This Irish apple cake is a delicious combination of fluffy cake, apple slices, and streusel topping. It’s full of cinnamon flavor and has the perfect level of sweetness without being “too sweet”. This traditional Irish apple cake is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or any time of year.
Irish apple cake is similar to a coffee cake since it has a cake layer and a crumb topping. Traditionally, it's served with a custard sauce. While you can make a vegan custard, I prefer this cake without it.
Love apple-flavored baked goods? Try my vegan applesauce cake, vegan apple galette or oil-free apple crisp.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Streusel topping: There’s nothing better than a streusel topping!
- Not too sweet: This vegan cake is just sweet enough without going overboard.
- Great textures: The vegan apple cake has a soft cake layer, moist apple middle layer, and crumb top layer. They work together to make a perfectly textured dessert.
- No mixer needed: You don't need an electric mixer for this recipe. Just a whisk and spatula.
Ingredient Notes
- Vegan butter: My favorite brand to bake with are Country Crock Plant Butter which comes in butter sticks for easier measuring.
- Fresh apples: Traditionally, this cake is made with Granny Smith apples but you can substitute your favorite kind in this recipe.
- Non-dairy milk: I bake with unsweetened soy milk but oat milk and almond milk would both work well. I don’t recommend coconut milk as it will add a coconut flavor.
- Apple cider vinegar: You can substitute regular white vinegar or lemon juice if needed.
Please see the recipe card below for the full list of ingredients and amounts needed.
How To Make Vegan Irish Apple Cake
Step 1: First, preheat the oven to 350°. Line the bottom of a 9" round cake pan with parchment paper and lightly coat with non-stick oil spray. If you have a springform pan, it makes cake removal even easier.
Step 2: Next, make the streusel topping. In a medium bowl, add all streusel ingredients. Use your hands to mix well and break up the vegan butter into even smaller pieces. The topping should have a crumbly texture. Set the bowl aside or store in the fridge if your kitchen is warm.
Step 3: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, salt, and cinnamon.
Step 4: Next, the wet ingredients. Mix in the non-dairy milk, oil, apple cider vinegar and vanilla extract until combined. Do not overmix or your cake will lose the fluffy texture.
Step 5: Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan, scraping the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Step 6: Layer the thin apple slices on top of the batter. There may be a few layers of apples but they will cook through as long as they’re not too thick.
Step 7: Sprinkle the streusel topping in an even layer over the apple slices.
Step 8: Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan.
Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
Expert Tips
- Make sure the apple is sliced thinly to ensure it’s cooked through.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes so it’s easier to cut.
- If you have a springform pan, I recommend using it so it’s easier to plate. But it’s not a necessity.
- About 10 minutes before it's done baking, I like to check to see if there are any areas of the topping that are "flour-y". If there are, I just spray with a little oil spray and then let it continue baking the final 10 minutes.
What To Serve With Vegan Irish Apple Cake
Serve this cake as is with a cup of coffee or tea. You can also add a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream or whipped topping on top of the cake.
If you are making this cake for St. Patrick's Day, try out my traditional Irish brown bread or Irish soda bread. Looking for green food for the holiday? Try my vegan matcha pancakes or vegan matcha cake.
Storage and Recipe FAQs
Traditionally, tart apples like granny smiths are used in Irish apple cake. However, you can use any kind of apples you want in this recipe.
White flour gives a lighter, fluffier texture. However, if you’d like to use whole wheat flour then substitute up to half of the total amount of flour with the whole wheat.
Yes, applesauce will work in this cake. However, don’t substitute the vegan butter in the streusel with applesauce.
Once cooled, store this cake in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container. For best results, bring to room temperature before serving.
More Vegan Cake Recipes
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Recipe
Vegan Irish Apple Cake Recipe
Equipment
- 9" round cake pan
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- ¾ cup all purpose flour
- ¼ cup oats
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 6 tablespoon vegan butter, cut into small pieces
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Cake
- 1 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup sugar
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¾ cup non-dairy milk
- 2 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 granny smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Line the bottom of a 9" round cake pan with parchment paper and lightly coat with non-stick oil spray.
- Next, make the streusel topping. In a medium bowl, add all streusel ingredients. Use your hands to mix well and break up the vegan butter into even smaller pieces. The topping should have a crumbly texture.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients for the cake: the flour, sugar, baking powder and soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Mix in the non-dairy milk, oil, apple cider vinegar and vanilla extract until combined. Do not overmix.
- Pour the cake batter into the prepared cake pan. Layer the thin apple slices on top of the batter.
- Add the streusel topping over the apple slices.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes. Cool the cake in the pan.
- Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
- Store leftover cake in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Make sure your apple slices are nice and thin so that they cook through. Traditionally, Granny Smith apples are used in this cake but you can substitute with any kind of apple you'd like.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 20-30 minutes so it’s easier to cut.
- If you have a springform pan, I recommend using it so it’s easier to plate. But it’s not a necessity.
- About 10 minutes before it's done baking, I like to check to see if there are any areas of the topping that are "flour-y". If there are, I just spray with a little oil spray and then let it continue baking the final 10 minutes.
Kate says
This was an instant hit with the family. We were all fighting for seconds! I was worried that the cake wouldn't cook right with the different layers...but it was perfect. The cake part was moist, the apple center was tasty and the crumb topping was spot on! It's a keeper!