One of my favorite parts of Fall is apple cider, so it's only natural I turned my favorite drink into the best darn Vegan Apple Cider Bundt Cake! This vegan apple cake also has fresh chopped apples inside and an apple cider glaze on top for the best Fall cake.
I made this eggless & dairy-free apple cake to celebrate Rosh Hashanah. If you are not familiar with Rosh Hashanah, it is a celebration of the Jewish New Year.
Traditionally, it is celebrated by blowing the shofar (definitely recommend google searching this if you've never seen it, it's amazing!) and eating sweet foods to bring about abundance in the year to come.
Growing up, Rosh Hashanah was one of my favorite holidays as it was a time to get together with family and do what we do best- catch up & eat delicious homemade food! I always got so excited over the sweet apple cakes, apples dunked in honey, challah, and kugel!
Well, things look a little different these days now that I'm egg-free and live pretty far away from family. However, I am still celebrating at home this year with this moist, easy, & absolutely delicious apple cider cake!
Steps to make an apple cider bundt cake
You may be looking at this apple cider cinnamon bundt cake thinking it's a complicated recipe, but it's actually a very easy cake to make!
Mix dry ingredients in bowl
The full list of ingredients with volume is in the recipe card below, but to quickly recap we are using King Arthur All-purpose Flour, Cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom.
I really recommend sifting these ingredients together in a small bowl before mixing with the wet ingredients. While I normally stick to using one bowl in my cake and cupcake recipes, a bundt cake uses about double the ingredients of a normal cake. Sifting the dry ingredients in a small bowl first ensures no large clumps form.
Also, it's crucial for vegan baking to use what the recipe calls for when it comes to baking soda and baking powder. Too much baking soda makes this cake too soft and brown (believe me I tried it) and not enough leavening makes this cake too dense.
Why use cornstarch?
Fun Fact, but if you're wondering why we use cornstarch it makes this cake so light, tender, and fluffy! When paired with all-purpose flour, it makes the protein percentage of the dry ingredients lower and therefore leads to a lighter cake.
Mix wet ingredients
Again, the full ingredients are in the recipe card, but to recap we are using apple cider (pasteurized, not apple juice), applesauce (as a vegan egg replacement!), olive oil (though any oil works), white sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla bean paste.
Using apple cider and applesauce also allows us to cut the amount of added sugar and oil in this recipe. This vegan applesauce cake ends up not too sweet, but gratifying with tons of apple & cinnamon flavor!
P.S- if you love this recipe, you'll also love my Vegan Apple Cider Donuts!
Mix into apple cake batter
Once the wet ingredients are mixed, just add in the bowl of dry ingredients and mix everything together into a thick apple cider cake batter!
Add in fresh aples
This is totally optional, but if you're a big fan of apples in cake batter- add them in! Make sure to use aluminum-free baking powder or the apple skins may turn green. Better yet, remove the skins altogether to avoid this problem.
What apples work best in this apple cake?
I used Gala apples and really recommend them! They stay sweet but still hold their shape while baking. Other good apple varieties include Granny Smith or Fuji apples as they hold their shape, though they are a bit more tart.
Bake the apple bundt cake
Before baking, I like to let my batter rest in the bowl, preheat my oven to 350F, and prep my bundt pan.
How to prep a bundt pan:
To prep the bundt pan, I recommend greasing it with vegan shortening or coconut oil (here is the shortening I used). Vegan butter, oil, or non-stick spray also works.
Then, VERY lightly dust the pan with flour. After dusting, dump out any excess flour that isn't sticking to the pan.
Believe it or not, dusting the pan with flour is super important! If you just add oil, your cake won't stick (which is good), but it also might fall flat and not rise enough. Dusting the pan with flour helps the cake batter climb the walls of the bundt pan as it rises and really makes a difference. The photos below should show you how lightly I dust my bundt pan.
Let cool and invert the cake
Once the cake is done cooking, remove it from the oven and let it sit for 10 minutes before inverting. It's also a good idea to run a butter knife along the edges of the bundt pan to help loosen the cake. Then, invert onto a wire cooling rack.
How to cool a bundt cake:
It's SUPER important to invert onto a wire cooling rack to finish cooling or the bottom of the cake may get too sticky from moisture building up while cooling. Bundt cakes need a decent amount of time to cool before being glazed, so be patient!
Top with apple cider glaze
To make this eggless apple cake even better, I decided to decorate it with a cinnamon apple cider glaze and homemade apple chips!
How to make apple cider glaze:
To make the glaze, mix together 1 cup of sifted powdered sugar, 1 Tbsp apple cider, and ½ tsp cinnamon until a thick glaze forms. Then, pour it over the cooled apple cake.
P.S- If the glaze isn't your thing, you could also soak this cake with a little apple cider or coat it with cinnamon sugar to make an Apple Cider Donut Cake!
How to make homemade apple chips
I also topped with apple cider cake with homemade apple chips!
To make the apple chips, I turned my oven to 200F convection oven settings. Then, I thinly sliced an apple and put the pieces onto a parchment-lined aluminum baking tray. Cook the apples for 2-3 hours, flipping halfway through until all the moisture is gone and the apples are crispy.
It is a more time-intensive process, but I just love the way they look! Also, I highly recommend using a mandoline to cut the apple slices so they bake evenly.
If you want you could also coat them with cinnamon and sugar right before baking for even more flavor!
FAQ & substitutions:
I haven't tried it, but if you do I'd recommend using a 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking substitute.
Keep in mind, you'll want to sub GF flour by volume NOT by grams as it can vary based on the brand. Alternative flours such as almond, coconut, or cassava will not work 1:1 in this recipe.
I really tried to make this oil-free after a few requests, but honestly, I didn't like it!
Technically you can sub the olive oil 1:1 in volume for additional applesauce or plant-based yogurt, but I found it made this bundt cake too dense. The trick to a really good bundt cake is making it moist without weighing it down, and I have found the best way to do this is by using olive oil.
There is just something magical about olive oil in baked goods, so if you can I recommend making this a vegan apple cake with olive oil every time!
This apple bundt cake can be sliced and stored in a closed container at room temperature for 24-48 hours and in the freezer for up to 1 month. I found storing it between sheets of parchment paper works best or it sticks together.
Also, technically you can store this cake in the fridge for 5-7 days, but I don't recommend it. Storing cakes in the fridge tends to dry them out and it won't be as moist and delicious.
I truly hope you all love this Vegan Apple Cider Bundt Cake with Apple Cider Glaze! It's such as fun recipe to make in Fall and is the best vegan apple cake to celebrate Rosh Hashanah with loved ones. L'Shana Tovah & Happy New Year!
-TSG
More vegan cake recipes for Fall you will love:
If you loved this recipe, please leave a 5-star review on the recipe card. I always appreciate your feedback and support! You can also follow along on my Instagram, Facebook, TikTok, and Pinterest, or sign up for our newsletter!
Vegan Apple Cider Bundt Cake
Ingredients
Apple Cider Cake:
- 1 ½ cups apple cider NOT apple cider vinegar
- ⅓ cup olive oil can be subbed 1:1 with any oil
- ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract
- 2 ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon cardamom
- ½ cup diced apples apples are optional for the recipe- it is best to peel the apple skins off or rub in lemon juice
Apple Cider Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar measure then sift
- 1 Tablespoon apple cider
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- First sift together the dry ingredients including the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Next, add the wet ingredients to a larger mixing bowl including the apple cider, olive oil, applesauce, brown sugar, white sugar, and vanilla bean paste. Whisk together to combine.
- Add the bowl of sifted dry ingredients to the bowl of wet ingredients and whisk together until a thick cake batter forms. Please note, it is important not to overmix the batter and just mix it until large clumps or streaks of flour are gone. Then, add in the optional chopped apples and fold them into the batter.
- Let the batter rest in the bowl and preheat the oven to 350F. While the oven is preheating, lightly grease the bundt pan. I have found that greasing the pan with shortening works best, but olive oil or a non-sticky spray works too. Make sure every crevice is lightly oiled so the cake does not stick. Then, dust the pan lightly with flour. Make sure to dump out any excess flour that is not sticking to the pan.
- Once the oven is preheated, add the cake batter to the bundt pan. Before adding to the oven, tap the pan on the counter to remove any air bubbles and fill in all the crevices of the pan with batter. Then, add the cake to the oven. Bake for 38-45 minutes or until cooked throughout.
- Remove the bundt cake and let sit 10-15 minutes before inverting. I also recommend running a knife along the edges of the cake before inverting to help loosen. It is best to invert the cake onto a wire rack to cool so the bottom does not get too moist.
- Once the cake has cooled completely, make the apple cider glaze. Add the powdered sugar, apple cider, and cinnamon to a small bowl and whisk together until a thick glaze forms. The glaze should be very thick, but feel free to add up to ½ Tbsp more apple cider for a thinner glaze.
- Pour the glaze onto the cooled cake, slice, and serve!
Notes
- Leftover cake can be stored for 24-48 hours at room temperature in a closed container or up to 1 month in the freezer. Store sheets between layers of parchment paper for the best results. The cake can also be stored in the fridge for 5-7 days, however, this method of storing may dry it out so it is not recommended.
- This is the bundt pan I used for this recipe. Nordic Ware is truly the BEST for bundt pans!
Nancy says
This looks delicious! I want to make this for a church gathering. Can I use natural apple juice instead of apple cider? Thank you for all the great recipes!
Megan says
I really don't recommend swapping the apple cider as that's the basis of the cake and it has a different flavor than the apple juice I have tasted, but if you try it may work.
Deb says
Could I use a cake pan or cupcakes instead of a Bundt pan?
Megan says
I don't know what size cake pan would work for this recipe and the cooking time, however, cupcakes should work. Just fill each about 2/3 full with batter and cook around 20 minutes.
Lidia says
Hello,
Can the cider be carbonated? It looks like it is not in the video
Megan says
No carbonated cider would not work in this recipe as it isn't the right type of cider to use.
Jasmine says
The perfect fall dessert! 😍🍎 The cake was moist, flavourful, had the right amount of spice that wasn’t overpowering, and isn’t sickeningly sweet so the icing adds a nice touch of sweetness. The icing itself also helped any decorations I wanted to put on top stick to the cake. Family absolutely went crazy over it! They thought I bought it from a bakery because it looked and tasted so good. 😵
chelsea predvil says
Is it possible to use cake flour instead of the all purpose flour and cornstarch ?
Megan says
Possibly, but it may affect the end texture- the all-purpose flour with cornstarch does mimic pastry flour so I'd just substitute the quantities of both with cake flour. Let me know how it goes!
Sylvia Laboy says
Hi! Can I leave ½ tsp cardamom out or substitute with something else ?
Megan Horowitch says
yes! It's just there for flavor but you can sub the cardamom with cinnamon or any other spice you prefer! You can also omit it, but I do highly recommend some spice for flavor.
Lori Dortch says
Not just any recipe, it’s culinary baked genius. Not only did my Apple Cider Cake turn out moist, it was deeply flavorful, capable of transporting me to my favorite fall spot in nature or fireside.
Her words are detailed, steps are easy to follow and the ingredient list won’t break the bank.
When a recipe makes you feel this confident after a first attempt, you know the writer/baker is an intentional, creative teacher.
Do yourself a winning favor (flavor) and bake this cake.
(Will be on my table this Thanksgiving)
Megan Horowitch says
Wow Lori this was truly the kindest review! Thank you so so much and of course I am just beyond happy you liked the cake :).
Nicole says
Can I sub arrowroot starch for cornstarch?
Megan Horowitch says
Maybe but I wouldn't recommend it. I find arrowroot makes baked goods "gummier" vs. lighter like cornstarch. I would just sub for 2 Tbsp flour if you don't have cornstarch.
Kathleen says
If you’re looking for the best vegan Bundt cake in the world, look no further. Megan really does just make the best recipes - so user friendly, and everything has ended to so so so delicious. Make it, make yourself a cup of coffee, and enjoyyyyy.
Megan Horowitch says
Thank you thank you! 🙂
Sindy says
So so good! Fall in a mouthful! The bundt cake (I used a 12 cup Wilton bundt cake pan and baked it for 38mins and it came out perfect!)
came out nice and tall & wasn’t dry or too sweet (I ran out of white sugar so I only put about half of what the recipe called for - but the icing on top definitely makes up for the sweetness lost there!).
Megan Horowitch says
So glad to hear it worked even with half the sugar! Thanks for sharing 🙂