Vegan Apple Cake

Take advantage of apple season with this Vegan Apple Cake recipe! This easy vegan apple cake is moist, perfectly spiced, and topped with luscious vegan salted caramel and delicious sliced apples!

This recipe was originally published on January 29, 2021. It was updated with new information on November 3, 2023.

This post is sponsored by Nature's Charm. All text and opinions are my own.

Ingredients

• Flour - You can use either all-purpose flour or gluten-free measure for measure flour blend, but make sure to use one that includes xanthan gum.
• Salt - To balance out the sweetness and enhance the flavors.
• Baking soda & baking powder - We need both types of leavening agents to add a lift to the cake.
• Cinnamon - Ground cinnamon pairs so well with apples! You can also substitute it with apple pie spice.
• Olive oil - I love the depth of flavor that olive oil gives but feel free to use a more neutral oil like avocado oil or grapeseed oil instead.
• Brown sugar - Not only does it add sweetness, but it also adds moisture and a toffee-like note to the cake.
• Granulated sugar - Adds a clean sweetness to the cake.
• Non-dairy milk - Use plain unsweetened milk. My favorite is plain almond milk, but feel free to use plain soy milk or oat milk!
• Flax egg - Combine ground flaxseeds and water to make a gel-like flax egg that's going to act as a binder in your cake.
• Vanilla - You can use pure vanilla extract or vanilla paste.
• Apple cider vinegar - Vinegar is going to react with the baking soda to create more lift in the cake.
• Apples - Use your favorite apple! My recommendation is to use one that keeps its shape well and has some tartness, like a Jonagold, Honey Crisp, or Granny Smith.
• Vegan Salted Caramel - To make this recipe the easiest apple upside down cake, I like using Nature's Charm's vegan salted caramel.

How to Make Vegan Apple Cake

Step 1: In the bottom of an 8-inch (20 cm) round cake pan, spread half a jar of vegan caramel sauce. Lay the apple slices on top of the caramel. Set it aside while making the cake batter.

Step 2: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, mix together the oil, brown sugar, granulated sugar, non-dairy milk, flax egg, vanilla extract, and apple cider vinegar.

Step 4: Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. If you're using gluten-free flour, let the batter rest for about 20-30 minutes to let the flour hydrate.

Step 5: While the cake batter is resting, preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C).

Step 6: Pour the cake batter over the sliced apples, even out the top with a spatula, and bake it in the preheated oven for about 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake rest for at least 10 minutes before turning it out onto a plate or platter. Let it cool completely before slicing.

Tips for Making the Best Vegan Apple Cake

• Don't overmix your batter. Stop mixing the cake batter as soon as there are no bits of dry flour. Overmixing can cause your cake to be dense.
• Let the cake batter rest if using gluten-free flour. Gluten-free flour takes much longer than traditional flour to hydrate. If you don't let the flour hydrate, you'll end up with a gritty texture in your cake, which no one wants! So be sure to let the cake batter rest for 30 minutes before baking.
• Cool the cake completely. As tempting as it is to cut into a warm cake (especially when it smells so good!), let the cake cool completely. It helps the moisture in your cake set, and your cake won't dry out as quickly.

Storage Directions

Storage: Store leftover slices in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge for up to 5 days. For gluten-free versions, eat within 3 days.

Freezing: Wrap each individual slice with a couple layers of plastic wrap before putting them in a freezer bag or airtight container, and freeze for up to 2 months.

More Delicious Vegan Desserts

• My vegan banana cupcakes are super moist, and you can't tell it's vegan at all!
• If you're more of a chocolate cake person, try my vegan chocolate banana cupcakes instead.
• This chocolate haupia pie is vegan, gluten-free, and no-bake! It has a layer of chocolate filling over a layer of coconut filling.
• Looking for vegan cookies? These chocolate chip chickpea cookies and gluten-free thumbprint cookies are a couple of my favorites!

Looking for non-vegan upside down cakes? Try my banana upside down cake, kumquat cake, or gluten-free pineapple upside down cake. You'd also love this apple honey ricotta cake and this gluten-free apple cobbler!

Thanks so much for stopping by! I hope you loved this Vegan Apple Cake as much as I did. For more mouth-watering dairy-free, gluten-free, and/or vegan dessert inspiration, make sure to follow me on Pinterest, Facebook, and Instagram. You can also get all of my newest content delivered straight to your inbox by signing up for my email newsletter — I promise not to spam you!