Apple Cinnamon Fritter Cake (Vegan)
A moist tender and deliciously spiced Apple Cinnamon Fritter Cake made with egg-free and dairy-free ingredients. With layers of gooey apples, cinnamon sugar and a sticky glaze, it’s perfect for the season.
I have wanted to make an apple cake all season long, and this one has taken a few tests to get just right. Finally, it’s perfect: it’s moist, tender, packed with apples, lots of cinnamon spices and complete with a sticky icing sugar glaze. Plus, it’s ready in just a few steps and tastes amazing for dessert or as an afternoon snack with a cup of tea. I love how gooey and delicious this is, while being spongey and soft, it’s an ideal combination of cake, dessert, crumble and apple fritters (which are bigger in the US than they are in the UK).
Why will I love this cake?
This cake is so good:
- Moist, tender, gooey and sticky
- Spongey, fruity and cinnamon
- With a crunchy cinnamon sugar top
- Spread with sticky cream cheese sugar glaze
- Perfect for Autumn/Fall
- Or enjoy all year round
- Ideal to use up some seasonal apples
- Naturally plant-based, egg-free and dairy-free
- Nut-free and can be made gluten-free
- Delicious on its own
- Or enjoy as dessert with dairy-free custard or ice cream
- Packed with cinnamon flavours
- Loaded with different textures
- Made with lighter, better-for-you ingredients
- Comes together in a few steps
- Everyone will love it
- A cross between apple cake, apple fritter, crumble cake and dessert
If you already love the sound of this bake, then skip ahead to the recipe card below. Or first let’s discuss the recipe in more detail.
What ingredients do I need?
You can see the ingredients with weights in the recipe card below, and see my favourite and recommended products in the “shop the recipe” section.
For the cinnamon sugar and apple layers:
- Apples: no need to peel them, just chop up small. Use eating apples here not cooking ones.
- Light brown or coconut sugar: either sugar to add a richer flavour and colour.
- Cinnamon: for the flavour.
As for the cake:
- Dairy-free milk and apple cider vinegar: when mixed, this creates a buttermilk, great for binding egg-free batters. Use your favourite dairy-free milk like soya, oat or almond.
- Light olive oil: instead of butter, to add the richness and moisture.
- Dairy-free yoghurt: I use the NUSH original yoghurt here which is thick and creamy. Make sure your yoghurt is almost Greek-style in texture.
- Light brown or coconut sugar: either work well here.
- Caster sugar: to balance out the heavier, richer sugar.
- Vanilla extract: for flavour.
- Self-raising flour: for the rise. I have not tried this with gluten-free flour, but based on other cakes, I can imagine this will work with GF self-raising flour. Make sure it contains xanthan gum or add ½ tsp of your own to keep it spongey.
- Raising agents: make sure they are fresh and in date.
- Cinnamon: for the fall vibes.
- Salt: to enhance the flavours.
And for the glaze:
- Icing sugar: to make it sticky and sweet.
- Vegan cream cheese: I use the NUSH cream cheese which is so good.
- Vanilla bean powder: to add that much-loved vanilla element. You can also use vanilla extract but just don’t use a lot.
Is this gluten-free and nut-free?
This can be made nut-free, as long as all of your ingredients do not contain nuts (e.g. milk and cream cheese). You can try this with GF self-raising flour, as long as it contains xanthan gum, or add ½ tsp of your own (I have not tested this, but this is based on other cake recipes).
How do I make this?
This cake is ready in a few steps:
- Combine the apples, cinnamon and sugar: for one layer.
- Toss together the cinnamon and sugar: for the other layer.
- Stir together the milk and vinegar: and leave to curdle.
- Whisk together the wet ingredients: until combined.
- Sift in the dry ingredients: and whisk until smooth.
- Add half the cake to a greased 9-inch cake tin: and sprinkle with the apples and the cinnamon sugar.
- Top with the second half of cake batter: and then the remaining apples and cinnamon sugar.
- Bake in the oven for 52 minutes: or until well-risen and inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Allow to cool completely: firstly in the tin and then on a wire rack.
- Stir together the frosting ingredients: until pourable.
- Pour over the frosting: and spread out.
- Slice and enjoy: or keep for later.
How long will it last?
This cake will keep for 2-5 days in a sealed container, best enjoyed at room temperature. You can freeze the cake for 1 month, and allow to defrost before eating.
What other recipes can I try?
For more seasonal bakes:
- Cinnamon Roll Cake
- Pumpkin Crumble Banana Bread
- No Yeast Chai Spiced Cinnamon Buns
- Pear Chocolate Chunk and Almond Cake
- Pistachio and Raisin Crumble Cake
Apple Cinnamon Fritter Cake (Vegan)
A moist tender and deliciously spiced Apple Cinnamon Fritter Cake made with egg-free and dairy-free ingredients. With layers of gooey apples, cinnamon sugar and a sticky glaze, it’s perfect for the season.
Ingredients
For the Cinnamon Sugar:
- 60g light brown or coconut sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
For the Apples:
- 1 large or 1 ½ smaller apples, cored and chopped small
- 60g light brown or coconut sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
For the Cake:
- 240ml plant-based milk
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 80ml light olive oil
- 60g thick dairy-free yoghurt
- 65g light brown or coconut sugar
- 60g caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 240g self-raising flour
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- 1/8 tsp bicarbonate of soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- A pinch of salt
For the Glaze:
- 100g icing sugar
- 30g vegan cream cheese
- A pinch of vanilla bean powder
- 1-2 tsp dairy-free milk
Instructions
- Line the base of a 21-cm/9-inch cake tin with parchment paper and grease the sides.
- Make the cinnamon sugar in a small bowl by stirring the ingredients together.
- In a second bowl, add the chopped apple, cinnamon and sugar for the apples.
- For the cake batter, add the milk and vinegar to a jug and leave for 5 minutes to curdle.
- Add the milky mix to a large mixing bowl along with the olive oil, yoghurt, both sugars and vanilla. Whisk to combine.
- Sift in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and add the cinnamon and salt. Whisk well to a thick, smooth cake batter.
- Add ½ of the cake batter to the cake tin and sprinkle over 3/4 of the cinnamon apples. Now sprinkle over ½ of the cinnamon sugar.
- Top with the rest of the cake batter (spread it out to cover the first layer), the remaining apples and cinnamon sugar.
- Bake in the oven for 40 minutes, then cover with tin foil and cook for another 12-15 minutes, until it’s dark golden brown and an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Place the cake on a wire rack and allow to cool for 30 minutes in the tin. Then carefully remove from the tin and cool on the wire rack.
- For the glaze, add the icing sugar, cream cheese and vanilla to a bowl and stir well (it will be very thick at the start) and then add milk as needed (it needs to be fairly thick).
- Spoon the glaze over the cake and spread out. Slice and serve.
- Enjoy straight away or keep leftovers in a sealed container in the fridge for 2-5 days or in the freezer for 1 month. Allow to defrost before eating. Eat at room temperature.
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Stay in touch
I look forward to hearing what you think of this Apple Cinnamon Fritter Cake so please let me know in the comments below and leave a star review above. If you do make these, 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!
With fritter love x
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