This Vegan Apple Crumble Cake is so moist and delicious! It’s made of sweet vanilla cake, soft, juicy apples, and a melt-in-your-mouth crumb topping. Such a divine layered treat for breakfast or dessert that everyone will love!
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This irresistible treat has got to be my favorite type of coffee cake! Even though it has multiple layers, it’s incredibly easy to whip up.
It’s great for breakfast or brunch because it isn’t overly sweet and has healthy fruit in it!
The fluffy vanilla cake layer is lightly sweetened to strike a balance with the buttery crumble topping. I think you’ll agree that the crunch, flavor, and texture of the crumb topping are out of this world!
In between both are soft and juicy apples that are bursting with amazing flavor!
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Just like my Vegan Chocolate Bread and Vanilla Loaf Cake, I like to make this cake with plant-based yogurt for a moist, dense crumb.
You can also add another layer of delight by drizzling it with a powdered sugar glaze, Vegan Cream Cheese Frosting, or Vegan Butterscotch Sauce.
This apple cake is delicious all year round, eaten warm or cold, for breakfast or dessert, and with coffee or ice cream!
It would be wonderful for special occasions and holidays as well because it’s eggless and dairy-free!
Also, if you love layered cakes, be sure to check out my delectable Strawberry Shortcake Cake and Vegan Tres Leches Cake!
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Ingredients and Substitutions
- Sugar – Brown and cane sugars are used to sweeten things up. Make sure to check that the packaging is labeled as “organic” or “vegan” to ensure bone char wasn’t used to prepare it.
- Flour – All-purpose flour is used in the crumble topping and the cake layers.
- Spices – Cinnamon and nutmeg add a perfect warmth to complement the apples.
- Vegan Butter – Try to use plant-based butter that is already salted. If not, you can add in a pinch with the butter. Earth Balance butter sticks work a little better here because they are not as soft.
- Apples – Use your favorite sweet kind of apples. I like Gala, Fuji, Pink Lady, or Honey Crisp best here. You can also use Granny Smith apples if you want a more tart flavor.
- Plant Milk – A full-fat plant milk, such as soy, reacts best with the apple cider vinegar. It doesn’t matter if it’s sweetened and flavored or not.
- Apple Cider Vinegar – ACV creates a vegan buttermilk when combined with the plant-based milk. Lemon juice or white vinegar can work as well.
- Baking Powder – Just a little is needed to help with the rise.
- Vegan Yogurt – This is so helpful in creating a moist crumb. It can be unsweetened or not. I like this one by So Delicious.
- Vanilla – Adds a lovely layer of flavor to the cake.
How to Make Vegan Apple Crumb Cake
Here are some quick visual steps. Find the full recipe with exact measurements on the recipe card below.
Heat the oven, grease your baking dish, and set out some of the ingredients so they can come to room temperature.
Mix the crumb topping ingredients and place them in the refrigerator for now.
Separately, prepare the wet and dry cake ingredients. We will wait to combine them until just before assembling the layers.
Peel, core, and cube the apples.
Fold together the wet and dry cake ingredients.
Assemble the layers and bake!
Tips For Success
- Grease the dish and then line it with parchment paper. It’s helpful to do both so that the paper stays in place while you’re adding the batter.
- Make sure to let your melted vegan butter, vegan yogurt, and plant milk all come close to room temperature. This helps them mix well with the other ingredients.
- Measure your flour by spooning it into your measuring cup and then leveling it off with a straight edge, such as a butter knife.
- Don’t over-stir the crumble topping so that it has small and large layers of texture.
- Try not to overmix the cake batter to keep it tender.
Recipe Variation Ideas
- Replace some of the apples with pears.
- Mix some oats into the crumble topping to create a streusel.
- Drizzle a glaze on top made with ½ cup of powdered sugar and 1-2 tbsp plant milk.
- Sprinkle a dusting of cinnamon on top as soon as the cake comes out of the oven.
- Enjoy it with a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream and Butterscotch Sauce.
No-Waste Ideas
- Extra apples? Try these Apple Turnovers or make an Apple Galette!
- You can make Spicy Pasta or Creamy Tomato Pasta with leftover creamer.
Storage & Reheating
Store this apple crumble cake in a tightly sealed container to maintain its moistness. Keep it on the counter for 2 days, in the refrigerator for 4 days, or in the freezer for 3 months.
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Vegan Apple Crumble Cake
Bonnie – Serene Trail
Ingredients
For The Crumb Topping
- 3/4 cup brown sugar, (150g)
- 1 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, (150g)
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 cup vegan butter stick (salted), melted, (115g)
Cake and Apple Layers
- 1/2 cup plant milk, such as soy, (120ml)
- 1/2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 1/4 cup all purpose flour, (150g)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg
- 2/3 cup cane sugar, (130g)
- 1/2 cup vegan butter stick (salted), melted, (115g)
- 1/2 cup vegan yogurt, (125g)
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cups apples (fuji, gala, honey crisp, pink lady, etc.) ~2 apples, (250g)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease an 8×8-sized dish and line it with parchment paper. Melt the two portions of vegan butter in separate dishes. Let them cool. Take the vegan yogurt and plant milk out of the refrigerator so they can start to come to room temperature.
- Crumb Topping: Mix the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon in a bowl. Stir in the melted vegan butter until it's crumbly. Don’t over-stir so that some of the crumbs remain larger. Cover the bowl and refrigerate it for now.
- Mix the plant milk and apple cider vinegar to create a vegan buttermilk. Set it aside for a few minutes to allow time for it to curdle.
- Whisk the dry cake ingredients together (flour, baking powder, cane sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg) in a bowl. In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients (melted vegan butter, vegan yogurt, and vanilla). We will wait to fold the wet and dry ingredients together until just before assembling the layers.
- Peel and dice the apples into bite-sized pieces. Fold the wet and dry ingredients together just until they’re combined. Try not to overmix the batter.
- Assemble the layers by spreading the cake batter into the bottom of the baking dish. Place the apple pieces in a single layer above the batter. Sprinkle the crumble topping over the top and press it down a bit.
- Bake it for 55-60 minutes. Test the center with a toothpick that should come out clean. Let it cool for at least 15 minutes. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Grease the dish and then line it with parchment paper. It’s helpful to do both so that the paper stays in place while you’re adding the batter.
- Make sure to let your melted vegan butter, vegan yogurt, and plant milk all come close to room temperature. This helps them mix well with the other ingredients.
- Measure your flour by spooning it into your measuring cup and then leveling it off with a straight edge such as a butter knife.
- Don’t over-stir the crumble topping so that it has small and large layers of texture.
- Try not to overmix the cake batter to keep it tender.
Nutrition
The nutritional information provided is an estimate from third-party calculations.
Will they apple crumble cake work out ok with gluten free flour? I mean a flour mix not a nut flour (allergy to ALL nuts).
Yes absolutely it does, but it needs to be one that is labeled as a 1-to-1 gluten-free replacement.