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!
3 cups (375grams)all purpose flour, (plain flour in the UK)
2½teaspoonsbaking powder
½teaspoonbaking soda, (bicarbonate of soda in the UK)
2teaspoonsground cinnamon
¼teaspoonground nutmeg
½teaspoonfine sea salt, not table salt
½ cup + 2 tablespoons (144grams or 150 mls)vegan yogurt, vanilla or plain, preferably unsweetened
¾ cup + 2 tablespoons (180grams)sugar , cane, white granulated or light brown
1 cup (240ml)unsweetened plant milk
5 tablespoons (75ml)liquid oil, any neutral tasting oil like sunflower, vegetable, canola or melted refined coconut oil. For oil-free see the recipe notes.
1 teaspoon (5ml)apple cider vinegar , or lemon juice
1 tablespoon (15ml)vanilla extract
5 mediumapples, about 700g (1.5 lb) of apples weighed before peeling/coring
For the topping
¼ cup (50grams)coarse sugar, like turbinado or demerara
¼ cup (25grams)flaked almonds, OPTIONAL (omit for nut-free)
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.
Video
Notes
Pan choiceTo make this 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 otherwise you risk losing a lot 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.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 & freezingOnce 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-freeSome 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-freeOmit the flaked almond topping.