Italian Vegan Apple Cake (Torta di Mele)

Name: Italian Vegan Apple Cake
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 50 min
Ingredients: 2 lbs Granny Smith apples (peeled, cored and, and cut into chunks); 1 Tbsp Limoncello (or fresh lemon juice); 1 tablespoon cinnamon; 2 teaspoons ginger; 5 tablespoons light brown sugar; 2 cups sifted flour; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon sea salt; 4 flax eggs; 3/4 cup coconut or vegetable oil; 3/4 cup sugar; 1 cup coconut milk; 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar; 1 teaspoon vanilla; juice and rind of lemon

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Italian Vegan Apple Cake is a delicious, egg-less and dairy free cake. I put a vegan spin on my Italian mother-in-law's famous apple cake and it so soft and moist!

Love Italian apple cakes? Also try my Nonna's Torta di Mele (the classic non-vegan version) and my vegan apple ring cake.

Italian vegan apple cake dusted with powdered sugar on a white cake stand

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Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
How to Make Italian Vegan Apple Cake
Make It Your Own
Storage
FAQ
Make this vegan apple cake your own:
More Italian Apple Cake Recipes
Italian Vegan Apple Cake

This Italian vegan apple cake is one of the cakes I bake most often. It is soft, moist, packed with tender apple chunks, and completely egg-free and dairy-free.

The recipe is based on my mother-in-law Teresa's famous apple cake - one of the first things she taught me to bake when I married into her family. Teresa is legendary in the family for her cakes, especially this one. She makes it with her own homemade Limoncello, which she produces in her kitchen in Calabria using lemon rinds she grinds and soaks in vodka.

It is a magical little jar.I developed this vegan version during the year I spent experimenting with vegan baking. I learned quickly that eliminating eggs and dairy does not mean sacrificing anything. This cake is every bit as tender and delicious as the original.

Why You'll Love This Recipe

Completely vegan. No eggs, no dairy. Made with flax eggs and coconut milk.
Incredibly moist. The sautéed apples soften beautifully and release their juices into the batter as the cake bakes.
Simple ingredients. Nothing unusual - standard pantry items and a couple of apples.
Ready in under an hour. 10 minutes of prep, 40 to 50 minutes in the oven.
Adaptable. Swap the coconut milk for any dairy-free milk, use different oil, skip the Limoncello - it works every time.

Ingredients

For the Apple Filling

2 lbs Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and cut into chunks
1 tablespoon Limoncello (or fresh lemon juice)
Juice and rind of 1 lemon
5 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
2 teaspoons ground ginger

For the Cake Batter

2 cups sifted all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon sea salt
4 flax eggs (see note below)
¾ cup coconut or vegetable oil
¾ cup granulated sugar
1 cup coconut milk
1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

To make flax eggs: combine 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons water per egg. Stir well and refrigerate for 15 minutes until thickened. This recipe uses 4 flax eggs total (4 tablespoons ground flax + 12 tablespoons water).

So back to Teresa-she really is quite a baker and she is famous in the family for her cakes, especially her apple cake. It's kind of a staple when you visit her. You get to try her apple cake or any other cake made with her various homemade jams (jams made with berries that they grew or other fruit that some friends grew and shared with them. That's life in Italy). Italian Vegan Apple Cake is my vegan homage to her incredible Italian apple cake.

How to Make Italian Vegan Apple Cake

Step 1: Prep and Preheat

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a 9-inch springform pan (or round cake pan) generously with baking spray. Make your flax eggs now if you have not already - they need 15 minutes to thicken in the fridge.

Step 2: Season the Apples

Place the apple chunks in a large bowl. Add the Limoncello (or lemon juice), lemon rind, brown sugar, cinnamon, and ginger. Toss together until the apples are well coated.

Step 3: Sauté the Apples

Heat a skillet over medium heat and add the apple mixture. Sauté for 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the apples begin to soften and the sugar melts into a fragrant syrup around them. Remove from heat and set aside to cool slightly while you prepare the batter.

Step 4: Make the Vegan Buttermilk

In a small bowl, stir together the coconut milk and apple cider vinegar. Let it sit for a few minutes - it will thicken slightly. This is your vegan buttermilk.

Step 5: Mix the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and sea salt.

Step 6: Combine the Wet Ingredients

Add the flax eggs, oil, granulated sugar, and vanilla to the coconut milk mixture. Stir together until well combined.

Step 7: Make the Batter

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients a little at a time, stirring and scraping down the sides of the bowl as you go. Mix until just combined - do not overmix.

Step 8: Layer the Cake

Pour half the batter into the prepared pan. Scatter half the sautéed apple chunks evenly over the batter. Pour the remaining batter on top. Spread the rest of the apples across the surface.

Step 9: Bake

Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, until a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Check the cake at 30 minutes - if it is browning too quickly, lower the oven to 325°F for the remaining baking time. Every oven is different.

Step 10: Cool and Serve

Let the cake cool in the pan for at least 15 minutes before carefully releasing it from the springform. Transfer to a serving plate. Dust with powdered sugar and serve warm. A scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream alongside is excellent.

Make It Your Own

Swap the milk. Any dairy-free milk works in place of coconut milk: oat, almond, soy, or cashew.
Change the oil. Sunflower seed or melted coconut oil are both great substitutes for vegetable oil.
No Limoncello? Fresh squeezed lemon juice or even orange juice work beautifully in its place.
Use a different egg replacer. Any commercial vegan egg substitute works here in place of flax eggs. Follow the package directions for the equivalent of 4 eggs.

For another simple Italian vegan bake, try my Italian lemon olive oil cake - naturally dairy-free and ready in about the same time.

Storage

Refrigerator:

Cover the cake and store in the fridge for up to 5 days. The apple filling keeps it moist throughout. Bring to room temperature or warm a slice before serving.

Freezer:

Slice and freeze in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for a couple of hours.

FAQ

What apples are best for this cake?

Granny Smith apples are ideal - their tartness balances the sugar and they hold their shape well after sautéing. Honey crisp, Fuji, or any firm, slightly tart apple also work. Avoid very soft apples like Red Delicious, which turn mushy.

How do you make flax eggs?

For each flax egg: combine 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water. Stir well and refrigerate for 15 minutes until it thickens into a gel. This recipe uses 4 flax eggs, so you need 4 tablespoons ground flax and 12 tablespoons of water total.

What pan should I use?

A 9-inch springform pan is easiest for removal. A regular 9-inch round cake pan also works - just let the cake cool completely before turning it out, and run a knife around the edge first. A tube pan is another option and gives a lovely presentation.

Does this cake taste vegan?

Not at all. The texture is soft and moist, the apples are fragrant with cinnamon and Limoncello, and the crumb is tender throughout. No one would guess there are no eggs or dairy in it. I have served it to non-vegan Italian family members many times with zero complaints.

Make this vegan apple cake your own:

Feel free to change the coconut milk to your own favorite dairy free milk;
Use sunflower seed or coconut oil instead of vegetable oil;
If you don't have Limoncello, use fresh squeezed lemon juice or orange juice;
Use your favorite egg replacer instead of flax eggs.

Keep leftover cake covered in the fridge where it will stay good for up to 5 days.

More Italian Apple Cake Recipes

• Nonna's Italian Apple Cake (Torta di Mele) - the classic non-vegan version that inspired this recipe

• Vegan Apple Ring Cake (Ciambella di Mele) - another gorgeous dairy-free Italian apple bake

• Easy Apple Bundt Cake - a simple and beautiful bundt with cinnamon and apple

• Caramelized Apple Bundt Cake - rich caramelized apples folded into a soft bundt batter

• Italian Lemon Olive Oil Cake - naturally dairy-free, fragrant, and effortlessly Italian

• Cranberry Coffee Cake - another simple cake perfect for breakfast or an afternoon break

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