Chai Apple Cake with Chocolate Ganache (Vegan Gluten-Free)

This Chai Apple Cake with Chocolate Ganache is rich, moist, light and fluffy packed with pecans and warming chai flavours. Top this layer cake with a smooth vegan chocolate ganache and some apple crisps.

I just love all things chocolate, chai and apple, and this cake combines all three things in one showstopper bake. This cake is perfect for the cosy season, full of warming chai spices, lots of dark chocolate and nutty pecans and is easy to make in a few steps. It’s a great one to make for all the family, friends and guests and is allergy friendly as it’s naturally egg-free, dairy-free and easily nut-free and gluten-free.

Why will I love this cake?

This spiced chocolate cake is delicious and you will love it because it is:

• Light, fluffy, moist and tender
• Packed with warming cosy spices
• Filled with nutty pecans and rich dark chocolate
• Sandwiched together with fluffy vegan whipped cream
• Topped with a rich and shiny chocolate ganache
• Easy to make in one bowl
• Naturally vegan and easily gluten-free and nut-free
• Made with lighter, more wholesome ingredients
• A real showstopper for the autumn and winter months

If you already love the sound of this Chai Apple Cake with Chocolate Ganache then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or, first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.

What ingredients do I need?

The recipe is divided into three parts: the cake batter; the filling and ganache, and the toppings. Let’s start with the cake batter:

• Apple: grate the apple for stirring into the cake so that each mouthful is packed with apple. Use any apple you like, preferably a firmer eating one.
• Plant-based milk: any dairy-free milk is great for baking with like oat, almond, rice or soya.
• Lemon juice: this curdles the milk above to form a buttermilk which helps to bind the batter. You can also swap this for apple cider vinegar which behaves in the same way.
• Coconut or caster sugar: either sugar is great for this cake. Coconut lends a richer flavour but is more expensive than regular caster or golden caster sugar.
• Sunflower oil: for moisture and lightness. You can swap this for another oil like light olive oil or melted and cooled coconut oil but I prefer to bake with the liquid oils.
• Applesauce: for more apple goodness. Either make your own by peeling, chopping and adding cooking apples to a saucepan with a splash of water and allowing to warm through and soften. Or, buy 100% applesauce in the shops.
• Coconut yoghurt: or another thick, dairy-free Greek-style yoghurt. My favourite is the vanilla or natural Cocos Organic yoghurt.
• Vanilla essence: for flavour.
• Plain flour: or use gluten-free flour with xanthan gum. Make sure it’s your preferred 1:1 baking flour, in the UK Doves Farm is a good one or in the US Bob’s Red Mill or King Arhtur are popular.
• Chai spices: for this chai spiced cake, we need cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cardamom and clove.
• Baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and salt: for rise and flavour.
• Pecans: chop these really small for inside the cake batter. The smaller the better as it means you can cut through the cake more easily without the nuts tearing through the cake sponges. If you are making this nut-free, omit the pecans.

As for the filling and ganache:

• Vegan whipping cream: there are a few dairy-free whipping/double cream options in the supermarkets. I like the oat or coconut creams from Natures Charm or Coconut Collaborative have a new coconut-based cream.
• Dark chocolate: I used the 85% dark chocolate from Divine for the ganache and it works so well. Chop this small to melt with the vegan butter to form a glossy ganache.
• Vegan butter: for the ganache it is important to use vegan butter and not coconut oil as the butter sets more softly. You also want the block butter rather than the spreadable kind here.
• Pecans: for inside the cake layers and these can be left out, if needed.

Finally for the decoration:

• Chopped pecans: as above, omit where needed.
• Apple crisps: to make this even more of an apple cake. I love the ones from KoRo which are really crispy and naturally sweet.
• Redcurrants: I just love these currants this time of year and they add a pop of colour on top but are highly optional.

How do I make this?

This cake is a simple one to make, and the batter comes together in one bowl.

• Grate the apple: and squeeze out any excess liquid.
• Whisk together the wet ingredients: till smooth.
• Sift in the dry ingredients: and whisk till smooth.
• Fold in the grated apple and pecans: till combined.
• Divide between two cake tins: and bake for 22 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
• Cool for 10 minutes then lift out the tins: and allow to cool fully.
• Whip the cream for the filling: till fluffy and it holds its shape.
• Melt the butter and pour over the chopped chocolate: allow to sit and then stir till smooth. Warm the mix, if needed, in the microwave.
• Place one cake down and top with the cream: adding the pecans in the centre.
• Top with the second cake and pour over the ganache: allowing the chocolate to drip down the sides.
• Decorate as desired: and enjoy.

How long will this cake last?

This cake will keep for 2-3 days in the fridge in a sealed container. You can make the sponges in advance and freeze them for up to 1 month, wrapped well, and allow to defrost at room temperature.

Is this gluten-free and nut-free?

To make this cake gluten-free, use your favourite gluten-free flour for baking with that contains xanthan gum. To keep this nut-free, skip the pecans in all components and check that your milk, yoghurt, chocolate, cream and butter are all nut-free.

I love this cake, what else can I make?

I hope you are going to love this Chai Apple Cake with Chocolate Ganache and for more seasonal bakes, how about my:

• Vegan Pumpkin Spice Tiramisu
• Caramel Apple Pecan Blondies
• Cinnamon Streusel Banana Bread
• Salted Caramel Banana Bread Pecan Cinnamon Rolls
• Chocolate Pecan Pumpkin Spice Blondies

I look forward to hearing what you think of this Chai Apple Cake with Chocolate Ganache so please leave a comment below and a star review above. If you do make this cake, I’d love to see so please tag me, I’m @nourishing.amy on Instagram and use the hashtag #nourishingamy. I’m also on Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest  – please say hello! xx

With chai apple ganache cake love x