Yes, I’m apple crazy once again. I look forward to August and September as my farmer’s market fills up with stalls dedicated to apples. This year I had to wait a couple weeks for my favorite – Pink Pearls. They are crisp, yellow-skinned apples with pink flesh inside. They have just the right amount of tartness to make them gorgeous!

So I’m busy in the kitchen, cutting up apples and turning them into everything. Salads. Entrees. And, of course, desserts.

When I make a cake, I don’t want anything too sweet. With apples, it should be a bit more subtle to really taste the apples. And loads of cinnamon. (I know some chefs would think I use an obscene amount of cinnamon. But I like it that way.)

While I love eating my Pink Pearls alone, putting other popular apples you can get from the grocery store into my baking, they were sitting on my counter, so I gave them a try. Fabulous! But don’t worry if you can’t find Pink Pearls – any apple will suffice.

The Best Vegan Apple Cake

Apple Cake

1 lb (450 g) apples chopped
2 cups (250 g) flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon (or go wilder, depending on your taste)
½ cup (100 g) sugar
½ cup (120 ml) plant-based milk
½ cup (120ml) apple cider
1 tsp vanilla
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
½ cup (120 g) plant-based butter, melted

Streusel Topping

½ cup (75 g) flour
1 tsp cinnamon (or more!)
3 tbsp brown sugar
3 tbsp plant-based butter, melted
½ cup pecans chopped

• Preheat oven to 350 F (180 C). Grease a 9-inch round pan, and line the bottom with parchment.
• In a large mixing bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and sugar.
• In a medium mixing bowl, whisk milk, apple cider, vanilla, apple cider vinegar, and butter.
• Combine the dry and wet mixtures, stirring just until mixed. Transfer batter to baking pan.
• Top with chopped apples, follow with streusel, pressing gently into the batter.
• Bake for 45 to 50 minutes or until skewer inserted in center comes out clean. Cool for 20 minutes, then remove from pan. Cool completely. Serve.