Vegan Apple Coffee Cake
Vegan Apple Coffee Cake with a thick cinnamon sugar swirl, layer of juicy apples and buttery cinnamon crumb topping. This recipe is essentially half coffee cake, and half apple crumble!
Ingredients
Crumb topping
- ¾ cup (95g) all-purpose plain flour spooned and leveled
- 3 tablespoons (40g) granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons (35g) packed light brown sugar or more granulated sugar
- 4 ½ tablespoons (65g) melted vegan butter
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Apple layer
- 2 x (~275g) peeled and chopped small apples weighed after peeling
- 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons (16g) all-purpose plain flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
Cinnamon Sugar layer (optional)
- ¼ cup (65g) packed brown sugar light or dark
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Vanilla Cake
- 1 ¾ cups (220g) all-purpose plain flour spooned and leveled
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup (130g) unsweetened applesauce or unsweetened dairy-free yogurt, room temperature (note 2)
- ½ cup (110g) neutral flavored oil (note 3)
- 5 tablespoons (70g) dairy-free milk room temperature
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar or lemon juice (optional)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (355°F). Line an 8-inch (20 cm) square tin with parchment paper, with some paper overhanging.
Make the crumb topping:
- Add all the ingredients to a small bowl and mix until combined. Set aside in the fridge until needed. (note 4)
Prepare the apple filling:
- Add all the ingredients to a medium bowl and toss until combined. Set aside.
Prepare the cinnamon sugar layer (optional):
- Mix together the brown sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Set aside.
Make the cake:
- Add all the dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl, and until well combined. Add all the wet ingredients and mix until just combined. The batter should be quite thick.
Assemble and bake the cake:
- Pour half of the batter into your prepared pan and smooth the surface. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar on top. Pour the remaining batter into the cake pan and smooth the surface. When you smooth the second layer of cake batter, it won't stick to the cinnamon sugar. The trick is to avoid lifting your spatula as much possible, but don't worry if it's not perfect.
- Scatter the apples on top of the batter (don't press them down). Then, sprinkle the crumble on top of the cake.
- Bake the cake for about 1 hour 3 minutes to 1 hour 8 minutes. The cake is ready when the topping is golden brown. If you insert a toothpick in the center of the cake, it should have no wet cake batter on it.
- Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 30 minutes then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Use a serrated knife to cut the cake into slices. Serve the cake as is, or with a scoop of ice cream (see note 4 to make a simple icing). This cake is best on the day of baking. You can store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days, in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 1 month. The crumble will soften over time.
Notes
- For more depth of flavor in the cake, you can replace half of the oil with butter. Use 3 tablespoons (45g) oil and 3 tablespoons (45g) melted vegan butter.
- Please ensure your applesauce and milk are at room temperature otherwise your batter won't emulsify well, and your cake won't bake evenly. If you use yogurt, I recommend adding an extra 2 tablespoons (25g) of sugar to the batter as yogurt is less sweet than applesauce.
- For extra depth of flavor, instead of just oil, you can use 1/4 cup (55g) of melted vegan butter and 1/4 cup (55g) of a neutral oil.
- If your butter is still hot, your crumble may resemble a thick paste rather than a crumbly mixture. Don't worry because the fridge will help firm up the mixture.
- You can make a simple icing by mixing ¾ cup (75g) of powdered sugar and 3-4 teaspoons of dairy-free milk. Mix in more sugar for a thicker icing or more liquid for a thinner icing. When the cake has cooled, drizzle the icing on top of the cake.