Vegan Caramel Apple Cake recipe (2024)

Vegan.

Wanting the perfect cake to bake for Autumn? Look no further!

Kick-off the ‘fall’ with this over the top and quintessentially autumnal caramel apple inspired cake, with a spiced sponge, vanilla cream cheese frosting, topped with a caramel drizzle and whole caramel apple.

This is the definition of warming, comfort food even if it is in cake form- haha! Rich and infused with some of the most delicious spices known to man.

This cake pretty much how I imagine fall- warming, comforting, and cosy.

Vegan Caramel Apple Cake recipe (1)

Vegan Caramel Apple Cake recipe (2)

Caramel apples remind me when was younger. Me, my mum, dad and sister would pop to the supermarkets and hunt down caramel apples before heading to the local fireworks display. They bring such fond memories for me!

Thankfully, its apple season which means we can make as much caramel apple treats as we like- hurray!

Recently i made caramel apple cupcakes and they went down an absolute storm, I just had too step up my game and create the most moorish cake imaginable.

Why you must make this cake?

  • The sponge is perfectly moist
  • Loaded with comforting spice
  • The cream cheese frosting adds the perfect balance of sweet and tangy

Vegan Caramel Apple Cake recipe (3)

Vegan Caramel Apple Cake recipe (4)

Vegan Caramel Apple Cake recipe (5)

How do you make a vegan caramel apple cake?

  • To make this scrumptious cake, you want to make vegan buttermilk with dairy-free milk and apple cider vinegar.
  • In a bowl, combine self-raising flour, sugar, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, and a combination of the most iconic ‘autumnal spices’- ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg and ground ginger. These spices combined to create the most flavoursome cake imaginable.
  • Add oil to the buttermilk, whisk to combine then pour into the dry mixture.
  • Add wet into the dry and combine.
  • Pour into lined cake tins and bake. Voila, Apple Cake!!!

You can store the cake un-iced in a sealed container at room temperature ready to ice the following day. I like to do this as it allows the flavours and spices to infuse further.

How do I make a vegan cream cheese frosting?

This absolutely delicious cream cheese frosting is made using dairy-free butter, dairy-free cream cheese, icing sugar, and vanilla extract.

  • Whip the dairy-free butter and cream cheese together until light and cream, then whip in the icing sugar and vanilla extract until smooth. This frosting will be the perfect taste and texture to add to any cake, but particularly delicious on a spiced cake, carrot cake, or red velvet cake.

Vegan Caramel Apple Cake recipe (6)

Vegan Caramel Apple Cake recipe (7)

Preparation: 20 minutes

Baking time:30 minutes

Serves: Approximately 10-12

Level: Medium

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Ingredients for the cake

-480ml of dairy-free milk

-2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar

-420g of self-raising flour

-2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon

-1 teaspoon of ground nutmeg

-1 teaspoon of ground ginger

-450g of caster sugar

-1 teaspoon of baking powder

-1 teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda

-120g of vegetable oil / melted coconut oil

Ingredients for the cream cheese frosting

-250g of dairy-free butter

-50g of dairy-free cream cheese

-1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

-600g of icing sugar

Decorations

-1 whole red apple

Caramel sauce

-Cinnamon sticks and star anise

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Method (cakes)

1. Preheat your oven to 180 degrees c and line three 6 inch cake tins with grease-proof paper.

2. In a bowl, combine the dairy-free milk with the apple cider vinegar and whisk until fully combined.

Set aside for 10 minutes to curdle. This creates a vegan ‘buttermilk’.

3. In a large mixing bowl, sift the flour, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, ground ginger, sugar, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.

Mix well to combine.

4. Add the oil into the ‘buttermilk’ and whisk to combine.

5. Add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix.

6. Pour equal amounts of batter into the lined cake tins.

Make sure to tap the tins on the worktop to remove any air bubbles.

Optional: Sprinkle biscuit crumbs over the cakes before baking.

7. Pop the cakes into the center of the preheated oven and bake for around 30 minutes.

You will know they are done when you put a knife or skewer in and it comes out clean and they are springy to the touch.

8. Place the cakes on a cooling rack and allow to cool fully.

Once cool, pop them into a sealed container to keep them fresh before frosting.

Method (Cream cheese frosting)

1. In a bowl/stand mixer, cream the dairy-free butter and cream cheese until light and fluffy, then add in the vanilla extract and icing sugar in stages until fully combined.

Add a splash of dairy-free milk if the buttercream is too thick. If its too runny, add more icing sugar until its a nice and creamy consistency.

2. Stack and fill the cakes with the frosting, then crumb coat the whole cake and pop into the fridge to set.

This will take 20-25 minutes.

3.When the crumb coat feels firm to the touch, add a thick layer of the frosting all over the cake and using a smooth or textured cake scraper or large spatula, smooth out the buttercream.

4. Add caramel sauce into a piping bag and drizzle it around the top edge of the cake, so it drips down the sides of the cake. Spread it evenly over the top of the cake too.

5. If you have any frosting leftover, add it to a piping bag fitted with a large star tip nozzle and pipe a decorative border around the top edge of the cake.

6. Dunk an apple into the caramel sauce and place it on the top of the cake. Add a stick or paper straw to create the classic /candy apple’ effect.

Decorate with some biscuit crumbles, a cinnamon stick and star anise for an autumnal touch.

Serve fresh and store in a sealed container in the fridge.

Best eaten within a few days!

Vegan Caramel Apple Cake recipe (8)

Vegan Caramel Apple Cake recipe (9)

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Vegan Caramel Apple Cake recipe (10)

Vegan Caramel Apple Cake recipe (11)

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Vegan Caramel Apple Cake recipe (2024)

FAQs

Why is my vegan cake rubbery? ›

The ratio of wet ingredients (fat and vegan milk) to dry ingredients (flour, cocoa powder etc.) has to be in perfect balance. If you have too much fat and too little milk and/or flour, you'll get a greasy cake. If you have too much milk and not enough fat, you'll end up with a gummy, dense cake.

Why are vegan cakes so crumbly? ›

There are a few reasons why your vegan cake might fall apart. One common reason is overmixing the batter, which can activate the gluten in the flour and create a crumbly texture. Not using enough liquid or fat can also result in a cake that falls apart.

Can you use eating apples instead of cooking apples in a cake? ›

You can use any eating apples that are in season, or any that you have to hand, but my favourites are Cox's Orange Pippins and Braeburn apples for flavour.

Why does my apple cake fall apart? ›

There are two main reasons why an apple cake would fall apart: (1) it was simply too warm when you were trying to cut and serve it or (2) you used too many/the wrong kind of apple. See notes above about picking and choosing the best kinds of apples for a recipe like this.

Why do vegan cakes need vinegar? ›

The reason that you'll see apple cider vinegar or vinegar in a lot of vegan baked goods is because it helps with the leavening. It's an acid and it helps the cakes to rise.

Do vegan cakes taste different? ›

Flavor Differences

Gluten-Free bakers have different flour types to experiment with, and vegan bakers now have new alternatives to dairy products. In addition, vegan and gluten-free cakes contain way more fruits than regular cakes; this gives them a unique flavor.

Are vegan cakes healthier than normal cakes? ›

Are vegan cakes healthier than non-vegan cakes, you may ask? For the most part, not really; while the removal of butter can mean less saturated fat, the vegan friendly replacement, often cocoa butter, can be similar in saturated fat levels.

Why does my vegan cake taste bitter? ›

One of the most common misfortunes among bakers is that they are using too much baking soda or baking powder. Know that too much baking soda or baking powder in cakes will not just lead to a metallic and bitter taste, but it can also make a big mess in the oven as it will rise beyond expectations.

Are vegan cakes healthier? ›

Reduced Saturated Fats: Traditional cakes often rely on butter, a source of saturated fats. Excessive saturated fat consumption can lead to health issues like obesity and cardiovascular disease. Vegan cakes utilise healthier fats like coconut oil, reducing saturated fat intake and promoting better heart health.

Can I use light brown sugar in a cake? ›

As soft light brown sugar has more moisture and some flavour from molasses it is fine to use in chocolate cakes, brownies and banana based cakes. However it would be a little too strong for lighter butter cakes such as Victoria Sponge, madiera cake, pound cake and vanilla cupcakes.

Should you peel apples before baking? ›

peel your apples. While the debate on whether or not to peel your apples seems never-ending, it really comes down to a matter of personal choice. Unpeeled apples will add a bit of color and texture to your pie, but they may prevent the apples from melding together when baked.

What is the best apple to use in a cake? ›

Bon Appetit says the best apples for baking are Jonagold, Honeycrisp, Braeburn, Mutsu, Winesap, Pink Lady (Cripps Pink) but they also use Granny Smith often. They've listed several apples that have already been mentioned that are crisp and either sweet or tart.

How to tell if apple cake is done? ›

The idea behind this test is you can insert a toothpick or paring knife into the center of the cake to see if the crumb has set. If the tester comes out clean, it's done. If it comes out gummy or with crumbs clinging to it, the cake needs more time in the oven.

How to know when apple cake is done? ›

A fully baked apple cake should be golden brown and may start to pull away from the sides of the pan slightly. Knife Test: Similar to the toothpick test, you can insert a thin knife into the center of the cake. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready.

Can you eat a cake that has sunk in the middle? ›

If your cake was cooked to the proper temperature, chances are it is still edible even if it sunk in the center. Check that it's baked through the middle, then try a small piece of your cake. It might not taste good if the ingredient measurements were off. Notice the texture to make sure it's not too dense or spongy.

Why is my eggless cake chewy? ›

It is important to not overmix your cake, as mixing too much or too vigorously makes gluten – the protein in wheat flour that makes breads chewy – form too much structure too early in the cake-making process, which results in a gummier, less tender cake.

What to do with rubbery cake? ›

You could do some sort of "bread pudding" or a triffle. mix into ice cream... dry in low oven or dehydrator and use as "breadcrumbs"... use as struesel topping on another cake....??

Why is my cake texture chewy? ›

Overmixing

Overworking the batter, especially if it contains gluten, will result in a tough, chewy cake. You'll often see the instructions, “mix until just combined,” in cake recipes. This means to stop mixing as soon as you see that all ingredients are evenly incorporated.

What causes gummy cake texture? ›

Categories
QuestionsCommon Cake Mistakes
Why does my cake have a gummy streak in the center?○ High gluten flour (eg. bread flour) ○ Too much flour used ○ Over-mixing of batter
Why did my cake overflow?○ Overmeasured leavening agents ○ Overfilled pans
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