Vegan Apple Cake
This vegan apple cake is moist and fluffy and is topped with a pecan cinnamon streusel topping! It comes together in just 1 bowl with less than 10 ingredients. This cake can easily be made gluten-free, refined sugar-free and nut-free.
Simple ingredients you’ll need
The full list of ingredient quantities and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Notes about the ingredients
Apple, grated coarsely or chopped finely. Similar to carrot cake, grated apple imparts more flavor than apple chunks. I recommend using a sweeter variety such as fuji, gala or honeycrisp. If you prefer a tart cake, use Granny Smith apples. The apples can be peeled or left unpeeled, depending on what texture you prefer!
Light brown sugar provides moisture and depth of flavor to this vegan apple cake. You can use coconut sugar for a less sweet cake. Granulated sugar will work but your cake will have less flavor.
Dairy-free milk. I recommend using a higher-protein milk such as soy milk as it makes this cake more tender. However, any milk such as oat milk or almond milk will work!
Apple cider vinegar (optional). Acidic ingredients make cakes more tender and fluffy. Alternatively, you can use white vinegar or lemon juice.
Even though this apple crumb cake has no eggs, you don’t need any special egg replacers!
Tips for preparing the cake batter
The vegan apple cake comes together in one large bowl! All you need to do is:
- Whisk all the dry ingredients until combined.
- Add all the wet ingredients and fold until just combined. The batter should be pourable but thick and hold its shape.
- Keep the same bowl for the crumb topping because it saves you from washing extra dishes ;).
The cake batter is quite thick but don’t worry, your final cake will not be dry! During baking, the moisture from the apples leaks into the cake and helps create a very moist cake.
How to prepare the crumb topping
Simply mix all the ingredients in a bowl until there are no chunks of flour or butter. I like using my fingertips as the butter melts slightly which helps bind all the ingredients.
I also included a healthier crumb topping that is refined sugar-free and oil-free (see the notes in the recipe card). The healthier version is crunchy and slightly chewy due to the liquid sweetener.
Decoration recommendations
I also topped my vegan apple crumb cake with thinly sliced apples, inspired by the design of German Apfelkuchen. It’s a quick and easy way to make a cake presentable! However, you can also top your cake with:
- Cubed apples. This makes the cake easier to slice!
- Shredded coconut
- Pecans or other nuts by themselves
The baked cake is beautiful as is. But for something special, you can dust the cake with powdered sugar or drizzle a simple icing on top. It will make your morning or afternoon coffee even more special!
Top tips to make a FLUFFY apple cake
First, make sure your apple is NOT grated too finely otherwise can make your cake too moist! If your apple is very juicy, you may need to add more flour to your cake batter (details are in the notes of the recipe card below).
Second, I recommend using grams or the spoon and level method when measuring your ingredients!
Finally, make sure your oven is at the right temperature. If your oven is too hot, the top of your cake will burn quickly, and leave the middle uncooked. If your oven is too cold, your cake will be dense. I always recommend using an oven thermometer because many ovens (even new ones) don’t operate at the right temperature!
Can I make this cake gluten-free?
I’ve tested this vegan apple cake with a few combinations of gluten-free flour and it works well with:
- 50% almond flour and 50% gluten-free all-purpose flour (my top recommendation), OR
- King Arthur’s measure for measure flour. The batter will be thicker than pictured, and I recommend baking it for 63-68 minutes.
- 50% almond flour and 50% fine white rice flour
Expert Tips
I recommend using my vegan apple muffins recipe instead. The ingredients are similar to this recipe but the recipe is designed for a 12-cup muffin pan.
Some delicious additions to the cake itself are:
– chopped walnuts or pecans
– ground ginger, cardamon, nutmeg or other warm spices
– a cinnamon sugar layer, for example from my pumpkin coffee cake recipe
Feel free to substitute half of the oil with melted vegan butter. Butter solidifies at room temperature so can often make a cake feel dry so, for the best results, I suggest using only half melted butter.
Feel free to use spelt or whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. Your cake will be denser than the original but still delicious! Coconut sugar is the best 1:1 replacement for brown sugar.
A few readers have successfully replaced the oil with unsweetened applesauce and dairy-free plain greek yogurt. However, I haven’t tested them myself so can’t vouch for results.
More vegan apple desserts
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Vegan Apple Cake
Ingredients
Dry ingredients for the cake
- 2 ½ cups (315g) all-purpose plain flour, (spooned and leveled, see note 1 for gluten-free option)
- 1 cup (190g) packed brown sugar, coconut sugar or regular sugar
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon salt, optional
Wet ingredients for the cake
- 1 cup (240g) dairy-free milk
- 1 x (180g) medium-sized apple, grated very coarsely or chopped finely (note 2)
- ½ cup (120g) neutral flavored oil
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, optional
Crumb topping (note 3)
- ⅓ cup (35g) pecans, chopped
- ¼ cup (30g) all-purpose plain flour, or gluten-free all purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons (30g) vegan butter, spreadable butter or coconut oil, softened
- 2 tablespoons (25g) packed brown sugar, coconut sugar or regular sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 x (180g) medium-size apple, sliced thinly
To serve (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease or line an 8-inch (20 cm) springform or loose-bottom cake pan with parchment paper.
Make the vegan apple cake:
- Add all the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and mix until everything is well combined.
- Add all of the wet ingredients to the bowl and mix until just combined. The batter should be thick. Scoop or pour the batter into the cake pan and smooth the top with a spoon or spatula.
Prepare the crumb topping:
- Using the same bowl (or a smaller clean bowl), add all the ingredients for the topping. Mix with a spoon or your fingertips until combined. There shouldn't be any chunks of butter or flour.
Assemble and bake the cake:
- Arrange the thinly sliced apple on the top of the cake in 'fan' shapes or as desired. Sprinkle the crumble in the gaps on top of the cake.
- Bake the cake for 55-60 minutes or until done. If the crumble topping is browning too quickly, tent the cake pan with aluminum foil or cover the pan with an oven-safe plate. The cake is ready when you insert a toothpick in the middle and there is no batter on it, though a few crumbs are fine. If you gently press the middle of the cake, it should feel firm. (note 4)
- Rest the cake in the cake pan for 10-15 minutes. Remove the cake from the pan and allow it cool entirely on a cooling rack.
- If desired, dust the cake with powdered sugar or drizzle with a simple glaze (note 5). Enjoy with dairy-free yogurt, vegan ice cream or/and a cup of coffee.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, in the fridge for 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month.
Video
Notes
- Please measure the flour accurately, otherwise your cake will be dry and dense. If you’re using measuring cups, use the spoon and level method where you fluff up the flour in the bag, use a spoon to add flour to a measuring cup, then level it off with a knife. Please son’t use the measuring cup to scoop flour out of your container, as it will pack in too much flour. Alternatively, use the grams measurements.
To make a gluten-free vegan apple cake, use 1 1/2 cups (150g) almond flour and 1 cup (160g) gluten-free all-purpose flour. Alternatively, this cake works well with using only King Arthur’s gluten-free measure for measure flour. The batter will be thicker and the cake will be slightly denser than the almond flour version. I recommend baking the latter one for a few extra minutes. - This cake will be too moist if you grate the apples too finely. Ideally, the grated apple shouldn’t leak any juice. If your apple is extra juicy, use an extra 3 tablespoons (25g) of flour in the recipe.
- For a healthier crumble, use the same amount of pecans, flour and cinnamon but combine it with 1 tbsp of maple syrup (instead of the sugar and butter). Mix all ingredients until there are no pockets of flour or syrup then crumble the mixture on the cake.
- This is a tall cake with a lot of fruit, so please don’t be alarmed if your cake takes longer than 60 minutes to bake. Some ovens run cool, and some apples are extra juicy and these will affect the bake time.
- To make a simple glaze, mix 1 cup (100g) of powdered/icing sugar with 2-4 tablespoons of dairy-free milk until smooth. Add more sugar for a thicker glaze or more milk for a thinner glaze. Wait until the cake cools then drizzle the glaze on top.
This post and recipe was originally published in 2019 and updated in 2021 with a video, more detailed pictures and an easier crumb topping. The original healthier crumble is in the notes!
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Hi there! I tried this out today and it came together really easily and looks great. But… I have a slight metallic after taste and was wondering if 3 tsp of baking powder is too much? Also, should I crush the pecans before using them in the crumble? Probably two very basic questions… thank you!! You have lots of wonderful recipes!
Hey! I find that there’s only a metallic taste in cakes if you reduce the sugar. This is a very moist cake from all the grated apple so if I decreased the baking powder, the cake wouldn’t bake through! Also yes, the pecans should be crushed but they can also be used whole if you prefer. Hope that helps and thanks for your kind words!
Super easy to make and delicious. I love a cake that you can make in 15mins and only dirty one bowl! My only substitute was that I used walnuts instead of pecans and the crumble topping was still so good. Thanks so much for the recipe.
That’s amazing! And oh me too – I definitely don’t like those dirty dishes :). Thanks so much for your feedback x
5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️Wow. Amazing recipe, it was so easy to make and it came out perfectly risen, fluffy and delicious!! I used cooking apples which I think worked well and I love the cinnamon flavour. This will be a go to cake for me now! Thanks so much for the recipe Anthea.
Aw that’s amazing Anna! So happy you loved this cake :). Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment! x
Best healthy apple cake recipe I made so far! Moist, sweet and delicious! Both, my parents and me loved it !
I’m so happy to hear that you all loved it! Thanks so much for your comment 🙂
What a delicious cake Anthea! Each time I make this apple crumble deliciousness my friends and family are so impressed that this is entirely vegan. I swap the pecans for almonds and walnuts since I’m allergic to pecans. I highly recommend making this cake in the fall, or really throughout the entire year (it is way too good!).
Aw I’m so happy you enjoyed this cake Fedra! Glad that you were still able to enjoy the crumble too :). Thanks so much for your lovely comment, I really appreciate it! x
Hi Anthea, this cake looks lovely! I love the flavours of apple and cinnamon, they’re such a perfect pair, and especially comforting in this cold weather we have right now in Melbourne! I want to make this cake but I can’t eat nuts, so what could I replace the nuts with in the crumble topping?
Hi Olivia, thank you soo much! For the topping, you could use seeds (sunflower/pumpkin) instead of nuts or just use more flour (add enough so it forms a thick crumble). I hope that helps 🙂
Hi Anthea, thanks for getting back to me! I made the cake tonight, it was delicious! I understand it’s meant to be a very moist cake, but it came out a little dense at the bottom (not much fluffy cake, just a moist layer, maybe it was all the apples melded together?). Not sure what might have happened?
Hey! Sorry to hear that happened – the cake is meant to be moist but very fluffy! Can I ask what was the texture of your batter (if it wasn’t thick, it may be a mismeasurement of ingredients i.e. using cups)? Alternatively, dense bits in a cake can mean your oven wasn’t hot enough (many ovens aren’t the temperature they say) or you may have over mixed or undermixed your ingredients.
Made this vegan apple cake recipe for the first time last night and let me just say it’s great! I replaced the 1/2 cup of light oil with Unsweetened Applesauce (I do this in 99% of vegan baking recipes) and it turned out soft, spongy and delicious. Also was too lazy to grate or slice the apples, I finely chopped them for both the cake and the topping and it still turned out great, more homespun, less fancy.
Overall, loved it and will absolutely make again, most likely with pears!
Hi Katrina!!! Thanks so much for your lovely feedback and so glad that applesauce worked for you! It’s not very accessible here in Australia but I’ve heard great things about it! I love homespun cakes too and the idea of using pears instead! Thanks again xo
This cake id delicious! Made it for the first time and it is light and fluffy.
I will add more apple in the mix as i love apple in tea cakes, hopefully that doesn’t affect the balance too much. Thanks for a great recipe, this is going in my faves!
That’s so amazing Vee and glad that more apple worked for you! Thanks for your lovely feedback and comment xo
I’m a beginner at this GF baking. Will those gluten free flour blend work here? I just feel like I buy all sort of flours just for like 1 cake.
It honestly depends on the GF flour blend! I’d recommend a 1:1 high quality GF flour (such as Bob Red Mills) or use part almond flour and part GF flour blend.
I used apple sauce instead of oil and it was delicious!
Oh I’m so glad that it worked with apple sauce too! Thank you!
Delicious cake and wonderful recipe!! Totally worth a try 🙂
Thanks so much Dominique!!
I loved the way the cake has turned out. I did use brown rice flour instead of white rice flour. The texture was different. But overall the cake tasted great 🙂
So glad that you loved the cake and good to know brown rice flour worked too. Brown rice flour is more gritty than white rice flour so that would explain the difference in texture! Thanks for your kind comment 🙂
Thank you Anthea! This cake was just what the whole family needed after over a month self isolating!
I woke up earlier and made a surprise to my family! The wonderful smells of apples and cinnamon filled the house!
I had to find a substitute for the pecans ( I could not find them), so I used dried mulberries and agave syrup instead.
I didn’t lower the oven rack and the cake grew much more than I expected, so it burned a little bit on the top! But it was absolutely delicious! It didn’t last until the evening!
I will have to bake another one again soon!
Sandra S.B.
Oh this all sounds amazing Sandra! I love the smell of apple and cinnamon throughout the house and I love your substitutions too! Thanks for leaving such a lovely review! Take care and good luck with self-isolation 🙂 (we are all in it together) xo
Thank you Anthea for sharing this recipe, it was exactly what I was craving! I made it gluten free as directed but added extra cinnamon! Was an absolute delight. Highly recommended and very keen to try more of your recipes!
Oh I’m so glad to hear Rachel! Glad you enjoyed the gf version and love that you added more cinnamon!! Thanks for your lovely comment 🙂
what a treat! Made this cake over a rainy weekend here in Auckland, and it was just the perfect treat for a cuddle with a cup of earl grey. I did not have pecans unfortunately as we are in strict lockdown, but had a mix of sleeved almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts so chopped all up and used that as a replacement for the topping. Nevertheless it was one of the best cakes I have ever tried! Have shared it with our family chat so more can discover this beauty. Thank you so much! I also have your recipe books and it is my ‘dessert bible’ 🙂 Lucia (sweet as vegan)
That’s the best news Lucia! The cake warm from the oven would be just perfect for a raining weekend. Love the sound of almonds, hazelnuts and walnuts! Thanks so much for your kind words and thanks for buying my cookbook too! Sending love xo
Could I make this in a cast iron pan instead of a cake pan? If so, would you adjust time or temperature ?
Thanks!
I haven’t tried it but I don’t see a reason why not! Try baking it at the same temperature but for just 5-10 mins longer 🙂
Can i use something else instead of oil, i.e. yoghurt, or greek tachini or almond butter?
Hi Xenia, I’ve tried yoghurt but it resulted in a really dense cake. I haven’t tried tahini or almond butter but think they would work – if you give it a go, let me know if it was successful!
Can brown rice flour be used instead of the white rice flour? Does it make a difference in the outcome? Thanks!
Yes you can use brown rice flour! I find that brown rice flour is slightly more gritty than white rice so the texture might be different. But it’ll still work 🙂