Vegan apple cake is the perfect cake for fall!  Fill the house with the smell of cinnamon and apples baking with this easy salted caramel apple upside-down cake.  It’s moist, flavorful, and sure to be a hit with the whole family!

A vegan caramel apple upsidedown cake on a blue cake dish.

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This recipe is from my grandmother.  It’s not an old recipe passed down through the years; she created it last year, at the age of 88, for the local county fair baking competition, where she won 2nd place!  The recipe sounded so good that I had to make it vegan and try it myself, and it’s delicious!

Why you’ll love this recipe

  • It’s quick and easy to make.
  • There is no need for frosting or decorating.
  • It’s pretty enough for a holiday or special occasion.
  • It’s super moist and delicious!

OMG! This was delicious! I was in the mood for something that would get me in the mood for fall and this did the trick!

—Christy
A slice of vegan apple cake on a white plate with a fork on the side.

Ingredients and substitutions

For the caramel apple topping

  • Vegan Butter – or any other neutral-flavored oil that you want.
  • Brown Sugar – for a caramel-like flavor.  You can also use coconut sugar.
  • Maple Syrup – to add moisture and sweetness.  You can swap it out with water if you don’t have maple syrup.
  • Salt – optional for a salted caramel flavor.
  • Apples – sliced thin to decorate the top.  You’ll need 1-2 apples for the top.

For the apple cake

  • Flour – all-purpose flour works best, but you can also use half whole wheat flour or a grain-based gluten-free flour mix.
  • Sugar – for sweetness.  White sugar will give you a whiter cake, but you can also use any other granulated sugar.
  • Baking Soda – to make the cake rise.
  • Cinnamon – optional to flavor the cake.
  • Salt – for flavor
  • Plant-Based Milk – for the correct moisture level in the cake.  I prefer to use soy milk, but you can also use almond, oat, or cashew milk.
  • Apples – chopped into small pieces for the cake. (optional) You only need 1/2 cup, which is approximately equivalent to 1 small apple.
  • Oil – to make the cake moist.  You can replace this with apple sauce to make it oil-free.
  • Apple Cider Vinegar – to interact with the baking soda and help the cake rise.  You can use any type of vinegar or lemon juice to achieve the desired acidity.

Note: You can also use a vegan yellow cake mix to make it super easy.  Simply follow my easy vegan cake recipe and place it on top of the caramel apple layer.

How to make a vegan caramel apple cake

Make the caramel apple topping (this goes on the bottom of the cake pan, but will become the top when the cake is inverted).

Step 1 – Peel and core 2-3 apples.  Cut 1-2 apples into thin slices (about 2-3 cm thick) and dice the other apple into small cubes. (You will need enough slices to cover the bottom of a cake pan and 1/2 cup of diced apples for the cake batter.)

Step 2 – Melt 4 tablespoons of vegan butter, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 3 tablespoons of maple syrup, and salt in a small saucepan. Simmer until it begins to boil and the sugar is dissolved.

Step 3 – Pour the sugar mixture into the bottom of a 9 x 2-inch round cake pan, and then arrange the sliced apples in a pattern on top of the sugar mixture.

A collage of 2 pictures showing melting the vegan butter, brown sugar and maple syrup to make the caramel layer for the apple cake.

Make the apple cake

Step 4 – Preheat the oven to 350°F (177 °C).

Step 5 – Measure out the flour, sugar, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt into a large mixing bowl and stir with a whisk.

Step 6 – Mix the oil, plant milk, and vinegar in a separate container and let it sit for a few minutes until the milk begins to curdle.

Step 7 – Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until they are well incorporated.

Step 8 – Toss in 1/2 cup of diced apples and fold them into the batter.

Step 9 – Spoon the cake batter over the top of the caramel and apple layer, being careful not to disturb the pattern.

A collage of 4 pictures showing the dry ingredients, adding soy milk and apples, and spooning the cake batter on top of the apples and caramel.

Baking the cake

Step 10 – Bake the cake at 350°F (177 °C) for approximately 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Step 11 – Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes. If the edges appear to be stuck, slide a knife around them. Then, invert the cake onto a plate. Don’t let it cool much longer than 10 minutes, or it may stick to the pan. To remove, set a plate (or cake stand) on top of the cake, then quickly flip the cake over so that the cake pan is now sitting on the plate.  Tap the cake pan and wiggle it slowly until the cake releases and you can pull off the pan.

Pro Tips

  • I use a heavy non-stick cake pan, and the cake always comes out clean without needing to grease the pan. However, if you have a thin aluminum cake pan, you may want to cut a circle of parchment paper to line the bottom of the pan.
  • Heat the caramel just long enough for the brown sugar to melt and become smooth.  Don’t let it boil, or it will start to crystallize.
  • It is common for the butter and sugar mixture to bubble up and over in upside-down cakes.  You may want to place an old cookie sheet or some foil in your oven under the cake pan to catch any drips.

This apple upside-down cake will be a delicious addition to Halloween parties or your Thanksgiving dessert table.  I love that it looks pretty as is, and there is no need for frosting or decorating.  However, if you want to turn it into a more traditional vegan apple cake, omit the caramel and apples from the bottom, and then use the cinnamon version of my vegan buttercream frosting.

If you don’t want to make the cake from scratch, you can use any vegan boxed cake mix and follow the directions for my super-easy vegan soda cake, then spoon that on top of the caramel apple mixture.

How to make a gluten-free apple cake

You can swap out the flour in this recipe with any all-purpose gluten-free flour.  Make sure it’s a grain-based mix; it will not work with almond flour.  If the mix doesn’t already contain xanthan gum, add 1/2 tsp of xanthan gum to the dry ingredients to help maintain the cake’s structure. 

You can also use a gluten-free cake mix and follow my soda cake recipe, and put it on top of the caramel apple layer. If you’re looking for more gluten-free cake recipes, such as gluten-free vegan chocolate cupcakes.

A vegan apple cake on a blue plate with a slice being taken out of it.

More desserts for fall

Vegan apple cake recipe

A slice being taken out of a vegan apple cake.
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5 from 11 rating

Vegan Apple Upside Down Cake

Yield: 10
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 35 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Author: Monica Davis
A vegan caramel apple upside-down cake made with simple ingredients for a perfect fall dessert.
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Ingredients

For the caramel apple topping

  • 4 tablespoons vegan butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 3 tablespoons maple syrup
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt , (you can add up to 1/2 tsp for extra salty caramel)
  • 1 cup sliced apples

Dry ingredients for the apple cake

  • 1 1/2 cup flour
  • 3/4 cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt

Wet ingredients

  • 1 cup soy milk, (or almond milk, oat milk, or any other plant-based milk)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoon apple cider vinegar, or white vinegar or lemon juice
  • 1/3 cup oil, any neutral-flavored oil will work
  • 1/2 cup apples, diced

Equipment

Instructions
 

Make the caramel apple topping (this goes on the bottom of the cake pan, but will become the top when inverted).

  • Peel and core 2-3 apples.  Cut 1-2 apples into thin slices (about 2-3 cm thick) and dice the other apple into small cubes. (You will need enough slices to cover the bottom of a cake pan and 1/2 cup of chopped apples for the cake batter.)
  • Melt 4 tablespoons of vegan butter, 1/2 cup of brown sugar, 3 tablespoons of maple syrup, and salt in a small saucepan. Simmer until it begins to boil and the sugar is dissolved.
  • Pour the sugar mixture into the bottom of a 9×2-inch round cake pan, and then arrange the sliced apples in a pattern on top of the sugar mixture.

Make the cake

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177 °C).
  • Measure out 1 1/2 cups of flour, 3/4 cup of sugar, 1 teaspoon of baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt in a mixing bowl and stir them together.
  • Mix 1 cup plant-milk, 1 1/2 tsp apple cider vinegar, and 1/3 cup oil in a separate container and let it sit for a few minutes until the milk begins to curdle
  • Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until they are well incorporated.
  • Add 1/2 cup of diced apples and give the mixture another brief stir.
  • Spoon the cake batter over the top of the caramel and apple layer so that you don't disturb your pattern.
  • Bake the cake at 350°F (177 °C) for about 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
  • Allow the cake to cool for 10 minutes, slide a knife around the edges if they appear to be stuck, then invert the cake onto a plate.  To do this, set a plate (or cake stand) on top of the cake, then quickly flip the cake over so that the cake pan is now sitting on the plate.  Tap the cake pan and wiggle it slowly until the cake releases and you can pull off the pan.

Notes

  • I use a heavy non-stick cake pan, and the cake always comes out clean without needing to grease the pan. However, if you have a thin aluminum cake pan, you may want to cut a circle of parchment paper to line the bottom of the pan.
  • Allow the cake to cool for about 10 minutes, allowing it to solidify enough to hold together when inverted. However, do not let it cool too much, as the caramel will start to harden and stick to the pan.
  • Heat the caramel just long enough for the brown sugar to melt and become smooth.  Don’t let it boil, or it will start to crystallize.
  • If you don’t want to make the cake from scratch, you can use any vegan boxed cake mix and follow the directions for my super-easy vegan soda cake; then, spoon that on top of the caramel apple mixture.
  • It is common for the butter and sugar mixture to bubble up and over in upside-down cakes.  You may want to place an old cookie sheet or some foil in your oven under the cake pan to catch any drips.
Serving: 1slice, Calories: 342kcal, Carbohydrates: 52g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 14g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Sodium: 579mg, Potassium: 136mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 33g, Vitamin A: 313IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 86mg, Iron: 1mg
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