS of it!) and flaked almonds then bake.
Success tips
- Follow the recipe closely and as always with recipes involving flour, I highly recommend that you use a kitchen scale. Cup measurements are not accurate enough to get the best and consistent results. If you do need to use cups, spoon the flour into the cup then level off the top with a knife without compacting it or shaking it down. Do not scoop the flour up into the cup as you will end up with much more than intended and it will affect the outcome of the recipe.
- Don't over mix the batter. As with all cakes, the more you mix, the more you activate the gluten in the flour which really affects the texture and rise of the finished cake.
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients separately as instructed, before adding them all together. This helps avoid over-mixing.
- I recommend the use of a springform cake pan for this recipe as inverting it could damage it. Or use a 9 x 13inch pan that the cake can stay in for serving.
- Don’t turn the cake out of the pan too soon. With all of the apple chunks, it will be fragile and fall apart easily while it's hot.
Storage & freezing
Once baked and cooled completely this cake will keep well for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature. I don't recommend refrigeration for unfrosted cakes because it changes the texture of the sponge and dries them out. The cake will also freeze well. Wrap thoroughly and freeze for up to 3 months.
Variations
Baking is a science so I don't recommend making any changes to the main cake batter recipe as you may not get the best results. However, you can make minor changes to toppings or add-ins. Here are some ideas for making the cake your own:
- Omit the flaked almonds on top to make the recipe nut-free.
- Add a generous amount of vegan streusel to the top of the cake before baking instead of the sugary almond topping.
- Omit the almond and sugar topping and once cool add a layer of very decadent vegan cream cheese frosting.
- Add a big handful of golden raisins or chopped nuts to the batter at the same time as adding the chopped apple
- Add a couple tablespoons of dark rum to the batter but reduce the amount of milk you use to compensate. Stir it into the other liquids before mixing them with the dry ingredients.
- Add some stem ginger or ground ginger with the other spices.
Serving suggestions
This Vegan Apple Cake is really easy to make and perfect for feeding a crowd. It's one of those cakes that you can eat for brunch, snacks, potlucks, afternoon tea or dessert and it's great served warm from the oven or at room temperature.
Individual slices of cake can be gently warmed in a microwave for 30 seconds or so (the time will vary depending on the size of your slice and the power of your microwave).
Enjoy your cake just as it is or serve with a dollop of dairy-free vanilla ice cream, vegan whipped cream or tart vegan yogurt, or a drizzle of date caramel or vegan custard.
Hungry for more?
📖 Recipe
Vegan Apple Cake
Author:Ingredients
- 3 cups (375 grams) all purpose flour , (plain flour in the UK)
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda , (bicarbonate of soda in the UK)
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt , not table salt
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (144 grams or 150 mls) vegan yogurt , vanilla or plain, preferably unsweetened
- ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons (180 grams) sugar , cane, white granulated or light brown
- 1 cup (240 ml) unsweetened plant milk
- 5 tablespoons (75 ml) liquid oil , any neutral tasting oil like sunflower, vegetable, canola or melted refined coconut oil. For oil-free see the recipe notes.
- 1 teaspoon (5 ml) apple cider vinegar , or lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon (15 ml) vanilla extract
- 5 medium apples , about 700g (1.5 lb) of apples weighed before peeling/coring
For the topping
- ¼ cup (50 grams) coarse sugar , like turbinado or demerara
- ¼ cup (25 grams) flaked almonds , OPTIONAL (omit for nut-free)
RECOMMENDED EQUIPMENT
INSTRUCTIONS
- Preheat oven to 360 °F (182 °C) and make sure you have a shelf placed in the middle of the oven.
- Grease a 9-inch springform cake pan that's at least 3 inches deep or a 9 x 13 dish/pan. If using a cake pan cut a circle of parchment paper and put it in the bottom.
- To a large bowl add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt. Whisk them up to combine.
- In another bowl, add the yogurt, sugar, milk, oil, vinegar and vanilla. Whisk them all up until well combined.
- Peel, core and chop the apples into chunks of about ¼ inch.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir them together. Don't over mix or beat it vigorously. Just stir gently until you can no longer see any dry flour.
- Pour in the apple chunks and fold them gently and evenly through. Again don't over mix.
- Spoon into the prepared pan and level the top with a spatula. Sprinkle over the flaked almonds and the coarse sugar and place immediately in the oven on the middle shelf.
- If in a cake pan bake for around 1 hour and 15 minutes. It might need up to 1 hour 20 minutes. Insert a toothpick or skewer into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean then the cake is ready. If you see any signs of wet batter return to the oven for another five minutes. If baked in a 9 x 13 pan/dish check it at about 55 to 60 minutes. It might take a little longer though. The time will vary depending on whether you've used a metal pan or ceramic. Insert a toothpick or skewer into the centre of the cake. If it comes out clean then the cake is ready. If you see any signs of wet batter return to the oven for another five minutes.
- Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave for at least 15 to 20 minutes in the pan to settle. Before attempting to remove from the pan carefully run a knife or long spatula around the edges to free up any sugar or caramelized apple pieces that might have stuck to the side. Leave the cake to cool on a wire rack. If you baked it in a 9 x 13 pan/dish, allow it to cool in the pan/dish and serve straight from the pan/dish.
NOTES
Success Tips
- Follow the recipe closely and as always with recipes involving flour, I highly recommend that you use a kitchen scale. Cup measurements are not accurate enough to get the best and consistent results. If you do need to use cups, spoon the flour into the cup then level off the top with a knife without compacting it or shaking it down. Do not scoop the flour up into the cup as you will end up with much more than intended and it will affect the outcome of the recipe.
- Don't over mix the batter. As with all cakes, the more you mix, the more you activate the gluten in the flour which really affects the texture and rise of the finished cake.
- Mix the wet and dry ingredients separately as instructed, before adding them all together. This helps avoid over-mixing.
- I recommend the use of a springform cake pan for this recipe as inverting it could damage it. Or use a 9 x 13inch pan that the cake can stay in for serving.
- Don’t turn the cake out of the pan too soon. With all of the apple chunks, it will be fragile and fall apart easily while it's hot.
Storage & freezing Once baked and cooled completely this cake will keep well for 3 to 4 days in an airtight container at room temperature. I don't recommend refrigeration for unfrosted cakes because it changes the texture of the sponge and dries them out. The cake will also freeze well. Wrap thoroughly and freeze for up to 3 months.
To make oil-free Some fat is necessary. It is what produces a soft, cake-y crumb. It also acts as a preservative. If you eat/bake oil-free you can replace the oil with the same amount of drippy nut-butter. Cashew butter gives the least nutty and most buttery flavour. Be sure to blend it with the milk before adding though so that it incorporates fully. The texture won't be quite as good as it is with oil but you will still get a good result.
To make nut-free Omit the flaked almond topping.
NUTRITION
Nutritional information is provided for convenience & as a courtesy. The data is a computer generated estimate so should be used as a guide only.
This recipe was originally published on September 27th, 2019. I've since rewritten the post and now I am republishing it for you. I hope you enjoy it. Thank you for following A Virtual Vegan!
RiaSunflower says
This was a very good, impressive cake.
It actually tasted and had the texture of a cake unlike a lot of the other vegan cakes I've made. I used a mixture of peanut butter and oil, Sicilian orange essence in place of vanilla, and the extra addition of mixed nuts. Baked well in a silicone baking pan.
Many thanks. :)
Rochelle says
What a lovely recipe! Thank you! I love the suggestion to make it in a springform pan - it really adds elegance. It turned out beautifully, moist and perfectly spiced. Crunchy and sugary on top straight out of the oven. I used table salt in the recipe, followed weight measurements, and put only dark brown sugar on top. Going to freeze some for a later date.