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Apple Cake with Caramel Buttercream

Author Casey Colodny
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 40 minutes
Total: 50 minutes
Servings: 12
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Moist and fluffy apple spice cake is frosted with a creamy vegan caramel buttercream. Cinnamon and nutmeg lend a warming flavor to this apple cake while the buttercream is cool and luscious. The perfect Fall dessert!

Ingredients

Wet

  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup coconut sugar packed
  • ¼ cup coconut oil melted & cooled
  • 2 tablespoons apple cider vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry

  • 1¼ cups gluten free flour make sure to use a 1:1 GF flour replacement
  • ¾ cup super fine blanched almond flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 2 teaspoons baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup shredded apple packed & drained (~2 large or 3 small apples, cored and grated with skin OFF)

Caramel Buttercream

  • 3 tablespoons coconut cream*
  • 1 tablespoon maple syrup
  • 1 tablespoon coconut sugar
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt
  • ½ cup vegan butter** softened (I used Earth Balance)
  • 1½ cups powdered sugar sifted
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

  • Line a 8"x8" baking pan with parchment paper and preheat your oven to 325F.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, coconut sugar, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract until combined.
    Whisked wet ingredients for apple caramel cake.
  • In a small bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, almond flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
  • Add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and stir together with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined. Add the shredded apples (make sure you have drained the shredded apples) and stir until evenly combined.
    A wood spoon stirs apple cake batter in a white ceramic bowl.
  • Spread batter in an even layer with a spatula to the parchment-lined 8"x8" pan. Move to the oven and bake at 325F for 39 - 43 minutes (mine took 41 minutes) until the top is browned, edges have started to pull away from the sides, and a toothpick inserted comes out crumb-free. Let cool completely.
    An eight by eight pan is lined with parchment paper and filled with apple caramel cake batter.
  • While the cake is baking, prepare your vegan caramel - add the coconut cream, maple syrup, coconut sugar, vanilla extract, and pinch of salt to a small saucepan and bring to a boil. Once boiling, turn heat down to low / medium low and simmer for 4 minutes, whisking frequently to ensure caramel doesn’t burn. The vegan caramel should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Set aside to cool.
    A spoon dips into homemade vegan caramel sauce.
  • Next, prepare your frosting. Add the softened butter, vanilla extract, and powdered sugar to a large mixing bowl and beat on medium for 2-3 minutes or until smooth and lightly whipped. Add cooled vegan caramel, beating again for ~1 minute until smooth and combined.
    Freshly whipped buttercream frosting sits in a ceramic bowl.
  • Top cooled cake with caramel frosting before cutting into 12 pieces. Enjoy!
    Apple cake with caramel buttercream frosting sits on a parchment lined wood board. There are more apples, caramel, and cinnamon sticks sitting in the background.

Notes

*from full fat can of coconut milk
**I used Earth Balance for the vegan butter in the frosting. You can use regular butter if you don’t need this recipe to be dairy-free.

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