A HEALTHY APPLE CAKE THAT IS MOIST AND SOFT AS A CLOUD

What’s better than warm apples and cinnamon? How about combining them to create the perfect cake that is light, moist and healthy!

This is one of my favourite recipes to make when I am craving something sweet and I don’t want to go overboard on the sugar and calories. Instead of regular cinnamon, I like to use our seasonal organic Cinnamon Spice & Everything Nice culinary spice blend.

I have been refining this recipe for a long time since I began experimenting with healthy baking. I didn’t want to use any dairy or eggs, but I wanted the cake to be moist and full of flavour. Basically, I wanted the cake to taste exactly like my original recipe but in a re-vamped plant-based version.

After many experiments and many apples later I have succeeded in creating the most delicious vegan apple cake. This is the perfect guilt-free cake that you can have for breakfast, with your afternoon coffee or for a midnight snack!

I love to make this cake in the autumn when it starts to get chilly outside. As soon as you start making it you will be transported to a countryside kitchen with scents of apple and cinnamon brewing in the air.

JUMP TO RECIPE

HEALTH BENEFITS

Well everyone knows the saying ‘an apple a day keeps the doctor away', but do you know why apples are so healthy?

The humble apple that grows abundantly in autumn is full of vitamins A and C, has antioxidants and is packed with fibre. Plus apples contain pectin that acts as a prebiotic. Just one apple a day is all you need!

Lucky for us this apple cake recipe uses two apples, plus old-fashioned oats which are also high in fibre. This recipe is packed with yummy goodness.

HOW TO MAKE THIS HEALTHY APPLE CAKE

This recipe is very simple to make. To begin you will need a large mixing bowl. Measure your dry ingredients into your bowl then mix them with a whisk. I used soft wheat flour which is ideal for baking cakes. Or, you can substitute the flour with oat flour. You can buy the oat flour or make it yourself in a blender.

I didn’t use any dairy or eggs. However for the cake to have the correct consistency you will need to make a flax egg which is simply a tablespoon of ground flaxseed meal mixed with two tablespoons of warm water.

Now the reason why this cake is so moist despite it not containing any butter or eggs is that I use extra virgin olive oil plus a mixture of cooked and uncooked apples. The cooked apple will dissolve into the batter while the raw apples will remain chunky giving this cake an incredibly soft and moist texture.

Peel the apple, remove the core and then slice it into thin slices. Put the apple slices into a pot, add sugar and cinnamon, and let it rest for 10 minutes so the apples absorb the sugar. Move the pot to the stovetop and simmer over medium-high heat. Measure 60 ml (1/4 cup) of water and add to the apples. Cook until the apple pieces are soft and tender and you can mash them into an applesauce.

Peel, core, and chop up the other apple into small pieces. Next, prepare a bowl with all the dry ingredients and then add the liquid ingredients (plant milk and olive oil) one at a time to the dry ingredients and stir. Fold in the cooked apples and the raw chopped apple and mix them all together.

Pour the batter into the loaf pan that you will be using. See the recipe card for instructions and baking time.

HEALTHIER SUBSTITUTIONS

Flour: If you want to make a traditional fluffy apple cake then it’s best to stick with using soft wheat flour. However, if you are on a wellness journey and trying to eat healthier or want to make a gluten-free recipe then you should substitute the wheat flour for gluten-free oat flour.

You can either buy oat flour or make it yourself by grinding whole oats in a blender for a few minutes until it becomes a powder. If you make the flour yourself then it’s ideal to use a fine-mesh strainer to sift the flour before you add it to the mixing bowl.

Sugar: Take this recipe one step further and substitute the regular sugar for low glycemic coconut sugar and this apple cake can become a treat for those trying to control their blood sugar. Or, skip the sugar completely and enjoy the natural sweetness of the apples.

Healthy Apple Cake (Dairy-Free) (Vegan)

Yield: 12 pieces

Author: Michelle Pedullà

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 55 MinTotal time: 1 H & 10 M

Ingredients

2 medium-size apples
225 grams soft wheat flour or gluten-free oat flour (2 cups)
70 grams sugar or coconut sugar (1/2 cup)
50 grams oats (1/4 cup)
1 tbsp cinnamon
3 tsp baking powder
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
200 ml plant milk (3/4 cup)
1/4 cup olive oil (60 ml)
1 flax egg

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350 degress and prepare a baking pan with parchment paper. (See equipment note above for pan sizes)
Step 2: In a large bowl add your flour and baking powder and stir together with a whisk. Then add the remaining dry ingredients (oats, sugar, cinnamon & salt) and mix.
Step 3: Peel and core one of the apples and cut into thin slices. Add the apple slices to a pot and stir in a tablespoon of sugar and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Let rest for 10 minutes so the apples absorb the sugar.
Step 4: Move the pot with apples to your stovetop. Slowly stir in 60 ml (1/4 cup) of water and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook the apples until they are soft. Remove from heat and mash them with a spoon.
Step 5: Peel and core the remaining apple and chop it into medium size pieces.
Step 6: Gather the liquid ingredients (plant milk, flax egg and olive oil) and add to the dry ingredients one at a time stirring gently with a spoon or spatula. Fold in the raw chopped apple and the cooked apple. Gently mix to cover all the apple pieces.
Step 7: Pour the batter into the loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for 55 to 60 minutes.
Step 8: Check with a toothpick to see if the apple cake is ready. Once done remove from the oven and let the cake cool in the pan. Serve with some cinnamon sprinkled on top.