VIKI’S DELICIOUS APPLE CAKE

By Maggie Baird Viki Boyle

Viki’s delicious apple cake recipe has been staring at me in my recipe collection for years. Remembering how much I used to love it, but since I haven’t made it for years and haven’t made a plant-based version, I decided to see how it would take to some adjustments. The first time I tried it I used flax seeds for the egg, earth balance brand butter for the shortening (the original didn’t have dairy butter but did have Crisco!) and left everything else the same. It was tasty but I thought it was way too sweet and too gooey. So, I remade it, decreasing the sugar, making part of it brown sugar, subbing applesauce for the egg and increasing the baking soda and baking powder and adding a bit of salt. Very, very delicious! This is super easy especially because I don’t peel the apples! It’s perfect for Fall but great anytime you have a bunch of flavorful apples!

YIELDS: 8 servings

COOK TIME: 45 mins

PREP TIME: 15 mins

Back to all recipes

INGREDIENTS

• 4 cups rough chopped apples (about 4 medium apples)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
• 1/2 cup plant-based butter, softened
• 1/4 cup applesauce (serves as egg replacement)
• 1 ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups sifted flour (measured by spooning into the cup measure)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp nutmeg
• 1/2 tsp cardamom
• 1 cup coarsely chopped walnuts

OPTIONAL INGREDIENTS
Substitute regular flour for 1 to 1 gluten free flour if desired.

RECIPE

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350
  2. Using plant-based butter, grease the bottom and sides of a 9” by 13” or an 8” by 8” cake pan and lightly flour. The cake only rises a bit but the pan choice will make for a thicker or thinner version.
  3. In the bowl of a mixer with a paddle attachment (or you can do this by hand) Cream the sugar and plant-based butter until fluffy.
  4. Add vanilla and applesauce and blend well. If it looks a bit curdled at this point don’t worry. It will all come together as you continue to mix.
  5. Add the baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg and when combined, add the flour. Blending just until incorporated. It’s unusual to add the spices and baking powder etc. with the wet ingredients but it makes this quick and saves dishes!
  6. Spoon your flour into the measuring cup then add it into the mixing bowl and stir until incorporated.
  7. Add a spoonful of flour onto your greased pan and gently shake it around so it coats your pan.
  8. Gently blend in the apples and nuts. The mixture will be very thick.
  9. Pour (spread) the batter into your greased and floured baking pan.
  10. Bake approximately 40-45 minutes at 350 degrees until lightly brown and caramelized on top.
  11. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before serving warm. Or allow to cool completely.
    *For longer storage, after cooling, remove slices of the cake and wrap in foil before freezing.