This Vegan Apple Crumb Cake is moist and fluffy, packed with juicy apples and has a "buttery", cinnamon-infused crumble topping. It's also gluten-free and refined sugar free. It makes a great dessert, snack or breakfast!
What type of apples should you use for Apple Crumb Cake?
- I recommend using eating apples for this recipe, rather than cooking apples.
- The reason why I recommend eating apples for this particular recipe is because they tend to cook faster (which is better since this recipe uses raw apples baked directly into the cake), they contain less water so you won't have any problems of excess water from the apples releasing itself into the cake whilst baking, and eating apples are naturally sweeter so less added sugar is required.
- I recommend peeling the apples before using them.
How to make this recipe
Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full recipe.
- Mix together all the ingredients for the crumble topping in a mixing bowl.
- Place in the fridge to firm up while you prepare the rest of the cake.
- Mix together the apples and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
- Mix together the ingredients for the cake batter in another mixing bowl.
- Transfer the cake batter into a square baking tin.
Tip: Line the tin with greased baking paper to make it easier to remove the cake after.
- Lay out the apples across the surface of the cake batter.
- Remove the crumble topping mixture from the fridge, and use your fingers to crumble it over the top of the apples so that the apples are all evenly covered.
- Bake in the oven for around 30 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Leave to cool completely before cutting into squares.
Serving suggestions
How long does this Apple Crumb Cake keep for?
This Apple Crumb Cake does taste best when fresh, but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days.
Substitutions you can make
- You can use any type of oil: coconut oil, olive oil or vegetable oil.
- You can use any type of plant-based milk: almond milk, rice milk, soy milk, cashew milk, oat milk etc.
- You can use any type of liquid sweetener: maple syrup, agave syrup, brown rice syrup etc.
- You can replace the ground almonds with ground walnuts.
- For a nut-free version: replace the ground walnuts with ground sunflower seeds and use a nut-free plant-based milk.
- You can use plain flour, wholemeal (whole wheat) flour or spelt flour instead of the gluten-free flour if you’re not gluten-free.
- You can replace the coconut sugar with normal brown sugar.
Other ingredients you can add
You can add chopped pecan nuts or chopped walnuts to the crumble topping.
More vegan desserts
- Strawberry Shortcake
- Blueberry Crumble Bars
- Lemon Pudding
- Lemon Poppy Seed Bread
- Pumpkin Loaf Cake
- Almond Cake
- Olive Oil Cake
- Apple Snack Cake
If you try out this recipe or anything else from my blog, I’d really love to hear any feedback! Please give it a rating, leave a comment, or tag a photo @rhiansrecipes #rhiansrecipes on Instagram! Thank you.
Vegan Apple Crumb Cake (Gluten-Free)
This Vegan Apple Crumb Cake is moist and fluffy, packed with juicy apples and has a "buttery", cinnamon-infused crumble topping.
Print
Pin
Rate
Servings: 16
Calories: 231kcal
Ingredients
For the crumble topping:
- 60 g (¼ cup) coconut oil (or sub vegetable or olive oil)
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar (or sub normal brown sugar)
- 75 g (â…” cup) ground almonds (almond meal) *
- 75 g (â…” cup) gluten-free flour blend (or sub rice flour, or plain all-purpose flour if not gluten-free)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)
For the apples:
- 300 g (10.6 oz) apples , peeled, cored and diced (two medium-sized apples)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the cake:
- 60 g (¼ cup) coconut oil (or sub olive or vegetable oil)
- 200 ml (â…˜ cup) unsweetened almond milk (or any other plant-based milk)
- 8 tablespoons maple syrup (or sub any other sweetener)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar ** (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 150 g (1 ¼ cup) ground almonds (almond meal) *
- 150 g (1 ¼ cup) gluten-free flour blend (or sub plain flour if not gluten-free)
- 2 heaped teaspoons baking powder (ensure gluten-free if necessary)
- ¼ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda (baking soda)
Instructions
For the crumble topping:
- Place the coconut oil in a bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave (skip this step if using any other oil).
- Add the coconut sugar, ground almonds, gluten-free flour, cinnamon and almond milk and mix well, until you get a crumble-like texture.
- Place this mixture in the fridge to firm up while you prepare the rest of the cake.
For the apples:
- Mix together the apples and cinnamon in a separate bowl.
For the cake:
- Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius (350 degrees Fahrenheit).
- Place the coconut oil in a large bowl and melt over a saucepan of boiling water or in the microwave (skip this step if using any other oil).
- Once melted, add the milk to the same bowl along with the maple syrup, vinegar, vanilla and ground almonds.
- Sift in the flour, baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
- Mix well, adding a tiny splash more milk if it’s looking too dry.
To assemble:
- Transfer the cake batter into a square baking tin lined with baking paper (I used a 23cm/9inch square baking tin).
- Lay out the apples across the surface of the cake batter.
- Remove the crumble topping mixture from the fridge, and use your fingers to crumble it over the top of the apples so that all the apples are evenly covered.
- Bake in the oven for around 30 minutes, or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Leave the cake in the baking tin to cool completely before cutting into squares.
- Tastes best when fresh, but keeps covered in the fridge for up to a few days.
Notes
*You can alternatively use almond flour.
**You can sub 2 tablespoons lemon juice.
Nutrition Facts
Vegan Apple Crumb Cake (Gluten-Free)
Amount Per Serving
Calories 231
Calories from Fat 135
% Daily Value*
Fat 15g23%
Saturated Fat 7g35%
Polyunsaturated Fat 0.3g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Sodium 43mg2%
Potassium 57mg2%
Carbohydrates 24g8%
Fiber 3g12%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 11IU0%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 76mg8%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Made the recipe?Tag @rhiansrecipes on instagram and use the hashtag #rhiansrecipes!
Disclosure: This posts contains affiliate links to Amazon. If you purchase any of these products, a small percentage will come to me with no extra cost to you! This income will go towards the running of this blog – thank you.
jacquie
Hi - this looks like a great cake. I'm curious as to why you recommend eating apples rather than baking though.
thanks.
Rhian Williams
Thank you so much! The reason why I recommend eating apples for this particular recipe is because they tend to cook faster which is better since this recipe uses raw apples baked directly into the cake, they contain less water so you won't have any problems of excess water from the apples releasing itself into the sponge whilst baking, and eating apples are naturally sweeter so less added sugar is required. I hope that helps!