Lyndsay Sung, the Vancouver-based vegan baker extraordinaire behind Coco Cake Land, knows that plant-based desserts can and should be just as complex and delicious as their counterparts (case in point: her sweet-yet-salty Blueberry Sour Cream Streusal Cake). For this recipe, apple cake is frosted with caramel buttercream and topped with an ultra-easy homemade oatmeal cookie crumble. “Bonus: leftover oatmeal cookie crumbles are a sheer delight layered in yogurt parfaits or liberally sprinkled on top of ice cream,” Sung writes.

A frosted cake topped with oatmeal crumble on a pink-and-red tablecloth

Vegan Apple Caramel Cake

Lyndsay Sung's recipe for a plant-based apple cake frosted with salted caramel buttercream and topped with an oatmeal cookie crumble.

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Course baking, cake, Dessert

Cuisine Canadian, vegan

Ingredients

Salted Caramel

1 cup granulated white sugar
2 tbsp corn syrup
2 tbsp water
½ cup plant milk
2 tbsp unsalted plant-based butter
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1 tsp fine sea salt

Salted Caramel Buttercream

1¾ cups unsalted plant-based butter room temperature
2 cups icing sugar sifted, plus more as needed
2 tsp pure vanilla extract

Oatmeal Cookie Crumbles

5 tbsp granulated white sugar
¾ cup rolled oats
⅓ cup all-purpose flour
½ tsp fine sea salt
4 tbsp unsalted plant-based butter room temperature, cut into cubes

Cake

2½ cups all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
¾ tsp fine sea salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 cup vegetable oil
½ cup unsweetened applesauce
¾ cup light brown sugar
½ cup granulated white sugar
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 cups grated apple
Salted Caramel Buttercream reserve some of the salted caramel to decorate the cake

Instructions

Salted Caramel

In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the sugar, corn syrup and water over high heat until the sugar has dissolved. Let the mixture boil without stirring until it reaches a medium amber colour, about 10 minutes or so. Remove from the heat and carefully whisk in the plant milk (it will bubble up ferociously, so go slowly). Whisk in the butter, vanilla extract and salt. Let cool completely; it will thicken as it cools.
Use ¾ cup salted caramel for the buttercream, and reserve the rest for decorating the cake with caramel drips. Leftover caramel will keep in the fridge for up to 2 weeks – it is delicious drizzled on ice cream or stirred into yogurt.

Salted Caramel Buttercream

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, icing sugar, vanilla extract and ¾ cup salted caramel on low speed to combine, using a spatula to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Turn the mixer to medium-high speed and beat until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. If the frosting seems too loose, add 1 tbsp of icing sugar at a time to thicken it until it is creamy and spreadable, being careful not to over-sweeten.

Oatmeal Cookie Crumbles

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the sugar, rolled oats, flour and salt. Sprinkle in the butter, toss to coat, and then mix until well incorporated.
Using a spatula, spread the mixture onto the prepared baking sheet in an even layer. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden brown and crisp. Let cool completely in its pan set on top of a wire rack.
Once cooled, break up into cookie crumbles with your hands or lightly bash it with a rolling pin.

Cake

Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Prepare three 7×2-inch round cake pans by spritzing them with vegetable oil and lining with parchment paper circles cut to size. Spray again with oil to prevent sticking.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the vegetable oil, applesauce, brown sugar, white sugar and vanilla extract on medium speed until smooth, about 1 minute.
With the mixer on low speed, add the dry ingredients, mixing until combined, 15 to 30 seconds. Fold in the grated apple.
Divide the cake batter evenly between the prepared pans. Give the pans a light tap on the counter to reduce any air bubbles. Bake for 22 to 25 minutes, until the cake edges are lightly browned, the cake springs back to the touch, and a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out with only moist crumbs.
Let the cakes cool completely in their pans set on top of wire racks.
Frost the cake using the salted caramel buttercream.
Decorate the cake with a piped salted caramel buttercream border on top, or an artful array of piped dollops or drop stars. You can also add drips of salted caramel to the outside of the cake. To preserve maximum crispness, add the oatmeal cookie crumbles in various-sized pieces to the top of the cake just before serving!