The Best Cinnamon and Apple Cake

This cinnamon and apple cake is soft and fluffy, filled with thinly sliced apples and topped with a drizzle of caramel. This recipe for cinnamon apple cake is the perfect cake for fall. 

The addition of the apple puree and plant based milk is what makes this cake completely eggless as they both act to bind the ingredients together and create a light fluffy texture. 

Similarly, I’ve made this apple cake vegan by simply using dairy free spread in place of ordinary butter or margarine and gluten free flour in place of ordinary plain flour.  

In this cinnamon apple cake recipe I will be going through how to make this apple cake sponge and answering your FAQs such as ‘Can you make this cake with olive oil' ‘can you make apple cake with fresh apples’ ‘how long does vegan cake last’ and so much more.

A really great thing about this easy recipe for caramel apple cake is how versatile it is. Which is what makes this recipes for apple cake the best. For example, you can make these into healthy oatmeal apple muffins or perhaps swapping out the sliced apples for chopped walnuts or pecans instead!

I’ll also be sharing some more flavor variations and mix in’s below. And would highly recommend you check that part of this post out!

This apple cake simple recipe requires less than an hour to come together from start to finish!

If you’re looking for more gluten free cake recipes to add to your baking list check out my Berry Cobbler and Gluten Free Brownies Recipe

Expert Baking Tips on how to make apple cake

Although this apple cake cinnamon recipe is super simple to make, here are just a few expert tips I'd recommend:

If you can't find any apple sauce in your local grocery store you can make it at home by simply peeling, coring and blending your apple until processed with a few chunks for texture.

For the caramel drizzle, you can use store bought caramel or follow this recipe [link] for my easy dairy free caramel. 

Recipes for apple cake easy

Apple cake ingredients - Everything you need to make this apple cake gluten free

Gluten Free Plain Flour – paired with a teaspoon of xanthan gum to give more stability to the cake to prevent it from crumbling. However, if you’d prefer not to make these gluten-free simply substitute the gluten-free flour for normal plain flour. There’s also no need to add xanthan gum. As the gluten in the normal flour will prevent the cookies from crumbling.

Dairy Free Butter – This can be in spread or block form.

Caster sugar – I like to use caster sugar in my cakes which is just very refined sugar. So if you can’t find caster sugar I’d recommend using very refined granulated sugar.

Apple Sauce - This is our egg substitute. And is also prominent to making these muffins ‘apple pie’ flavour

Recipe for apple cake uk - Step by step instructions 

Making the apple cake recipe easy

Apple cake batter

• Begin by creaming the butter and sugar then add the puree, milk and vinegar.
• Next, add the dry ingredients.
• Slice the apples thinly and set aside while you pour the batter into a greased and floured cake tin.
• Decorate with the sliced apples in a spiral formation, drizzle with caramel and bake for 20-30mins at 160 degrees
• Once cooled serve with ice cream and a drizzle of caramel. Enjoy!

Caramel sauce for apple cake

Flavour Variations and Mixins - recipes for apple cake

Toffee and apple cake 

These would be the perfect cookies all year round. The recipe would be the same as these cinnamon and apple muffins but with the addition of chopped pieces of toffee scattered throughout the muffin and perhaps a light drizzle of caramel

Apple streusel muffins

To make these muffins follow my foolproof recipe here. These cinnamon and apple muffins are soft and fluffy, filled with nuggets of chopped apples and topped with a buttery streusel topping. This recipe for cinnamon apple muffins is the perfect muffin for fall. 

Apple cake no sugar - Apple cake olive oil

To make this apple cake recipe healthy simply substitute the dairy free butter for 115 ml of olive oil and substitute the sugar for coconut sugar. Although these alternatives aren’t 100% healthier as they are still processed, they do have more health benefits then their counterparts. 

Let me know in the comments if you try these variations or if you came up with your own!

FAQs - How To Make Apple Cake

Can you make these apple cake self raising flour instead of plain ?

Using self raising flour in this cake will help make these muffins more risen however, as we are adding baking powder to the cake already, both flours will have the same effect. So if you would like to use self raising flour instead that’s absolutely fine. 

Storing and freezing for all 

Can you freeze apple cake ?

The cake will remain good at room-temperature for up to 2 days, in the fridge for up to a week, and in the freezer for up to 2 months if stored in an airtight container.

Make sure to tag me @whiskmefree on Instagram and leave a review below if you followed this cinnamon and apple cake recipe. To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can use the button on the recipe card or on any of the photos above. Happy baking!

Cinnamon and apple cake

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