Healthy Apple Cake
This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
This healthier apple cake is made with a blend of almond and oat flour, studded with fresh apples and has a delicious cinnamon pecan crumb topping. It’s moist, tender and the perfect fall dessert!
Fall is in the air and I couldn’t be more excited! One of my favorite fall activities is going to our local apple orchard and coming home with bags of fresh apples.
I love slicing up fresh apples and serving them with my date caramel sauce, making homemade applesauce and whipping up loads of apple baked goods. I love my vegan apple bread and apple cider donuts, but this new apple cake might literally take the cake when it comes to my favorite apple treat.
And let’s not forget about the delicious cinnamon pecan crumb topping… that’s definitely the best part if you ask me! The pecans add a nice crunch and you can never have too much cinnamon when it comes to apple recipes, am I right?! Served with a scoop of ice cream this apple cake is next level!
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love This Apple Cake Recipe
- It’s studded with fresh apples and loaded with cinnamon goodness and is perfect for fall!
- Made with wholesome, real-food ingredients. The based is a blend of almond flour and oat flour so is gluten-free and so soft and moist thanks to the addition of Greek yogurt.
- Healthy enough to enjoy for breakfast, but also makes for a great dessert option!
Ingredients Needed
- almond flour – a light, gluten-free flour that’s nutrient dense and low in carbs. I recommend using blanched almond flour because the skins have been removed so you’re left with a fine-textured, light-colored flour that works perfectly for baked goods.
- oat flour – another gluten-free flour that provides a healthy amount of fiber. You can use homeamde oat flour or store-bought oat flour.
- cinnamon – a perfect pairing with apples and adds a nice warming spice to this cake.
- salt – brings all the flavors together.
- baking soda – to help the cake rise.
- eggs – helps bind all the ingredients together and provide structure for the cake.
- Greek yogurt – helps to keep this cake moist and replaces some of the oil. Its acidity helps activate the baking soda which will keep the cake light and fluffy. I recommend using plain whole milk (full fat) yogurt for the best results.
- coconut oil – adds extra moisture to the cake. You want the oil to be in a liquid state so warm it a bit if necessary before measuring.
- vanilla extract – a nice flavor enhancer.
- maple syrup – the perfect natural sweetener for this recipe! I love the flavor the maple syrup adds to this cake. Make sure you’re using pure maple syrup and not pancake syrup as that’s loaded with corn syrup and additives.
- apples – you can’t make apple cake without apples. I recommend Honeycrisp or Pink Lady, but any type of apple will work. You can peel the apples (or not). Either way, you’ll want to chop them into 1/4-inch chunks.
- topping – a delicious cinnamon pecan crumb topping made with a combo of almond flour, coconut sugar (or dark brown sugar), chopped pecans, cinnamon and coconut oil.
Substitutions & Notes
- Eggs: I haven’t tried it, but I bet using flax eggs or chia eggs would work as a vegan substitute for the eggs. Let me know if you try it in the comments below!
- Flour: The combo of almond and oat flour helps make this recipe gluten-free and I haven’t tested it with another type of flour so I’m not sure what the end result would be with different flour. If you only have one of the flours it should work to use only almond or only oat flour, but the final texture of the cake might differ slightly. I haven’t tried all-purpose flour so I’m not sure how the cake would turn out.
- Greek yogurt: If you need this cake to be dairy-free it should work to use a dairy-free yogurt instead of Greek yogurt. I would just suggest using plain yogurt instead of a flavored one for the best results. I haven’t tried it, but I also bet using applesauce would work well as a substitute for the yogurt.
- Maple syrup: I haven’t tested this cake with another sweetener, but I bet using honey, agave or even monk fruit maple syrup would work well as a substitute. I just wouldn’t suggest swapping the maple syrup for a dry sugar like coconut sugar or white sugar as it’ll change the consistency of the cake.
- Pecans: I love the combo of fresh apples and pecans and it adds a great crunch to this cake, but you can easily swap the pecans with another nut like almonds or walnuts. Or skip them altogether if you have a nut allergy.
- Coconut oil: If you don’t have coconut oil on hand, melted butter, ghee or another neutral oil like avocado or olive oil will work as well.
How to Make
Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8-inch pan with parchment paper or spray the bottom of the pan with cooking spray. With a small bowl combine all the topping ingredients and mix together with a fork until crumbly, then set aside for later.
In a medium bowl mix together the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda. In a large bowl whisk together the eggs, greek yogurt, coconut oil, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until combined.
Gently fold in the chopped apples and add the cake batter to the prepared baking pan. Sprinkle on the topping and place in the oven to bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let cake cool for about 15-20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool longer. When ready to serve, cut into squares and serve!
Brittany’s Tip
I recommend checking the cake at the 30 minute mark to make sure the crumb topping isn’t browning too much. If you notice the top getting too brown, just place tin foil on top to prevent burning.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to use a mix of apples that are sweet, but tart and firm so that it holds up well to baking – if apples get mushy while baking, it’s a no-go for me! Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Braeburn and Granny Smith apples are all fantastic for this apple cake recipe.
I recommend chopping your apples into 1/4-inch chunks and ideally you want them all to be a similar size so they bake up evenly.
How to Serve Apple Cake
This cake is delicious on its own, but can also be served so many different ways. Here are some ideas:
- Coffee – A warm cup of your favorite coffee or cold brew coffee would pair well with a piece of this apple cake for breakfast. If you’re feeling all the fall vibes pair it with this pumpkin spice latte.
- Ice cream – Serve this cake with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or your favorite ice cream for dessert! For a dairy-free option try this oatmeal raisin ice cream or banana ice cream. If you’re looking for some added protein this protein ice cream would be delicious.
- Whipped cream – Top this cake with some whipped cream for dessert. Regular or coconut whip cream would both be tasty!
- Glaze – If you want to top this cake with a glaze or frosting just whisk together 1/2 cup powdered sugar, 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract and 2-3 teaspoons almond milk and you’ll have a sweet icing to drizzle over your warm coffee cake. You could also just dust this cake with powdered sugar.
- Nut butter – Add a drizzle of almond butter or any nut butter for some protein and healthy fats. A drizzle of coconut butter, apple butter or date caramel sauce would also be delicious.
How to Store Leftovers
After letting your cake cool completely, you can keep it on the counter for 2-3 days, in the refrigerator for 5-7 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. To ensure that the cake stays fresh and moist, it must be stored in an airtight container.
If you’re storing this cake in the freezer I recommend slicing it before freezing so you can pull out individual servings. Let it thaw in the fridge overnight before enjoying or you can reheat in the oven or toaster oven if you’d like a warm slice of cake.
More Fall Recipes to Try
Be sure to check out all my full collection of healthy dessert recipes.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 ½ cups oat flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup full-fat plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup maple syrup
- 2 cups chopped apples , about 1/4-inch chunks
Topping
- ½ cup almond flour
- ¼ cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ cup coconut oil, not melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease an 8×8-inch baking pan or line with parchment.
- Combine all of the topping ingredients in a small bowl with a fork until crumbly and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl add flour, salt, cinnamon and baking soda and stir to combine.
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together eggs, Greek yogurt, coconut oil, vanilla extract and maps syrup.
- Add the flour mixture to the wet mixture and stir until just combined.
- Gently fold in chopped apples.
- Add cake batter to the prepared pan and sprinkle with the topping.
- Bake for 40-50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with just a few moist crumbs sticking to it. Check the cake at the 30 minute mark to make sure the crumb topping isn’t browning too much. If it is you can cover the top with a piece of foil to prevent the top from burning.
- Let cake cool for about 15-20 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool longer.
- Once ready to enjoy, cut into squares and serve!
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, in the fridge for 5-7 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Video
Notes
- Eggs: I haven’t tried it, but I bet using flax eggs or chia eggs would work as a vegan substitute for the eggs. Let me know if you try it in the comments below!
- Flour: If you only have one of the flours it should work to use only almond or only oat flour, but the final texture of the cake might differ slightly.
- Greek yogurt: If you need this cake to be dairy-free it should work to use a dairy-free yogurt instead of the Greek yogurt. I haven’t tried it, but I also bet using applesauce would work well as a substitute for the yogurt.
- Maple syrup: Honey, agave or even monk fruit maple syrup would work well as a substitute.
- Pecans: You can easily swap the pecans with another nut like almonds or walnuts. Or skip them all together if you have a nut allergy.
- Coconut oil: Melted butter, ghee or another neutral oil like avocado or olive oil will work as a substitute.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
I’ve made this cake a couple of times now and it’s absolutely delicious!
Oh yay! That makes me so happy to hear! I’m so glad this cake has been a hit. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
Thank you for this healthy apple cake recipe. We LOVE it! I shared some with our neighbors who eat gluten free and they love it. We have guests coming for the weekend and I’ll make this again.
The only problem is we eat it so fast!!!
Yay! So glad this cake was a hit! Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
I made this recently and wanted to say how good it was. I had ginger gold apples and I cut back a little on the sugar and it was just wonderful. Definitely will be a favourite of ours as is your crustless blueberry pie.
Oh yay!! That makes me so happy to hear. I’m so glad you enjoyed this cake. Thanks for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
Made it for Sunday dinner. Everyone, even the pickiest eaters loved it!!! So moist and delicious!!
Yay! So glad this apple cake was a hit with everyone, Martha. Thanks so much for making it and for coming back to leave a review. I really appreciate it!
Using big-box store generic (but pure) maple syrup adds over $4 to the cost of making this recipe. Can you make an allowance for regular white or brown sugar substitutions – both much less expensive than any suggested alternative sugars. Some of us are trying to live as healthy as possible by simply cutting back on sweetened items all the time, but when we want something sweet and want to keep it healthy, we also have to be cost-wise. Thank you.
Hi Jenny, great question! Maple syrup adds both sweetness and moisture, so it can’t be swapped 1:1 with white or brown sugar. If you’d like to try, I’d recommend adding 2–3 tablespoons of extra liquid (milk, water, or apple juice) to balance things out. I haven’t tested it, so the texture may vary a bit, but it might still work. Thanks for your thoughtful note!