This vegan apple cake gives you an incredibly moist, apple-packed cake with simple pantry ingredients and a gorgeous apple topping—no eggs or butter needed.
If you love baking with apples, try our baked apple oatmeal, apple muffins, or apple bread next. They’re simple, cozy recipes that make the most of fresh apples.
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Why you’ll love our vegan apple cake
If you love apple cake, this is the one to make. 🍎 It’s ridiculously moist, packed with four whole apples, warmly scented with cinnamon, vanilla, and lemon, and finished with a gorgeous layer of caramelized apples on top.
This recipe is inspired by the apple cake my Nonna Lidia made for us growing up. I still remember running up the stairs to her home and smelling it baking. ❤️ Today, Louise and I make it again and again—and it’s every bit as comforting as I remember.
The ingredients couldn’t be simpler: everyday pantry staples, plenty of fresh apples, no eggs, and no butter. It’s naturally low in saturated fat and wonderfully fruit-forward, making it a feel-good treat for everyday baking.
Have it for breakfast, grab a slice with coffee in the afternoon, or serve it for dessert with vanilla ice cream. 🍰 Vegan or not, this is a seriously good apple cake.
P.S: For more simple homemade cakes, try our vegan lemon cake, carrot cake, or easy vanilla cake. They’re easy enough for everyday baking and made with familiar ingredients.
Ingredients
Full ingredients and substitutions are in the recipe box below.
- Apples: firm, sweet-tart apples are ideal. Try Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Fuji, Gala, or Granny Smith.
- All-purpose flour: gives the cake a tender, reliable crumb. You can replace half with whole wheat flour for a heartier cake.
- Sugar: regular granulated sugar works perfectly. Cane sugar or light brown sugar are good alternatives.
- Almond milk: use unsweetened almond milk or substitute oat, soy, or another plant milk you enjoy.
- Vegetable oil: keeps the cake soft without butter. Use a neutral oil such as avocado, sunflower, or canola.
- Baking powder: gives the cake its lift. Make sure yours is fresh for the best rise.
- Vanilla extract: adds warmth and brings out the sweetness of the apples. Vanilla paste works too.
- Cinnamon: adds that classic warm apple-cake flavor. Pumpkin pie spice is a delicious alternative.
- Lemon zest: brightens the apples and makes the cake beautifully fragrant. Orange zest works well too.
- Salt: just a pinch makes the other flavors pop.
How to Make Vegan Apple Cake
Step 1. Make the batter
Line your cake pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 360°F (180°C).
In a large bowl, whisk together the almond milk, vegetable oil, sugar, vanilla, and lemon zest.
Sift in the flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix just until the batter is smooth and thick. Don’t overmix.
Pan size: We usually use an 8.5-inch (21 cm) pan. An 8-inch (20 cm) pan makes a taller cake and may need a few extra minutes, while a 9-inch (23 cm) pan makes a shorter cake and may bake a little faster.
Step 2. Add the apples
Core the apples and cut 2½ of them into small pieces. You can leave the peel on.
Fold the apple pieces gently into the batter with a spatula, then pour everything into the prepared pan and spread the top evenly.
This generous amount of fruit is what gives the cake its soft, apple-packed center.
Step 3. Decorate the top
Thinly slice the remaining apples and arrange them over the batter in a circular pattern, slightly overlapping the slices.
Mix the sugar and cinnamon, then sprinkle it evenly over the apples.
As it bakes, the topping becomes lightly caramelized and gives the cake its beautiful finish.
Step 4. Bake and cool
Bake on the center rack at 360°F (180°C) for 55 minutes to 1 hour.
Insert a skewer into the center. It should come out mostly dry. If you see wet batter, bake for another 5 minutes and check again.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove it and cool for at least 1 hour before slicing. This helps the soft, fruit-filled center set before you cut into it.
Tips
- Cut the inside apples small: Small pieces distribute evenly through the batter and become tender as the cake bakes.
- Keep the peel on: There’s no need to peel the apples. It saves time, adds texture, and the peel softens as it bakes.
- Sift the flour: This removes lumps and adds a little air, helping the cake bake up lighter.
- Don’t overmix: Once the flour goes in, mix only until the batter is smooth and you no longer see dry flour.
- Expect a thick batter: With all those apple pieces, the batter will look thick and fruit-packed. That’s exactly what you want.
- Slice the topping apples thinly: Thin, overlapping slices soften nicely and make the top look beautiful.
- Don’t open the oven early: Keep the oven door closed for the first 30 minutes to help prevent the cake from deflating.
- Bake on the oven rack, not a baking tray: A hot tray can overcook the base of the cake.
- Watch the cake, not just the timer: Insert a skewer into the center; it should come out mostly dry, without wet batter.
- Don’t rush the cooling: This cake is very moist, so let it cool well before slicing to help the center set.
- Try the yogurt variation: For a slightly richer version, use ⅔ cup (160 g) plant yogurt + ½ cup (120 g) plant milk instead of the 1 cup of plant milk.
- Turn it into muffins: Divide the batter into a 12-muffin tin and bake at 360°F (180°C) for about 25–27 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Any apple will work, but we prefer sweet, crisp varieties that hold their shape when baked, such as Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Fuji, Gala, or Golden Delicious.
Our favorites are Honeycrisp and Pink Lady because they’re naturally sweet with just enough tartness to balance the cake.
No. We usually leave the peel on because it saves time and softens as the cake bakes. You can peel them if you prefer a more delicate texture.
Yes. For a richer, slightly creamier cake, replace the 1 cup of plant milk with ⅔ cup (160 g) plant yogurt and ½ cup (120 g) plant milk.
If you’re not vegan, you can use regular yogurt, low-fat Greek yogurt, or Skyr instead.
You can replace half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. Using all whole wheat flour will make the cake denser and more rustic.
Absolutely. Divide the batter among a 12-muffin tin and bake at 360°F (180°C) for about 25–27 minutes, or until a skewer comes out mostly dry.
With four apples, this is naturally a very moist fresh apple cake. If a skewer shows wet batter, continue baking in 5-minute increments. Also, let the finished cake cool for at least 1 hour before slicing so the center can set.
Let the cake cool completely, then keep it covered at room temperature for a short period or refrigerate it for longer storage. Bring refrigerated slices to room temperature before serving if you prefer a softer texture.
You can also freeze individual slices, well wrapped, then thaw them at room temperature when you want one.
Easy desserts & baking
- Vegan Banana Bread
- Almond Flour Blueberry Muffins
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Almond Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Date Brownies
- Cake Donuts
- Banana Oatmeal Muffins
If you try this Vegan Apple Cake Recipe please leave a 🌟 star rating and let us know how it turned out in the comments—we love hearing from you.
Vegan Apple Cake (Simple Pantry Recipe)
Video
Equipment
- 8, 8.5, or 9-inch (20, 21, or 23 cm) round cake pan
Ingredients
- 4 apples divided, 2½ for the filling and 1½ on top.
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup sugar plus 2 tablespoons to sprinkle on top
- 1 cup almond milk or another non-dairy milk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extra
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ lemon the grated zest
- 1 pinch salt
Instructions
- Make the batter: Line a cake pan with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 360°F (180°C).Whisk 1 cup almond milk, ¼ cup vegetable oil¾ cup sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extra, and the grated zest of ½ lemon in a large bowl.Sift in 2 cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and 1 pinch salt, then mix just until smooth and thick. Don’t overmix.
- Add the apples: Core the apples and cut 2½ into small pieces; peeling is optional. Gently fold them into the batter, then pour into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Decorate the top: Thinly slice the remaining apples and arrange them on top, slightly overlapping. Mix the 2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon, then sprinkle over the apples.
- Bake and cool: Bake on the center rack at 360°F (180°C) for 55 minutes to 1 hour. A skewer inserted in the center should come out mostly dry. If you see wet batter, bake for 5 more minutes and check again.Cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove and let cool for at least 1 hour before slicing.
Notes
- Apples → Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Fuji, Gala, or Granny Smith.
- All-purpose flour → Replace up to half with whole wheat flour.
- Sugar → Cane sugar or light brown sugar.
- Almond milk → Oat, soy, or another plant milk.
- Vegetable oil → Avocado, sunflower, or canola oil.
- Baking powder → No substitution listed.
- Vanilla extract → Vanilla paste.
- Cinnamon → Pumpkin pie spice.
- Lemon zest → Orange zest.
- Salt → No substitution listed.
- Cut apples small: They’ll soften evenly and spread throughout the cake.
- Skip the peeling: The peel softens as it bakes.
- Sift the flour: Fewer lumps, lighter cake.
- Don’t overmix: Stop as soon as the batter is smooth.
- Expect thick batter: Fruit-packed and thick is exactly right.
- Slice topping apples thin: They soften better and look beautiful.
- Keep the oven closed: Don’t peek during the first 30 minutes.
- Use the oven rack: A baking tray can overcook the bottom.
- Check with a skewer: Mostly dry means it’s done.
- Cool before slicing: Give the moist center time to set.
- Try yogurt: Use ⅔ cup yogurt + ½ cup plant milk for a richer variation.
- Make muffins: Bake 12 at 360°F for 25–27 minutes.
- Store well: Cool completely before covering or refrigerating; freeze individual slices for longer storage.
Nutrition
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Hi! We are Nico & Louise
We're here to share easy, healthy, and delicious recipes 🌿✨.
Welcome to our blog, we are glad you are here.
Waiting for the cake to come out of the oven 🤤 I will report back , I was very excited about the cake it looks so healthy and yummy . I reduced the sugar to 1/3 cup and added 1/4 cup of maple syrup . I only had Granny Smith I like those because they aren’t overly sweet , reduce the oil by half and replaced it with unsweetened apple sauce , I did two tsp cinnamon and 1 tsp pumpkin spice also I grated some nutmeg . I did not add the sugar I always try to cut back if I sprinkle the powder sugar to make it festive I don’t want the extra sugar . I like to serve my apple cake with a scoop of ice cream and drizzle of yummy maple syrup . If the recipe turns out amazing I will use this base cake for pears , peach even blueberries why not . Thank you 😊 can’t wait
Hey! I made this and it’s the first cake I have had success with and my husband is happy. I did add fresh cranberries and 6 apples.
Yay, that’s great 💪
How wonderful that your husband enjoyed the cake too 🙂
Thank you for the tip on fresh cranberries, it sounds delicious in the apple cake.
All the best,
Louise
Hola Chef,
It’s been a while since I’ve made this DELICIOUS cake! Ricetta proprio all’Italiana come la faceva la Sig.ra Bruna 😉 I can’t remember which apples I used. What do you recommend?
Grazie,
Sara
Hi Sara,
Thank you for your message. For this cake, you can use any apple varieties.
If you like your apple cake to be on the sweet side, then the best apples for baking are Pink Lady, Honeycrisp, Golden Delicious, Rome Beauty, and Gala apples.
If you like a tarter cake, try Granny Smith apples, Winesap, or Cortland apples.
I hope this helps. Thank you for your kind words and support!
All the best,
Louise
This recipe was not good. I don’t know what it was missing but definitely wouldn’t make it again.
I’m so sorry to hear!!
If you give us a little more context, we are happy to help troubleshoot as to what is missing.
Wish you a great week ahead. Kindest,
Louise
Does this cake freeze well?
Hi Nancy,
Yes, you can freeze the apple cake for up to 3 months (without custard). To do so, let it cool down completely and wrap it in 3 layers of plastic wrap.
Thaw: defrost the cake in the refrigerator over several hours or overnight. Do not thaw at room temperature.
I hope this helps! All the best,
Louise
I used 1 cup white whole wheat and 1 cup all purpose flour. I can’t have oil, so I used soy yogurt. My cake didn’t rise like yours BUT…it tastes delicious! Not too sweet just bursting with apple cinnamon flavor! Well done!!!
Hi Merlinda,
Wonderful idea with the soy yogurt – I’m delighted you enjoyed the cake, YAY!!
Thank you for your kind feedback.
All the best,
Louise
Could I add cocoa powder and chocolate chips? Trying to recreate a childhood recipe vegan and this seems like a great cake!
Hi Mimi,
Yes, definitely. I’d say 1/4 to 1/3 cup chocolate chips. For the cocoa powder, you can go from 2 tablespoons to 1/2 cup – if you put a lot of it you might want to add a couple of tablespoons of extra liquid.
Hope this helps 🙂
Nico
I’m hoping to make this cake for my dads birthday. Curious do you measure the flour before or after sifting to get the correct amount? I’m in the US so measure in cups and I don’t have a scale unfortunately.
Hi Kelly,
thanks for your question 🙂
We also use cups to make this cake.
We don’t sift the flour before measuring it.
We spoon the flour from its package right into the measuring cup.
We fill the cup right to the edge, we level it flat with a knife, without making a dome.
I hope this helps 🙂
Happy baking!
Impeccable. I have too many apples for even the deer to eat. This will be where they go! I think I will try the custard version next. I don’t suppose you know if I can use Bird’s Custard mix?
Thanks for this recipe!
Hi Franziska,
I am so happy you liked the cake 🙂
I had a look at Bird’s Custard Mix ingredients and they should work in the cake (I’ve never used it though so not sure 100%).
My only concern is that the mix is not as thick as our custard, and if the custard is too thin, it won’t cook properly in the cake.
What I would advise is, have a look at our custard video (https://theplantbasedschool.com/vegan-custard/#recipe) to see if the consistency of your custard is right.
If Bird’s is too thin, I would add in a teaspoon of cornstarch dissolved in a teaspoon of water and stir until it all thickens.
Hope this helps,
Nico
Lacked flavor and texture was off.
Tried this vegan apple cake. It was delicious. Made it for some guests, they all loved it as it is lightly sweetened and apples were crispy inside. Will make it again! Thank you for the great recipe.
Hi Roma, we’re so happy you liked the cake – thank you for your kind message.
Have a great week ahead. Best, Louise
What temperature for a fan oven?
Hi Christine,
For a fan oven it’s the same temperature (360°F or 180°C) and make sure the oven is preheated 🙂
Happy baking!