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Warm, cozy, cinnamon-y, this Upside Down Spiced Apple Cake is a perfect dessert in a chilly day or anytime you want something that reminds you of autumn!

純素翻轉香料蘋果蛋糕 (無麩質) Upside-Down Spiced Apple Cake

It would be a lie if I said I just suddenly wanted to make an upside-down spiced apple cake. I mean, it’s been on the back of my mind since last summer.

And I think we (or most of us) can feel that autumn is here. So I assumed no more explanation is needed for a cozy, baked apple cake recipe, especially a SPICED one!

This is also a gluten-free cake recipe that I hope can be enjoyed by as many people as possible. And I will also include some ingredient substitution options if there is any below.

Features of this Vegan Spiced Apple Cake

Packed with warm cozy flavours from cinnamon and nutmeg
Vegan, no egg, no butter, no animal products involved
Easy to make, basically just one bowl and one pan in the whole process
Gluten-free, made with oat flour, almond flour, and some starch

Ingredients You Need

Apples: I’m using Granny Smith’s green apples because I like their slightly tangy taste. But honestly, you can use any kind of apples you like.
Coconut milk: Here we’re going to use full-fat coconut milk to create richness in the cake. Also, it gives out a lovely coconut flavour.
Oat flour: I really like to use oat flour in baking because it gives out a subtle sweetness as well as a great texture.
Almond flour: Almond flour adds a nutty flavour and also texture to our cake.
Arrowroot starch: We need some starch to bind the cake so I add arrowroot. You can also use tapioca starch.
Coconut sugar: Here I’m using coconut sugar because I really like the caramel taste it offers. But you can also use other sugar like light brown sugar or castor cane sugar.
Salt: As usual, just a tiny bit is enough.
Baking powder & Baking soda: We need something to “lift up” our cake, hence the baking powder and baking soda.
Apple cider vinegar: Here vinegar is used mainly to react with baking soda. You can also use lemon juice.
Vanilla extract: we all know that adding vanilla to something sweet is also a good move, right?

Upside-Down Spiced Apple Cake (Vegan, Gluten-free)

How to Make Vegan Spiced Apple Cake

For the apple part:

Cut the apples into thin slices with a sharp knife. Do your best to slice them into the same thickness so they can be cooked equally at the same time. Set it aside.
In a frying pan over medium heat, add coconut milk, coconut sugar, and 2 tablespoons of water. Stir and cook until the sugar is dissolved.
Add the apple slices and cook for about 5 minutes to slightly cook the apples.
Mix the left 2 tablespoons of water with arrowroot starch and vanilla extract. Pour the mixture into the pan and quickly stir all ingredients together. It will start to thicken very fast. Once it’s mostly thickened, turn off the heat and let the apples cook down while we prepare the cake batter.

For the Cake:

Preheat the oven to 175°C/350°F.
To a big bowl, add the oat flour, almond flour, arrowroot starch, sugar, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Use a fork or a whisk to mix them together evenly.
Add the coconut milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine until no lumps can be seen.

Assemble to bake：

Arrange the apple slices at the bottom of the cake tin inwardly.
Pour the cake batter over the apple slices. Gently drop the cake tin against the counter a few times to even it out.
Bake in the preheated oven for 40-45 minutes until the cake is firm to the touch. Insert a toothpick or a small knife in the centre and it should come out quite clean without any wet batter attached.
Transfer the tin onto a wire rack to cool down completely or at least for 20 minutes.
Put a large plate upside down on the cake tin and flip over to remove the cake from the tin. Slice and enjoy.

How to Store Vegan Spiced Apple Cake

This cake is best served on the day it’s made. If you got leftovers, store them in an air-tight container at room temperature for 1-2 days.

Questions You Might Have

I don’t have arrowroot starch, can I use other starch instead?

Yes, you can swap the arrowroot starch with tapioca starch to achieve a similar result.

Are there other substitutions for coconut milk?

Yes. If you are not a big fan of coconut flavour, you can swap it with vegan cream or vegan butter instead.

Which types of apples can I use?

I will say any type should work. Here I’m using Granny Smith because it’s a bit tangy and not so sweet. The thumb or rule is to use the ones that you like.

Final Words

That’s it! This upside-down spiced apple cake is actually quite easy to put together while looking amazing.

The cake is very moist with the right amount of sweetness to match the caramel apples.

I hope you will like this recipe. If you have other questions, please let me know by commenting down below. Happy baking!

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