Vegan Gluten Free Apple Cider Cake

Grab yourself a big ol’, hot steaming cup of apple cider because what better to pair this cake with than that?  This is my Vegan Gluten Free Apple Cider Cake.  Sweater weather is my favorite time of year because I can curl up with a nice book under some pet hair covered blankies (we love them, but the hair is endless no matter how often we wash!) with a warm beverage and that is the essence and joy of life.  A few weird introverts in this house, we really don’t require much to feel alive.  But what we do love is a warm beverage and a heartwarming treat.  This delicious apple cider cake brings all the feels in apple cider mill form.  

But when we do venture out in the cold, I remember especially throughout my teen years, going with friends to the local pumpkin patches to grab our pumpkin to be carved for the year and the big ol’ barn we went to always had the best apple cider and these giant apple cider donuts that were freshly. baked & still warm.  This is very reminiscent of that & is the real deal. It is a great way to both welcome fall and the flavors of fall in for the year and will be the star of the show.

Print Recipe

Vegan Gluten Free Apple Cider Cake

Prep Time45 minutes mins

Cook Time45 minutes mins

Servings: 12 pieces

Ingredients

Reduce Apple Cider

• 700 g apple cider, let cool (this will be reduced by half in recipe, 280g in batter, 20g to brush on cake & 50 for frosting)

Make Batter

• 120 g plant butter, melted (I use Natural Grocers Plant Butter)
• 200 g neutral flavor liquid oil (I use vegetable oil or grapeseed)
• 280 g light brown sugar (can also sub coconut sugar)
• 10 g vanilla extract
• 20 g flax meal (can alternatively grind whole flaxseeds until they are a fine flour)
• 110 g water (for the flax egg)
• 300 g thick yogurt (I use Kite Hill Greek Yogurt)
• 280 g reduced apple cider
• 1 tsp apple pie spice (or pumpkin pie spice) (can sub cinnamon)
• 1⅓ tsp pink salt (I use Kirklands)
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2½ tsp baking powder
• 40 g cornstarch
• 200 g oat flour
• 300 g gluten free flour blend (I use King Arthur Measure for Measure)

Apple Cider Frosting

• 150 g plant butter
• 500 g powdered sugar
• pinch salt (I always do this to taste, you might require a large pinch)
• 1 tsp apple pie spice (or pumpkin pie spice)
• 30 g reduced apple cider

Instructions

Reduce Apple Cider

• Put your pre-portioned 700g apple cider in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat. Reduce by half to 350g (this might require you to check with a scale every so often to see how much further you have to reduce to get to half). Set aside 280g (for batter), 20g (to brush on cake) and 50g (for frosting). Let cool.

Make Batter

• Pre-heat your oven to 350℉ and for easiest cleanup, line a 9×13 pan with parchment paper.
• In a large microwave safe bowl, melt your butter Add the remainder of your wet ingredients to the melted butter: oil, brown sugar, vanilla, flax, water, yogurt and cooled & apple cider reduction. Whisk thoroughly until all ingredients are combined.
• To the bowl, add your dry ingredients: apple pie spice, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cornstarch, oat flour & gluten free flour blend. Whisk until no dry clumps remain.
• Pour batter into your lined baking pan. Bake for 45-50 minutes or do a toothpick test inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. The edges should be lightly golden brown. Let cool for ten minutes and lightly brush with 20g of reduced apple cider. Cool completely before frosting.

Make Frosting

• In a bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle or using a bowl with a hand mixer, combine butter with powdered sugar, salt, apple pie spice and reduced apple cider. Cream ingredients together until no butter chunks remain and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. It should resemble a creamy frosting when it's ready.
• Frost cake to your liking with a piping bag or slather it on. Cut a big ol' hunk and grab your favorite beverage. Fall is here! Store in an airtight container for later snackage.

This recipe was adapted from: https://theglutenfreeaustrian.com/gluten-free-apple-cider-cake/#mv-creation-252-jtr.  She has a lot of plant based friendly recipes (and a lot that can easily be adapted, go check out some of her stuff!)