This Vegan Apple Spice Cake recipe is well-spiced with cinnamon and ginger and loaded with chunks of fresh apple. It's easy to make, super moist and absolutely delicious. This is truly the perfect Fall dessert!
Fall desserts are my favorite desserts. And I'm pretty sure I'm not alone. I love to make a Vegan Pumpkin Cake or a Vegan Apple Crumb Cake on a cool Fall day. The warm spices are so delicious and they make your house smell so good!
And this Vegan Apple Spice Cake ticks all of those boxes and more! It's simple to make and is packed with warm spices, chunks of sweet-tart honeycrisp apple. And it's absolutely stunning so it's the perfect dessert for any Fall celebration.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- This recipe is simple to make, and I walk you through the cake stacking step-by-step!
- This apple cake is vegan, dairy free and eggless, so anyone can enjoy it.
- The cake layers are super soft and moist and full of warm spices like cinnamon and ginger.
- And it's packed with fresh apple chunks.
- And most importantly, it's absolutely delicious!
Ingredient Notes
Flour: This recipe uses regular all-purpose flour. And if you've been here for a while, you know I only recommend King Arthur Flour.
Spices: Cinnamon, ginger and allspice are the spices I chose to make this vegan apple cake. They all pair so well with the flavor of apple!
Non-Dairy Milk: I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk, but soy milk, oat milk or even almond milk will work, too!
Honeycrisp Apple: I chose Honeycrisp apple for this recipe because I love the tart flavor. You can also use Granny Smith!
Variations
Does vanilla frosting sound boring? Try my Vegan Brown Sugar Frosting or my Vegan Maple Bourbon Buttercream instead!
Cake Size Options
I baked this cake in 3 six-inch cake pans.
But, if you don't want to stack a cake, this recipe can also be baked as an eight-inch square cake, but you will need to adjust the baking time. I'd start with 30 minutes. Test the cakes with a toothpick for doneness!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1. In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, non-dairy milk, melted vegan butter, vinegar and vanilla extract. Whisk well to combine.
Step 2. Add four, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and allspice and whisk to form the batter.
Then, add chopped apple and fold it into the batter.
Step 3. Portion the batter into three prepared 6-inch cake pans.
Step 4. Then, bake the vegan apple cake layers in a 350* oven for 22-25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean.
Allow the cakes to cool completely before frosting!
Step 5. Once the cakes are cool, make the vegan vanilla frosting.
Cream the vegan butter using a hand mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Then, add the powdered sugar and mix until combined. Finally, add non-dairy milk and vanilla and mix on medium speed until light and fluffy.
Step 6. Now stack the cake! Place a cake layer upside down onto a cake plate or a cake board that is placed on top of a turn table.
Top the cake layer with about ½ cup of frosting.
Step 7. Spread the frosting out using a butter knife or an offset spatula.
Then, repeat with the next layer.
Step 8. Now, frost the outside of the cake using the same butter knife or offset spatula, and decorate as desired. I added Autumn flowers and some luster dust!
Recipe FAQs
Place it in a cake box or large container and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Or, if you just have a couple of slices, place them into an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
I love wither Honeycrisp or Granny Smith! They are both tart and crisp and great for baking.
You won't taste the vinegar in the final product, but vinegar helps activate the baking powder for a nice and fluffy cake.
Expert Recipe Tips
Once the Vegan Apple Spice Cake layers are cool, place them in the freezer for about 20 minutes before you start decorating.
This will make the cake firm so it doesn't move around while you frost it.
Looking for More Vegan Autumn Baking Recipes?
If you tried this Vegan Apple Cake recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
📖 Recipe
Vegan Apple Cake
Equipment
- 2 Mixing Bowls
- 1 Knife
- 1 Cutting Board
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- 1 Sifter
- Cake Pans Three 6-inch round cake pans, or one 8-inch square pan
- 1 Stand Mixer or Hand Mixer For the frosting!
- 1 Offset Spatula or Butter Knife For frosting the cake
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Cup All-Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¼ tsp Kosher Salt half this amount if using table salt!
- 2 teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoon Ginger
- ¼ teaspoon Allspice
- 1 Cup Light Brown Sugar, packed
- ¾ Cup Non-Dairy Milk I used So Delicious Unsweetened Coconut Milk
- 7 tablespoon Vegan Butter, melted and cooled
- 1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- ½ Medium Honeycrisp Apple, peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch cubes this will be about ¾ cup cubed apple
For the Frosting
- 1 Cup Vegan Butter, room temperature I like Soy-Free Earth Balance Buttery Sticks
- 4 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
- 2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1-2 tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk
Instructions
For the Cake Layers
- Preheat oven to 350* F. Prepare three 6" round cake pans with non-stick spray. Then, cut parchment circles and insert them into the bottom of the pans
- In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger and allspice. Whisk to combine.1 ½ Cup All-Purpose Flour, 2 teaspoon Baking Powder, ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt, 2 teaspoon Cinnamon, 1 ½ teaspoon Ginger, ¼ teaspoon Allspice
- In a large bowl, combine brown sugar, non-dairy milk, melted vegan butter, vinegar and vanilla. Whisk well to combine.1 Cup Light Brown Sugar, packed, ¾ Cup Non-Dairy Milk, 7 tablespoon Vegan Butter, melted and cooled, 1 teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk to form the batter. Then, add the chopped apples and use a rubber spatula to fold them into the batter until they are evenly distributed.½ Medium Honeycrisp Apple, peeled, cored and cut into ¼ inch cubes
- Portion the batter evenly among your prepared cake pans and spread out evenly. Bake in a 350* F oven for 22-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cake comes out clean. Allow to cool completely before decorating.
For the Vanilla Frosting
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl using a hand mixer, cream the vegan butter until smooth and creamy. Then. add the sifted powdered sugar and mix on low until combined.1 Cup Vegan Butter, room temperature, 4 Cups Powdered Sugar, sifted
- Add vanilla extract and turn the mixer to medium speed. Add non-dairy milk, 1 tablespoon at a time until the buttercream is light and fluffy.2 teaspoon Vanilla Extract, 1-2 tablespoon Non-Dairy Milk
To Build the Cake
- Place a completely cooled cake layer upside down on a cake board or cake stand. (See note!) Add about ½ cup of frosting to the top and use an offset spatula or a knife to spread the frosting to the edges. Top with another cake layer and repeat and top with the final layer.
- Use the remaining frosting to frost the exterior of the cake with the offset spatula or knife and garnish as desired.
Allison Walston
Delicious! I made these as cupcakes to celebrate on Saturday. Used the brown sugar buttercream recipe too. Also delicious. Best part was licking the bowl & extra batter because no eggs!
Megan Calipari
So happy you liked the cake! The brown sugar buttercream would be the perfect combo!
Alison
I made the cupcakes and they were so good!! Especially with the maple bourbon buttercream on top! Thanks for the recipe 🙂