This Vegan Salted Caramel Apple Cake will become your favorite fall treat! Fluffy, spiced apple cake is soaked with homemade caramel and topped with fluffy coconut whipped cream.
Hello friends and happy Saturday! I am so excited to be sharing this ridiculously delicious recipe with you guys today. I love apple recipes for fall, but I haven't explored the caramel + apple combination too much, even though they are a perfect match. Today's recipe is aiming to fix that! This Vegan Salted Caramel Apple Cake is super simple to make, but insanely moist and flavorful. You start with a simple apple cake, slather it in homemade caramel, and serve it with coconut whipped cream and a little extra drizzle of caramel on top. It will become your new favorite fall treat!
I don't know about you guys, but the compounded stress of this year is absolutely weighing on me. That, plus work becoming increasingly busy, means I just have not had the energy to make a ton of super elaborate recipes. Enter, simple recipes like this! The cake is essentially one-bowl, and the caramel is made in 5 minutes on the stovetop. It is perfectly good as-is, but add a layer of fluffy coconut whipped cream and that finishes the masterpiece! I brought this to work and it got 5 stars all around. Simple, comforting, and delicious. We love to see it!
How do I make a salted caramel apple cake?
- First, let's make the apple cake! You combine flour with sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix in the butter until it becomes sandy in texture.
- Next, mix in your flax egg, vegan yogurt, oil, vanilla extract, and nondairy milk (I used oat milk).
- Finally, stir in your diced apples, pour into a pan and bake! Easy peasy. The cake part is done.
- For the caramel, just combine brown sugar with nondairy milk and heat it until everything is smooth and dissolved. Let it boil for a few minutes, then stir in vegan butter and a big pinch of salt. Caramel is finished!
- Now, we put them together to make a salted caramel apple cake. While the cake is still warm, use a fork and poke holes all over it - this will help the caramel really seep into the cake. Pour about ¾ of the caramel all over the cake and spread it so it's all even. Yum!
- For a finishing touch, add on coconut whipped cream (once the cake has cooled off) and drizzle the remaining caramel. Seriously so delicious. So easy. So GOOD.
You guys need to give this salted caramel apple cake a try! I was blown away by how much I loved it - the soft and moist texture is incredible, and the combination of apples, cinnamon, and caramel is just unbeatable. It is truly the perfect fall cake!
Looking for more apple recipes?
- Vegan Caramel Apple Galette
- Vegan Apple Pie Cinnamon Rolls
- Apple Cinnamon Layer Cake
- Creamy Vegan Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal
- *for the cake*
- 2 tablespoon ground flaxseed + 6 tablespoon water
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1¾ cup all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup vegan butter, at room temperature
- ⅓ cup nondairy yogurt (I used Silk soy milk vanilla yogurt)
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅔ cup unsweetened nondairy milk
- 1 cup diced apple
- *for the caramel*
- ⅔ cup packed dark brown sugar
- ⅓ cup nondairy milk (I used oat milk)
- 3 tablespoon vegan butter
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- big pinch of salt
- *for the coconut whipped cream*
- 1 can coconut cream
- 2 tablespoon powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- First - if you want to make coconut whipped cream, be sure to put your canned coconut cream in the fridge for at least a few hours to solidify.
- To make the cake, first preheat oven to 350F and spray a 9 x 9 baking pan with nonstick baking spray.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the ground flaxseed with the water and set aside to thicken.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and sugar.
- Add in the vegan butter, and beat on low until it's incorporated and has a sandy texture.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the oil, flaxseed mixture, nondairy yogurt, vanilla extract, and add them to the dry ingredients. Mix until combined.
- Finally, pour in the unsweetened nondairy milk, and beat on medium-low until smooth and creamy.
- Add in the apple pieces, and gently fold to combine.
- Pour batter into prepared pan and bake for 45-50 minutes, until cake is set in the center and a toothpick comes out clean. Set the cake aside to cool while you make the caramel.
- To make the caramel, combine the brown sugar and nondairy milk in a small nonstick pot.
- Turn heat on medium, and cook the caramel, stirring often, until thick and dark amber. This will take 10-15 minutes. Be careful not to burn it!
- When ready, remove from heat and add in the vegan butter, vanilla, and salt. Set aside.
- Now, use a fork to pierce all over the surface of the cake. Pour about ¾ of the caramel over the top to soak into the cake. You can use a spoon to make sure the caramel is evenly spread. You may serve the cake now, or top with coconut whipped cream. If you want to add on the cream, you must wait for the cake to cool off completely first.
- To make the coconut whipped cream, carefully open your can of chilled coconut cream. Spoon the coconut solids off the top and transfer to a medium bowl. Be sure to leave any liquid behind in the can.
- Beat the coconut solids with a hand-mixer with a whisk attachment until light and fluffy. Add in the powdered sugar and vanilla, and beat until combined.
- Carefully spread the coconut whip on the cooled apple cake, and drizzle the reserved caramel on top. Enjoy!
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