Apples are intrinsic to autumn, when they’re at their best, and when they vie with pumpkins for the most loved produce of the season. Much like pumpkins, though, apples are excellent almost right through winter. Unlike winter squash, they’re also available year round.
I’ve shared an apple hazelnut cake before, which is a bit similar, but that’s a German apple cake, with big pieces of fruit and a nutty cake base. This apple crumble cake is a bit more subtle with the shredded apple, though both are excellent.
This is not vegan. There are eggs in the cake, and it suffers without them. Minus the eggs it becomes claggy, dense, and unpleasant. I have tried to sub them out but the resulting texture is bad. And it is occasionally eggs, after all, you must expect that some recipes will include them.
If you need a vegan option, go for this apple hazelnut cake, a chocolate raspberry cake (use frozen if they’re out of season), or chocolate hazelnut tart.
Why You Should Try This Recipe
The base cake is oil free, with shredded apples and applesauce adding the moisture you’d get from oil. With so much apple, the flavour certainly comes through.
- It’s whole grain: breakfast cake, why not. This recipe uses whole grain spelt flour, which doesn’t harm the texture and tastes great.
- You can use windfall apples: while they aren’t ideal for applesauce (windfalls will cause early spoilage) they’re perfect for shredding to use in cake.
- It’s well-liked: everyone loves cake, but I find that this recipe always does well even with people who usually hate healthier desserts. I think it’s the streusel topping.
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Whole grain spelt flour: you can use light spelt if preferred, but the nutty flavour is excellent here. Sub plain flour or whole wheat pastry flour.
- Spices: cinnamon and nutmeg are used, but you could add cardamom or use something like an apple pie spice blend.
- Coconut Sugar: to sweeten the topping – there’s a date-sweetened streusel in my book (pg. 107), but I found it didn’t work so well here. Sub cane sugar if preferred.
- Coconut Oil: liquid oil can’t be used for the streusel topping but butter (vegan or dairy) will work.
Step by Step
1. Make the topping: mix the dry ingredients, then mix in the oil with your hands.
2. Mix dry ingredients: in a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients for the cake base.
3. Mix wet ingredients: whisk the eggs, then add the remaining wet ingredients.
4. Make the batter: add the egg mixture to the bowl and mix until just combined.
5. Transfer: spread the cake batter into an even layer in a spring form tin.
6. Top: sprinkle an even layer of the streusel topping over the cake batter and bake.
Recipe Notes
I like to use whole spelt flour for this cake, but the original called for whole wheat pastry flour (which I can’t find here) and both work well. You could also use sprouted spelt flour, light spelt, or plain all-purpose. To make it gluten free, I imagine an all-purpose mix would work, but I haven’t tried.
The cake base is sweetened with honey, but not much, as the apples add a lot of sweetness, as does the topping. If using maple syrup, it will be slightly less sweet.
I always use oat milk. Almond or hazelnut butter are both ideal for this cake, but to make it nut-free you can use sunflower seed butter.
How to Store
Storage: the cake will keep, in a sealed container, for about three days at (cool) room temperature. Refrigerate if your space is warm.
Freezing: freeze in an airtight container for up to three months, thawing in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
Newsletter
Expert Tips
- Don’t peel: since the fruit is shredded, there’s no point in peeling. It’s more work and doesn’t make a difference in taste. Use the large side of a box grater here, keeping the shreds bigger.
- Use good apples: granny smith are often recommended for baking but I don’t love that 1. they need to be peeled, and 2. they are sour without flavour. Use an apple you enjoy eating as is – braeburn, boskoop, cox, these are all good choices.
- Don’t over mix: stir just until no streaks of flour are visible. Over-mixing will lead to a tough cake.
More Great Apple Recipes
Healthy Baked Apples
Hazelnut Apple Crumble
Apple Cinnamon Bun Cake
Healthy Apple Crumble Bars
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Apple Crumble Cake
Ingredients
- 225 grams whole spelt flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 60 ml applesauce
- 80 ml non-dairy milk
- 80 grams honey
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 300 grams grated apple*
Crumble topping
- 50 grams rolled oats
- 40 grams whole spelt flour
- 50 grams coconut sugar
- 60 grams coconut oil
Instructions
Crumble Topping
- Begin by making the crumble topping. Add the oats, flour, and coconut sugar to a medium bowl and mix to combine. Add the coconut oil and use your hands to mix until a crumbly blend forms. Set aside.50 grams rolled oats, 40 grams whole spelt flour, 50 grams coconut sugar, 60 grams coconut oil
Cake Base
- Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) and grease a 26cm (10 in.) springform pan with coconut oil.
- Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl.225 grams whole spelt flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- In a smaller bowl, lightly whisk the eggs. Add the applesauce, milk, honey, and vanilla. Whisk to combine. Add the shredded apple to the egg mixture.2 large eggs, 60 ml applesauce, 80 ml non-dairy milk, 80 grams honey, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 300 grams grated apple*
- Add the apple mixture to the dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. Pour into the prepared springform and shake the pan gently to level the batter.
- Sprinkle the crumble topping over the cake. Bake on the centre rack for 40-45 minutes, or until golden. The edges of the cake should be pulling away from the sides of the pan when it’s finished.
- Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan and cooling fully on a rack. This cake can be eaten warm, and will keep well for up to three days at room temperature.
- Serve with yogurt or coconut whipped cream if desired.
Notes
* For American cup measurements, please click the pink link text above the ingredient list that says ‘American’.
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
This post was originally published in September 2014. It has been most recently updated as of October 2021.
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Elizabeth says
Dear Alexandra, Hello! Greetings from Frankfurt am Main! I am in the middle of making your apple streusel cake and see that you say to add milk (plant-based) into the wet ingredients, but you don’t list any milk in the ingredients list, nor do I see that you use it in the display how-to step by step with photos above. Just wanted to point that out. Going to make it without…. Love your recipes and your gorgeous pictures, have already tried several. All the best to you! Elizabeth
Alexandra Daum says
Thanks very much for pointing that out, Elizabeth, the card is fixed now! I hope you liked the cake : )