Apple Crumble Cake (with Yogurt)

This Apple Crumble Cake is a striking and very decadent, simple cake recipe with a soft crumb full of apple pieces and a delicious crumble topping, both made with no refined sugar, no dairy, and no eggs.

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While the whole recipe is just below, don’t miss all my tips further down, including ingredient swaps, my cooking tips, and step-by-step shots!

Apple Crumble Cake

This Apple Crumble Cake is a striking and very decadent, simple cake recipe with a soft crumb full of apple pieces and a delicious crumble topping, both made with no refined sugar, no dairy, and no eggs.

4.80 from 5 votes

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Prep Time: 10 minutes mins

Cook Time: 40 minutes mins

Cool Down: 1 hour hr

Total Time: 1 hour hr 50 minutes mins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings: 16 slices

Calories: 233.9 kcal

Author: Carine Claudepierre

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Ingredients

US Customary – Metric

• ▢ 2 ⅓ cups All-Purpose Flour - (note 1)
• ▢ 3 teaspoons Baking Powder
• ▢ 1 cup Unrefined Cane Sugar - (note 2)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
• ▢ ½ teaspoon Nutmeg
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon Ginger
• ▢ ¼ teaspoon Allspice
• ▢ 1 cup Coconut Yogurt - (note 3)
• ▢ ½ cup Mild-Flavor Olive Oil - (note 4)
• ▢ ⅓ cup Almond Milk - (note 5)
• ▢ 2 ½ cups Chopped Apples - peeled, chopped in 0.5 inch (1cm) cubes equivalent 3 medium apples. Set aside 1 cup for crumb topping (note 6)
• ▢ 2 teaspoons Vanilla Extract

Crumb Toppings

• ▢ ⅓ cup All-Purpose Flour
• ▢ ½ cup Walnuts - finely chopped, measured before chopping
• ▢ ⅓ cup Unrefined Cane Sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon Cinnamon
• ▢ 4 tablespoons Mild-Flavor Olive Oil - (note 4)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper – make sure it hangs on the sides of the pan. This makes it easier to remove the cake from the pan after baking. Oil the sides and bottom of the pan. Set aside.

Apple preparation

• Peel the apples, cut into 0.5-inch (1cm) cubes. Set aside 1 cup of cubed apples in a mixing bowl for the crumb topping.

Crumb Topping

• In the bowl where you placed 1 cup of chopped apples, add all the remaining crumb topping ingredients. Use your fingertips to toss and coat everything together. It will look like crumbly dough with pieces of apples. Refrigerate while preparing the cake batter.

Apple Cake Batter

• In a large mixing bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and allspice.
• Fold in the yogurt, olive oil, almond milk, vanilla extract, and the remaining 1 1/2 cups of chopped apples. Use a rubber spatula to stir everything together and form a smooth cake batter.
• Pour the batter into the prepared pan.
• Remove the crumb topping from the fridge. Use your fingers to sprinkle the crumbly topping on top of the cake. Press a little to stick the pieces of apples from the crumb onto the batter.
• Bake the cake at 350°F (180°C) for 60-65 minutes, foiling the pan after 40 minutes to prevent the cake from browning too fast on top.
• Insert a skewer in the center of the cake to check if the batter is set. If it comes out clean, remove the cake from the oven. If not, bake longer, in 5-minute increments, until the cake is set.
• Let it cool down for 15 minutes in the pan, then for 1 hour on a cooling rack before slicing into 16 portions.
• Serve with peanut butter caramel, or melted Biscoff spread.

Notes

Note 1:  You can also swap all-purpose flour for white spelt flour.  The recipe doesn’t work with oat flour or with almond flour. Use my gluten-free conversion guide to make it gluten-free.

Note 2: You can use any crystal sweetener, like coconut sugar, sugar, brown sugar, or unrefined cane sugar.

Note 3: or any plain yogurt you love, cashew yogurt, soy yogurt, coconut yogurt. 

Note 4: Or any light vegetable oil you love, or melted plant-based butter.

Note 5: Or any milk you love, like soy milk or oat milk.

Note 6: Choose apples that hold their shape when baked, like Granny Smith, Fuji, Pink Lady, or Braeburn.

Oven Mode: I use the fan-forced (convection) mode. If you have to use conventional mode, I recommend increasing the temperature by 25°F (15 °C). The baking time should be the same, but it might take a few more minutes.

Storage: Store the cake in the fridge for up to 4 days in an airtight container.

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Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 233.9kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.7g | Protein: 3.5g | Fat: 10.6g | Saturated Fat: 1.5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7.5g | Trans Fat: 0.001g | Sodium: 91.5mg | Potassium: 49mg | Fiber: 0.8g | Sugar: 17.2g | Vitamin A: 1.9IU | Vitamin B12: 0.1µg | Vitamin C: 0.03mg | Calcium: 71.6mg | Iron: 1.2mg | Magnesium: 6.7mg | Phosphorus: 56.6mg | Zinc: 0.2mg

Ingredients and Substitutions

You only need a few simple ingredients to make this recipe. Here’s how to pick and swap them.

• All-Purpose Flour – This forms the main structure of your cake and the crumble topping. You can also use white spelt flour, but other flour types like oat or almond flour do not work well here.
• Baking Powder – Baking powder is the leavening agent in your cake, making it light and fluffy.
• Unrefined Cane Sugar – This provides sweetness to both the cake and the crumble topping. You can use any crystal sweetener, such as coconut sugar, regular sugar, or brown sugar.
• Cinnamon – Cinnamon brings a warm, aromatic spice that pairs perfectly with apples in both the cake and the crumble.
• Nutmeg – Nutmeg adds another layer of warm spice, complementing the cinnamon and apple flavors.
• Ginger – Ginger provides a subtle, zesty warmth to the cake.
• Allspice – Allspice contributes a complex, warm spice flavor that brings out the best in the apples.
• Coconut Yogurt – This ingredient provides moisture and a subtle tang to the cake batter, creating a tender crumb. You can also use other plain yogurts, such as cashew yogurt or soy yogurt.
• Light Olive Oil – The oil adds richness and moisture to the cake, keeping it tender. Any light vegetable oil or melted plant-based butter works as a substitute.
• Almond Milk – Almond milk contributes to the liquid content of the batter, helping to achieve the right consistency. Any other milk, like soy milk or oat milk, will also work.
• Chopped Apples – Apples are the star of this cake, adding natural sweetness, moisture, and texture. It’s best to choose varieties that hold their shape when baked, such as Granny Smith, Fuji, Pink Lady, or Braeburn.
• Vanilla Extract – Vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor of the cake, adding a classic, comforting aroma.
• Walnuts – Walnuts in the crumble topping provide a lovely crunch and nutty flavor. You can swap them for pecans or almonds, or omit them for a nut-free version and add extra flour instead.

How to Make Apple Crumble Cake

This cake is really easy to whip up. Here’s how in pictures.

Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and pour the liquid ones on the top.

Slice the apples into small cubes and pour them on the ingredients.

Combine the mixture to form a thick and sticky batter.

In another bowl, mix the crumble ingredients together.

Pour the apple cake batter into a springform pan and top it with the crumble.

Bake the cake at 350°F (180°C) for 60-65 minutes.

Carine’s Baking Tips

Let me share a few more tips for a perfect apple cake.

• Apple Choice – To ensure your apple pieces hold their shape and don’t turn mushy in the cake, always choose firm apple varieties like Granny Smith, Braeburn, Fuji, or Pink Lady.
• Nutty Swaps – If walnuts aren’t your favorite, you can easily swap them for other nuts like pecans or almonds in the crumble topping. For a nut-free cake, simply omit the nuts and add an extra 2 tablespoons of flour to the crumble mixture.
• Serving – Elevate your apple crumble cake by serving it with a drizzle of warm peanut butter caramel that has a teaspoon of cinnamon stirred in, or a luscious warm Biscoff cookie butter.
• Foil for Browning – If you notice the top of your cake browning too quickly during baking, especially the crumble, cover the pan loosely with aluminum foil. This helps prevent over-browning while the inside continues to cook.

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