Vegan Apple Cake

Name: Vegan Apple Cake
Prep time: 1 h
Cook time: 50 min
Total time: 1 h 50 min
Yield: 14 servings
Ingredients: 4 cups all-purpose flour; 2 ½ teaspoon baking powder; 1 ½ teaspoon baking soda; 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon; 1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger; ¾ teaspoon salt; ¾ cup applesauce; 2 ¼ cups unsweetened non-dairy milk; 1 ½ Tbsp apple cider vinegar; ⅔ cup neutral-tasting oil; 1 cup sugar; 1 ¼ cups brown sugar; 1 tablespoon vanilla; 5 large apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced; ⅓ cup brown sugar; 2 Tbsp maple syrup; 1 tablespoon corn starch; ½ cup bourbon; 1 ½ cups vegan butter (3 sticks), room temperature; 4 to 4 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted; 1 teaspoon vanilla; 1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 small apple; fresh lemon juice; ⅓ cup walnuts or pecans; dash of cinnamon

User Reviews

4.9

159 reviews

Excellent

Prep Time
1 hr
Cook Time
mins
Additional Time
1 hr
Total Time
1 hr 50 mins
Servings
14 servings
Calories
550 kcal
Course
Dessert
Cuisine
American

Vegan Apple Cake

Finn Russell

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Vegan Apple Layer Cake features fragrant, spice cakes layered with bourbon-apple compote and a simple vegan cinnamon frosting. This tried and true vegan cake recipe is always a hit!Yield: one 9-inch three-layer cake

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Ingredients

Servings

For the cakes:

4 cups all-purpose flour
2 ½ teaspoon baking powder
1 ½ teaspoon baking soda
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
1 ½ teaspoon ground ginger
¾ teaspoon salt
¾ cup applesauce
2 ¼ cups unsweetened non-dairy milk
1 ½ Tbsp apple cider vinegar
⅔ cup neutral-tasting oil
1 cup sugar
1 ¼ cups brown sugar
1 tablespoon vanilla

For the bourbon-apple filling:

5 large apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced any sweet variety you like
⅓ cup brown sugar
2 Tbsp maple syrup
1 tablespoon corn starch
½ cup bourbon or water

For the buttercream:

1 ½ cups vegan butter (3 sticks), room temperature
4 to 4 ½ cups powdered sugar, sifted
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Decoration:

1 small apple
fresh lemon juice
⅓ cup walnuts or pecans
dash of cinnamon

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Instructions

Make the cakes:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Oil three 9-inch cake pans, and line the bottoms with a circle of parchment paper.
Sift the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and ginger into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt and whisk well to combine. In a smaller bowl whisk together the milk, applesauce, vinegar, oil, vanilla, sugar and brown sugar.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry and whisk briefly, just until mixed and there's no visible dry flour. Divide the batter evenly among the three pans, and bake for 26 to 30 minutes, or until the tops bounce back when lightly pressed. You can also use a toothpick inserted in the center to test for doneness.
Let cool in the pans for about 10 minutes then turn out onto cooling racks. Carefully peel away the parchment. Cool completely before frosting. If making in advance, once the cakes are cool, wrap individually in plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Make the compote/filling:

In a medium-size saucepan over medium heat, cook the apples, brown sugar and maple syrup until the apples have softened and the mixture has thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes. In a mug or small bowl whisk the corn starch into the bourbon and add to the pan. Cook for another 3 to 5 minutes or until all the liquid has evaporated and the filling is jam-like.
Transfer the filling to a bowl to cool completely. If making in advance, store the filling in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The filling should be no warmer than room temperature when assembling the cake.

Make the frosting:

Using a handheld or stand mixer, cream the butter until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Add the sifted powdered sugar 1 cup at a time, beating on low speed between additions and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Taste for sweetness, and add the final ½ cup of sugar if desired. Add the cinnamon and vanilla, and beat on medium/high speed until fully incorporated and smooth. If making in advance, store the frosting in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Assemble the cake:

Place one cake layer on a serving plate or cake stand. Using an offset spatula spread a thin layer of frosting on the top and sides of the cake. Spoon about half of the bourbon-apple filling onto the frosting and spread in an even layer.
Place the 2nd cake layer. Repeat the process of spreading the frosting and apple filling. If your cakes are a bit domed and you want the filling to peek out through the side gaps (as pictured) frost the sides carefully to avoid getting frosting on the apple filling.
Place the 3rd cake layer and frost the top and sides.
Core and slice the apple, and coat each slice in lemon juice to prevent browning. Decorate the cake with apple slices, nuts, and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Serve and enjoy!

Notes

Store leftover cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. As with all cakes, once it is sliced the cake will begin to dry out.
The three components may be prepared the day before, but it's best to assemble the cake the day you plan to serve it. Let the frosting and compote warm at room temperature for a few minutes so they're easier to spread.