Traditional French apple cake is normally made with eggs and cow’s milk. So making a plant-based version of this cake required several attempts. My previous recipes were good, but not good enough.

For the plant milk, I recommend soy milk instead of almond or oat milk because soy is the closest non-dairy substitute for cow’s milk. Soy milk is also a good choice due to its creamier texture and higher protein content. The soy milk that I used rates “excellent” (100/100) on the Yuka Nutrition App. However, if you only have almond or oat milk on hand, they can also work.

I also recommend adding two tablespoons of coconut cream to replace the egg yolks and to provide the cake with fat content, texture and holding power. One tablespoon of coconut cream contains 5 grams of fat, of which 4.6 grams is saturated. Because of the high saturated fat content in coconut cream, it is better to use it in moderation and two tablespoons is not much.

Because this cake is loaded with sweet apples, it is unnecessary to overpower it with granulated sugar. For the natural sweetness of the apples to shine through, I kept the sugar content to less than one cup. This cake contains 1/2 cup of sugar and you can use either white sugar or a wholesome brown sugar, such as Mascobado cane sugar. Alternatively, you can use a mix of white and brown sugar.

This cake is healthy, delicious and easy to put together. Making it requires basic equipment, such a whisk, a spatula and a cake pan. It can be enjoyed for breakfast, as a dessert or as a mid-day snack with coffee or tea. A slice before exercising can also help boost your energy and fuel your workout.

The recipe is below.

Vegan Apple Cake

• Serves 6+

• One 20-22 cm springform pan — bottom lined with parchment & sides lightly greased

WET INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup (250 grams) soy milk (or almond, oat)
• 1 tablespoon (tbsp) lemon juice (or white/apple cider vinegar)
• 2 tbsps (35 gr) coconut cream (I used Thai Kitchen Coconut Cream) *see note 1
• 1/4 cup (75 gr) apple sauce, natural & unsweetened
• 1/4 cup (50 gr) vegetable oil (e.g. sunflower, canola)
• 1/2 cup (85 gr) sugar (Mascobado cane or white or a mix of both)

*note 1: Leftover coconut cream can be stored in a sealed container or jar for 5 days in the refrigerator or for 2-3 months in the freezer.

DRY INGREDIENTS

• 2 cups (300 gr) white spelt flour (or all-purpose, fine whole spelt, wholewheat or a mix) *see note 2
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 teaspoon (tsp) baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1-2 tsp cinnamon (or 1 tsp vanilla added to wet ingredient)
• 4 sweet apples, peeled & chopped (3 cups /350 gr chopped apples)
• Option: Maple syrup (1¹/₂ tbsps) for brushing top of cake half way through baking time.

*note 2: I used the following mix of flours: 1 cup white spelt and 1 cup finely milled whole spelt (known as Farine de Petit Epautre where I live).

PROCEDURE

Oven: 180°C / 356°F

1. Peel & chop apples into wedges around the core. Chop the wedges again into finer bite-size pieces. Set aside in a bowl. 

2. In a small bowl hand whisk the wet ingredients (milk, lemon juice, coconut cream, apple sauce and oil) until combined and creamy. Add the sugar and whisk again until dissolved (with Mascobado sugar some undissolved granules may remain).

3. Into a separate larger bowl, add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon. Whisk by hand the dry ingredients to ensure even distribution.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Hand whisk until smooth.  Fold in the apples until incorporated.

5. Transfer the mixture into the prepared pan.

6. Bake in preheated oven on lower-middle rack for a total of 40 to 50 minutes or until the top is brown, cracked and a toothpick test comes out dry and clean (45 minutes in my oven). Half way through baking time (at 22 min.) remove and brush the top with maple syrup (option) then return to oven.

7. Remove and let cool in the pan and on a rack for 15 minutes. Then slide a thin silicone spatula or a dull knife around the edges just to loosen edges and remove the side ring if it is removable. Unmold cake or remove the bottom of the pan when it has cooled completely. It has to cool completely before slicing and eating. Keep stored on a dish in the refrigerator covered with a large bowl turned over or in a sealed container.

Enjoy!