Did you ever think a cake made with whole wheat flour, flax seed and grated apples could taste so amazing you’d want three slices? Well, that’s exactly what’s happening here. Let’s do this!
This recipe was made in partnership with Bob’s Red Mill using their whole-wheat flour, which provides a rustic, hearty texture that I adore.
Whole-wheat flour also packs more nutrition that your average cake made with all purpose, and complements the rolled oats, molasses, and brown sugar perfectly.
This recipe requires just 1 bowl, simple ingredients and comes together in about 1 hour. A cake in one bowl in one hour? Yes, dreams do come true.
Speaking of dreams coming true, check out this vegan cream cheese frosting! Just 4 ingredients and you have a luxurious, creamy frosting that takes this cake to the next level.
This cake is my new fall and winter favorite. It’s:
Hearty
Rustic
Gingerbread-infused
Perfectly sweet
Moist
Tender
Subtly spiced
Simple
Shareable
& Altogether perfect
Might I suggest this cake for holiday gatherings? Your friends will love you forever.
Because of its healthier ingredients, I would even argue it could be an acceptable brunch item (yes, I went there). Or, if you’re like John and me, enjoy a slice in the afternoon with hot tea.
If you make this cake, please let us know! Leave a comment or take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram! We love seeing our recipes come to life in your kitchens.
Cheers, friends!
1-Bowl Apple Gingerbread Cake
Ingredients
CAKE
- 2 Tbsp flaxseed meal (to make flax eggs)
- 5 Tbsp water (to make flax eggs)
- 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp molasses
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup avocado oil (or sub olive or melted coconut with varied results)
- 1 1/4 cup grated apple (loosely packed // a mix of sweet + tart)
- 1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk (sub up to 1/3 with water)
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Whole-Wheat Flour
- 1/2 cup rolled oats
CREAM CHEESE FROSTING
- 1/2 cup vegan cream cheese (softened // such as Tofutti or Trader Joe’s brand)
- 1/3 cup vegan butter (softened // such as Earth Balance // butter sticks are best // not the spreadable tub)
- 2 1/2 – 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup flour (this is optional for thickening // alternatively sub more powdered sugar)
- 1 cup chopped pecans (optional // for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (162 C) and butter two 8-inch round cake pans, or an 8×8 baking dish (as original recipe is written // adjust number or size of pans if altering batch size). Add flour to coat, then shake out excess and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, prepare flax eggs by mixing flaxseed and water and let rest.
- Core apples (no need to peel) and grate. I recommend a mix of finely grated, and coarsely grated. Place grated apple on a clean dish towel and gently squeeze to remove about half of the juice. Set aside. (P.S. you should totally drink that apple juice.)
- To the flax egg, add sugars, molasses, oil, vanilla, almond milk, grated apples, and whisk.
- Set a sifter over something to catch fall out and add dry ingredients in this order: 1 cup whole wheat flour (amount as original recipe is written // use 2/3 of the total if altering batch size), baking soda, baking powder, salt, ginger, cinnamon, remaining 1/2 cup whole wheat flour (amount as original recipe is written // use remaining 1/3 of the total if altering batch size). Stir gently with a spoon, then sift over wet ingredients and stir to combine, being careful not to over mix).
- Lastly, add oats and stir again to combine, being careful not to over mix. The batter should be thick but pourable. If it appears too thick, add a bit more almond milk to thin and stir.
- Pour batter into prepared cake pan(s). If you’re dividing between two pans, it may look like there’s not enough batter but there is! Spread it in an even layer and it will rise while baking.
- Bake for about 30-35 minutes if using 2 round cake pans or about 40-50 minutes for an 8×8. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean and the edges should be visibly browned. Remove from oven and set out on counter to cool completely.
- While the cake is cooling, prepare frosting. To the same mixing bowl (rinsed clean), add softened cream cheese, softened butter and beat or whisk vigorously to combine. Then add powdered sugar in 1/2 cup increments until thick and spreadable.
- Add flour at the end to thicken (optional – or just more powdered sugar). You want this frosting to be pretty thick so it won’t slide off the cake, so keep adding flour and/or powdered sugar until it reaches the right consistency.
- Once the cake is completely cooled, add 1/3 of the frosting to the top of the bottom layer and spread into an even layer. Then add the top layer of cake and frost generously with remaining frosting, coating sides last. Add crushed pecans on the edges (optional), slice and serve.
- The cake should be stored covered in the fridge for optimal freshness, and should keep for 3-4 days. Move to the freezer after that, and thaw at room temp before serving.
Video
Notes
*Recipe adapted from my Vegan Gluten-Free Apple Muffins
*Frosting recipe from my Gluten-Free Zucchini Cake
Nutrition (1 of 10 servings)
This post was sponsored by Bob’s Red Mill. Thanks for supporting the brands that support Minimalist Baker.
Diane says
This looks delicious Do you think the cake would be too dense if I used light spelt flour?
Hi Diane, other readers have reported success using spelt flour in place of whole wheat. Hope that helps!
Katie says
I made this for my husband’s birthday cake! We are both lactose intolerant but not vegan, made some subs: used regular eggs, oat milk, and left out the oats. I squeezed out almost all of the juice from the apples and added a little bit more flour since it looked a little runny. Instead of 8 inch rounds I did 2 6 inch rounds (about 373g of batter in each, random I know but I weighed it so they’d be even when I was eyeballing how much batter to use) and had enough left over for 6 cupcakes. Used country crock plant butter avocado sticks and a new vegan cream cheese we hadn’t tried yet (Vevan uncream cheese) for the frosting. I garnished with store bought caramel sauce. The cake texture came out amazing, so moist and perfect. My husband loved it!! Appreciate everyone’s comments with their substitutions.
Amazing! We’re so glad you and your husband enjoyed the cake, Katie. Thank you for sharing! xo
Joey says
I realize it would taste less gingerbready, but would the texture work if honey is substituted for the molasses?
Thanks.
That should work!
ujwal meka says
do you have a video for this
Yes, you can find it here.
April says
Hi! Do you have any suggestions for making this gluten free other than subbing your 1:1 blend for the wheat flour? Thank you so much! I always use your GF baking recipes over anyone else’s and have never been dissapointed.
We’re so glad you enjoy our recipes, April! We think a mix of almond flour + a 1-1 GF blend would be the best sub. Maybe 1 cup of each? Hope that helps!
Anne says
This cake was absolutely delicious! It was gone in no time. The flavor was so intense, the cake was so moist and the icing was perfect to complement the cake. I’ll definitely make this again!
Amazing! We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Anne. Thank you for the lovely review! xo
Kaitlyn says
I make this cake every year around the holidays and its my absolute favorite!!! I make it with all purpose gluten free flour and it works great.
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Kaitlyn. We are so glad you enjoy this recipe! Next time, would you mind leaving a star rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! xo
Lisa says
This is a really delicious and reasonably healthy cake! I did make some changes as I did not need it to be vegan: I used 2 eggs in place of the flax eggs, cut back a little on both sugars, used only 1 cup of regular milk, used 1.5 tsp ginger, and added a little nutmeg and cloves. I also added some chopped frozen cranberries and some chopped walnuts. The batter was still quite thin/runny despite fully squeezing out the apples and eliminating 1/2 cup of milk. Regardless, it baked up beautifully in an 8×8 for 50 minutes. I will definitely be making this again!
We’re so glad it turned out well! Thank you for sharing, Lisa! xo
Rachel Doxey says
I am hoping to make this for my family this upcoming holiday season. If I don’t have molasses on hand, is maple syrup the best substitute?
Thanks for these awesome recipes!
Hi Rachel, thank you for your kind words! Yes, exactly! It won’t have that classic “gingerbread” taste without molasses, but will still be delicious.
Seli says
Hi,
thank you for adding all the measurements in the metric system as well! I was looking for a recipe just like yours to gift to my vegan friends for their birthday! It‘s perfect for the fall season with all the spices and apples! It was a huge hit but I did make some alterations! I also added and grated a small carrot and substituted about half of the flour with almond flour! I also added spices like cloves, cardamom and nutmeg. Thank you again I‘d definitely recommend!
Hi Seli, We’re so glad the metric measurements are helpful and that it turned out well. Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Lucca says
Great cake but beware of the liquidity as you make it. I upped the size to 12 servings, halved the milk and oil, grated 2 apples but chose not to squeeze the juice out. I also added a mashed banana, a handful of walnuts and sultanas. Half was still plenty liquid for my variation. Baking for about 44 minutes in two round pans was only just enough time for the skewer to come out clean. I used it as two separate small cakes for a simple weeknight treat without frosting to cut down on the calories per serve. I’d use frosting in the future if it was for a special occasion but it is nice enough without.
Thanks for sharing your modifications and your experience, Lucca!
claudia says
hello and thanks for all the good content!!
do you think it would be possible to make this with apple sauce instead of grated apples? if so any idea of how much?
thanks!!
Hi Claudia, we haven’t tried that and aren’t sure if it might make the batter too wet. Perhaps start with half the amount (~1/2 cup) and see what the texture of the batter is like?
Emily says
I have made this cake twice to great success! I added orange zest on top which was really delicious.
I would like to make this gluten free (and nut free), what flour would you suggest I use? Was thinking of using Bob’s 1:1.
Hi Emily, we would suggest trying our Minimalist Baker Gluten-Free Flour Blend or our DIY gluten-free flour blend.
Sarah says
Hey Minimalist Baker!
Do you know how I would go about making this ahead and transporting it? I’m eyeing this for a Thanksgiving dessert, but there won’t be much room in the kitchen except for baking it!
Hi Sarah, You can freeze this cake and frost just before serving! Or if you’d rather bake it fresh, we’d recommend keeping the wet and dry ingredients separate until you get there so the baking powder doesn’t lose it’s potency. Hope that helps!
Yvonne says
I saw that the recipe calls for unsweetened almond milk. Unfortunately, I have a nut allergy and was wondering whether I can substitute it with oat milk.
If I can substitute it with oat milk what is the measurement. I was confused with the measurement for the almond milk
“1 1/2 cups unsweetened almond milk (sub up to 1/3 with water)”
Does it mean 1-1/2 cup of milk or that I can sub the almond milk with 1/3 cup with water?
Thank you for the clarification.
Hi Yvonne, oat milk should work well! It means you can use 1 cup milk of choice + 1/2 cup water. Hope that helps!
Quinn says
This recipe is UNREAL. I made it with gluten-free plain flour, and it was so incredible. So moist and delicious, and not too dense like many gluten-free cakes. The cake wasn’t too sweet, which I LOVE, and the icing added just enough sweetness to make it a proper dessert. I loved the flavour, but I would maybe add more spice next time for extra warmth.
Amazing! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications, Quinn!
Emily says
What gluten free flour did you use?
liz says
I’m looking for an apple gingerbread recipe using almond flour and flax meal and maybe some arrowroot. Other ingredients would be molasses and spices – cloves, cinnamon, fresh ginger.
I remember trying a recipe before and it didn’t work out. I keep trying to adapt a recipe that isn’t using quite those ingredients. Could I adapt this recipe to what I’m trying to do?
Hm, we think it will be tricky to get the texture right with just those two flours. Perhaps with potato starch as well it could work?
Katie says
I have made and remade this a few times now, and it never disappoints! I even make it as muffins when I can’t think of an excuse to put frosting on top. It is absolutely one of my favorites!
Yay! So glad you enjoy this recipe, Katie. Thanks so much for the review!
Jenny says
I made this yesterday for my husband’s post-Christmas birthday and it was a hit! Really easy to make, super yummy, and a nice somewhat healthy-ish alternative to all the other baked goods around this time of year. I made the recipe exactly as written but added spiced pecans rather than plain ones on top. Delicious. Thank you!
Yum, love that idea to add spiced pecans! Thank you for the wonderful review, Jenny! xo
Jay says
I made this cake for the 2nd time today and I’m absolutely in love with it. Didn’t change anything big, just used maple syrup instead of molasse, since I couldnt find any. Sad to say I only discovered the option to swap to metric system after calculating cups into grams all by myself for the 2nd time … :D
Thanks for this recipe, it’s perfect for christmas
We’re so glad you enjoy the recipe, Jay! Thank you for the lovely review! And sorry the metric button wasn’t more clear!
Ophelia says
Hi there.
Could I omit the oats?
Thank you.
Hi Ophelia, We’d suggest subbing something in its place, such as more flour or finely chopped walnuts. Hope that helps!
Natasha Rowland says
OMG! This was such a hit for our Friendsgiving dinner! I used a 8×8 pan and made it an apple/caramel upside down cake! I didn’t have enough cream cream so I used a vegan coconut cool whip instead. It was amazing!
Woohoo! Sounds delish. Thanks so much for the review, Natasha!
Holly Brown says
Made this cake for Thanksgiving. It was soo delicious! I substituted gluten-free flour (1 cup Bob’s Red Mill 1:1, 1/2 cup almond flour), eggs, 1/4 cup ripe mashed banana, 1/4 cup coconut + avocado oil, and oat milk. It was moist, not too dense, and tasted like apple spice. I especially liked the addition of pecans on the frosting! Yum. Thanks, Minimalist Baker!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Holly! Thank you so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Julie says
Hi the recipe says use two round cake pans or an 8 by 8 inch square pan. My question is how big are the round cake pans? Thanks hoping to make this for a long awaited gathering of family.
Sorry about that! 8 inch. We’ll add that!
Katie says
I made this as directed but the cakes were done after 19 minutes. They didn’t rise as much as I would have liked, but still tasted delicious. Very moist, and the frosting was great. Like a carrot cake!
Thank you for sharing your experience, Katie! Acid can help give it more rise. You can add 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar to the almond milk. Glad to hear you enjoyed it overall! xo
Anisha Zaveri says
I tried exactly as the recipe specified this but it was too liquidy and didn’t bake! I recommend squeezing out apples completely
Hi Anisha, thank you for sharing your experience and sorry to hear it didn’t turn out quite right! Is it possible you’re baking at elevation?
Tina says
I made this for my MIL’s birthday. It was delicious and everyone loved it. The cream cheese icing was thick enough without adding flour or icing sugar.
Going to try them as cupcakes next.
Woohoo! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it. Thanks for the lovely review, Tina! xo
Julija Bell says
somehow it became my favourite cake, easy to make and so moist! To make it faster I only make 1 crust and icing of just coconut cream, cane sugar, coconut oil, lemon juice and agar agar. Thank you!
Whoop! thanks for sharing, Julija!
Holly says
FACK I FORGOT THE FLAX SEED EGG!!!
Oh no!!
Linda says
Getting ready to make this – looks great! Just a note – you said to add flour to thicken the frosting. I thought you weren’t supposed to eat raw wheat flour? Perhaps oats flour would be better?
Hi Linda, you can use additional powdered sugar instead! We aren’t sure how oat flour would turn out.
Sharon says
Can these be made into cupcake size cakes? If so, how long would you suggest they are baked for?
Thank you
Yes! We’d say check at 18-22 minutes.
Tracy says
Thanks, I ll keep you posted
Tracy says
Can I skip out the oats? I loathe the texture ( can’t stand quinoa flakes etc either)….I’ll tackle the cake once I get an answer as I don’t want to wreck your oh so appealing recipe:), Thanks
Perhaps sub for finely chopped walnuts? Or reduce the wet ingredients slightly. Let us know how it goes!
Sharon says
Hi, I made this gingerbread cake without the oats. I used buckwheat flour instead of oats (had to increase the ginger quite a bit) and moist.
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Sharon!
Niamh O'Reilly says
Sounds great! Can I sub regular egg for flax egg?
That should work. Let us know how it goes!
Niamh O'Reilly says
Thanks! I used two eggs and it turned out great :) I added lots of fresh ginger and raisins too. I opted for a maple glaze and the cake was delicious.
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Niamh! xo
Priscilla says
This cake was amazing! So moist and delicious, and tasty without being overpoweringly sweet! Thanks for another great recipe :). My family loved this!
Yay! We’re so glad to hear it, Priscilla! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Cher says
Subbed out a few ingredients to keep this GF and it still turned out beautifully. So so good. Not too sweet. A fun variety for dessert. Thank you for this!
As a sidenote: I can never get this icing recipe to thicken up properly as it looks like it does in your photos, I ended up putting more than the recommended powdered sugar in and even added the flour and it turns out like more of a glaze. Any tips?
Hi Cher, we’re so glad it turned out well! Thanks for sharing! As for the icing, we wonder if the brand of vegan cream cheese or vegan butter you are using is more runny? We’d suggest tofutti vegan cream cheese and Earth balance buttery sticks.
Amber says
I made this for Thanksgiving Eve and it was delicious. Everyone, vegan and non-vegans enjoyed this cake. And I accidentally forgot the 1/2 of oil and it was still amazing. Maybe I didn’t ring the apples out enough so the juice made up for lack of oil because it was super moist and tasty!
We’re so glad it turned out well! Thanks so much for sharing, Amber! xo
Will says
This is my favorite cake recipe, and I’ve made it many times. I omit the molasses without substituting another sweetener. The apples, brown sugar, and spices combine for a nice flavour, but the molasses overpowers it and makes the cake too dense. Honeycrisp apples are best. I use coconut oil because I always have it and it’s easy to find.
We’re so glad you enjoy it, Will! Thanks so much for sharing!
Amy says
Can I make this in a Bundt pan?
Hi Amy, we haven’t tried it, but other readers have done so with success. Let us know if you give it a try!
Joey says
I just made it (subbing honey for the molasses) in a Bundt pan, baked for 42 minutes, and it looks great.
Sandy says
Hi,
What size cake pans did u use for this recipe?
Thank u!
8 inch!
Sparrow says
Could I swap out the whole-heat flour for Bob’s 1-1 GF flour?
Hi Sparrow, we haven’t tried that, but maybe? Let us know if you try it!
mark says
Made this today as single layer in a 9” cake tin and it took a bit longer to cook – just over an hour. The cake is soft and the spices and apple pair beautifully. Opted for a maple syrup glaze instead of the frosting and it was a nice hit of sweetness. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Mark! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Monisha Reddy says
Can I make this in a loaf pan ?
That should work! You will likely need to increase the bake time. Let us know how it goes!
meghan says
oooooooo so so good!! it’s spring so i used 1 1/2 cups of blueberries instead of the grated apple, 1/2 cup total of sugar, bit extra molasses and double the spices. added extra oats because it looked quite wet and it baked up so fluffy and lovely in an 9×9 pan. thank you!!
We’re so glad it turned out well, Meghan! Thanks so much for sharing!
Jacquie says
Made this with the GF flour blend and baked in one 8″ round tin for 50 minutes. Iced with the cashew buttercream frosting. It was delicious and super moist.
Sophie Kasperska says
I made this recipe for christmas and it was absolutely amazing. I subbed maple syrup and more suger for the molasses and the results were still good. I used a cashew frosting and it worked really well with the cake.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!
Sharon says
It was wonderful! My only question is the cakes did not rise as much as yours in the picture. It all tasted great and am making another one for New Years. Any thoughts on why it didn’t rise that much. I just bought Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer, what do you think about using that instead of the flax eggs? With my flax eggs nothing rises quite like I would expect it. Thanks for any input.
Hi Sharon, it could definitely be the egg replacer! It might be more dense than flax eggs and cause that. Acid can also help give it more rise. You can add 1 tsp lemon juice or vinegar to the almond milk. We’re so glad you still enjoyed it though!
Malorie says
Hi there! Could you substitute melted vegan butter or canola oil instead of avocado? Thanks!
We think so! Let us know how it goes!
Hannah Bendock says
This made a pleasantly moist and modestly spiced apple cake. I feared it was too moist at first (maybe because it’s difficult to judge if you’ve extracted half of the juice from the grated apples), but after completely cooling, and especially the next morning, everything was holding together nicely.
I think I’d like to try squeezing out all of the apple juice next time and replacing some of that lost liquid with molasses for a darker/richer gingerbread, and also amp up the spices (at least doubling the ginger and/or adding fresh), including some cloves and maybe allspice and dry mustard.
Thanks for sharing, Hannah!
Also, next time would you mind adding a rating to your review? It’s super helpful to us and other readers! xo
Marla says
I made this cake for a family dinner and everyone loved it. I used 3 apple (2 Macintosh and 1 Granny Smith) I also ended up only using 2 cups of powdered sugar and no flour in the frosting. I used kite hill plain cream cheese and earth balance sticks for the frosting. The cake wasn’t as ginger heavy as I was anticipating from the title, but delicious non the less. Reminded me of carrot cake. I will absolutely make it again! Thank you!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Marla! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Samantha says
Is there any good alternative for the pecan topping? I have a nut allergy…
Feel free to omit!
Larisa says
Crushed Pretzels? We use pretzels in a Faux pecan pie for my kiddo with nut allergies :)
Lauren says
DELICIOUS. I made this for a Friendsgiving and it was so good i made it again to share with my neighbors. I followed the directions to the letter. Perfection. I used honeycrisp and granny smith apples. ~3/4 cup honey crisp and ~1/2 cup granny smith. Thanks for this great recipe! Will make it again! :)
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Lauren! Thanks for sharing! xo
Zoe Way says
Made this with a couple tweaks and it was delicious. The family loved it. Thanks!
Great, thanks for sharing, Zoe!
michelle says
Can I substitute molasses for something else? I’ve used it a few times and just dont like the taste.
Hi Michelle, molasses gives it that classic “gingerbread” taste. But perhaps another sweetener such as maple or brown rice syrup?
Whitney says
This cake turned out great – fed it to a non-vegan crowd and it was a hit! I used real eggs instead of flax because I’m not vegan, just dairy-free. Also, I didn’t use any flour in the frosting – I just let it set up a bit in the fridge before using and it was perfect. I candied the walnuts and which gave it an extra little “something.”
Thanks for sharing, Whitney! So glad your modifications worked out!
Kathy Lawson says
Delicious! I even slightly messed up and it worked. I had put the layers in the oven and realised I hadn’t put the oil in so put it in after. It was only a minute of baking-oops.
I used grape seed oil, rice malt syrup, plain flour for the cake and vegan spreadable butter for the icing. I actually added lemon and vanilla to the icing as well- but I just like that.
It sat side by side on the dessert table with a regular carrot cake and the relatives were amazed at how good it was. Made them realise vegan eating doesn’t mean missing out on cream cheese icing!!
I’m making it again tonight.
Laren says
I don’t know what happened, but this did not set up for me. It was very liquidy in the middle, even after baking an additional six minutes. I did swap half of the flour our for almond flour, but do that regularly without issue. Flavor was very good though.
Sorry to hear that, Laren! Swapping half the flour for almond flour likely had something to do with it.. If you give the recipe another try as written, let us know how it turns out!
Pam P. says
Delicious! I made this for a family gathering and received many compliments. The cake is moist and flavorful. I especially thought the molasses added depth to the flavor and the rolled oats provided a nice chewiness to the texture. The cream cheese frosting is perfect for the apple and gingerbread combination. Many thanks for this recipe!
Shireen says
Hello! Curious if I could sub whole wheat flour for spelt flour with the same results!
Thanks :)
Yes, other readers had success in using spelt flour in place of whole wheat!
Maddie says
Can I use Bob’s Red Mill Gluten free flour?
We haven’t tried, but I would recommend our GF blend!
Rebecca says
Hi, do you think the frosting from your 1-BOWL CARROT APPLE SNACK CAKE would be a suitable substitute frosting for this recipe? I’m just really wanting an excuse to try the cashew cream frosting! :D
Yes I do!
CINDY SAADA says
Is it possible to do this as a non-gluten cake? if so, what flour do you recommend?
Hi Cindy! I would suggest our GF blend!
Ashley says
I made this for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it! It was so quick and easy. I can’t wait to make it again.
Debbie says
Hello… I am wondering if I could substitute coconut milk for almond milk as there is a nut allergy in the family
Thanks
Ashley says
I used lightly sweetened vanilla Flax milk and it turned out great. I don’t think you will have a problem with coconut milk.
Yes, coconut or another non-dairy milk will work!
Dawn says
This cake was a huge hit with my family! We love all the spices in this cake so I doubled them all to make it extra spicy!
I made the cake about five days before I needed it, wrapped it well in plastic wrap, and froze it.
On the day before I was going to serve it, I made the frosting (I doubled the amount of frosting), and I frosted the cake while it was frozen. Then I put the frosted cake back in the freezer taking it out about four hours before serving it.
I didn’t have enough Earth Balance for the frosting so I subbed in some shortening. Turned out great. I would have liked more of a cream cheese flavor. Next time I’ll double the amount of Tofutti in the frosting. I also added a bit of vanilla to the frosting.
The cake was beautiful, cut beautifully, and tasted so delicious. Even the carnivores loved it! Thank you for this perfect recipe!
Amy says
Made this for Thanksgiving dessert. My son has a nut allergy, so instead of pecans atop the frosting, we sprinkled diced crystallized ginger along the top rim. It was pretty! And sooooo tasty like all of your recipes. On Thanksgiving, I’m thankful for MB recipes that always help the vegan meals I make special!
Smart! Thanks for sharing, Amy!
Nicole says
Can I use aquafaba in place of the flax eggs? IF so, how much would you recommend?
Karol says
This looks so yummy! I’d like to make with eggs so how many would I use? I also cannot use almond milk so what substitute would I use.
Thanks
2!
Dawn says
Has anyone tried to freeze this cake? Would like to make ahead of time for Thanksgiving, but I’ve too much to do the day before.
Hi Dawn! You can freeze this cake for up to 1 month and frost just before serving!
Dawn says
Sweet! I’ll make it today! Happy Thanksgiving!?
Kim says
Hi I’m wondering I am able to use 2 glass pie plates instead as I don’t have 2 cake pans.
Thank you,
Kim
Hi Kim! Yes, that should work. You may want to reduce the baking temperature by 25 degrees and it may be ready up to ten minutes earlier if you are substituting a glass dish for a metal baking pan. This is because glass doesn’t heat up as quickly as metal but will become very hot once heated up. Hope this helps!
Kim says
It worked beautifully, this cake was a HIT with my husband and 3 year old son. We are a huge fan of your recipes, we use your cookbook at least 3 times a week, if not more, and are never disappointed!
Thank you!
Kim
virginia says
I see this is made with WW flour. Does it hold together if using GF flour (e.g., Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 or another blend)?
Hi Virginia! We haven’t tried, but we’d suggest using our GF blend!
Larissa says
Great cake. I ended up adding 1/4 -1/3 cup extra flour because it was too liquidy. Glad I did because the consistency turned out perfect! My husband didn’t care for the texture of the oats, so next time I will try cutting them out and adding a bit more flour. Overall a delicious eggless cake recipe!! Thanks so much for sharing it!
Thanks for sharing your changes, Larissa!
Julia says
Hi Dana– can I sub applesauce for all of the sugars in the recipe?
Thanks!
Have a read through at the subs other readers made! You could sub applesauce for oil and then reduce the sugar, but I wouldn’t recommend using applesauce in place of sugar without reducing the other liquids in the recipe!
Flexielle says
Made this cake for my birthday and it was amazing!! I used spelt flour instead of wholewheat which was super tasty. Also we didn’t have any mollassis so I used some mollassis sugar and coconut sugar and treacle instead of mollassis. It worked amazingly! Added some ground ginger to the icing because I love ginger. Thanks so much for this amazing vegan recipe, we’ve successfully converted my family to vegan baking!
Allie says
Maybe you could revamp this and make a gluten-free version like your carrot cake!!
Amy says
This looks fantastic! I’d like to make it for my daughter’s bday. I’m allergic to oats, could you recommend a substitute?
You can leave them out! We added them for texture + nutrition!
Amy says
The cake turned out beautifully! I added extra flour to get the right consistency. Everybody loved the taste and texture of this cake. Thank you for sharing the recipe!
Yay! So glad to hear, Amy!
Anthony Back says
This looked terrific but not being vegan and not experienced with the modifications, I used 2 regular eggs, a mixture of melted butter and walnut oil, frosted it with organic cream cheese (spiked with a little bourbon and powdered sugar). Terrific!!! Thanks Dana!! Hope your other not-strictly-vegan readers will be inspired and your vegan readers not too offended…!
Ashley says
What kinds of apples do you like to use in this recipe? Gala, Fuji and Granny Smith for the tart? Looking for something to make for Christmas!
Amanda says
Hi Dana!
This cake looks INCREDIBLE!!! I have two questions for you: I have to stay away from oils because of some intense digestion issues — do you think subbing applesauce in this would work, or would it change the texture too drastically? And: I’m unfortunately unable to get to the store before making this and don’t have all the ingredients for the frosting — would it work to do a powdered sugar frosting or glaze on this? I know it won’t be quite the same…but I’m in a pinch! Would love your thoughts. Thanks!
Courtney M Ransom says
Love love love this recipe. Used an extra half an apple and subbed for half the oil and topper with a sprinkle of pepitas because it was what I had on hand. Next time I plan on making it without the frosting, so I can have a yummy, healthy breakfast! Definitely a keeper!
Vanessa says
I see. Thank you for the reply!
Vanessa says
The recipe sounds delicious, but I am just wondering… on your about page you say that there is no sponsored content on the website and this page clearly states that it is sponsored.
Hi Vanessa! While this post is sponsored, we no longer create sponsored content.
Renee says
I made this cake for Thanksgiving and it was loved by all, even those who were skeptical about a gingerbread cake. Everyone had a massive slice and took some home so I had no leftovers.
Changes I made:
*I subbed brown sugar with coconut sugar
*When I went to cool the two cake layers, I accidentally dropped one of them on the floor (rookie mistake). So I made another batch and ended up having 3 layers in total
*I put candied ginger in between the middle and top layer and it was a major hit
I already have requests to make this cake again. Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Renee says
As an update: I made this again (since it was such a hit last time) but this time as cake pops with melted chocolate on the outside. Wowzers, were these amazing!
Once baked I cooled the cake layers and mixed it in a bowl with the frosting. Then I rolled them into balls and put them in the freezer to set for about 10 minutes. Then I melted the chocolate and dipped each cake ball into the chocolate. Once done I let each set on a cookie sheet in the freezer for about 10 minutes.
Great success!!!
Dawn says
I made this cake for a combo birthday cake/Thanksgiving dessert. AMAZING!! I didn’t have almond milk so I subbed with soy. I also subbed the organic cane sugar for coconut sugar. It was so delicious! It is now my new favorite cake! For an extra hit of ginger, I may add either fresh or candied ginger in my next recipe. If you like frosting, I recommend doubling the frosting recipe … especially if you’re making a layer cake. It was scrumptious!! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe! It’s a keeper!
Samantha says
Great cake recipe! Very forgiving, I un veganized it and doubled the spices and it was delicious! Had to mess around with the frosting but thats because i used the not vegan versions I’m sure and the water content was different
Stephen Sinclair says
Couldn’t wait for the cool weather to return so I could make this perfect cake again. I put all the batter into a spring form pan. No frosting. Just a generous dusting of confectioner’s sugar. Like to keep things simple, but elegant. Was a huge hit at dinner this week. The molasses is key!
Trine says
Found this recipe while looking for vegan cakes online and you specifically say “vegan cream cheese frosting” and then the recipe asks for butter in the pan and butter in the frosting… Last time I checked, butter comes from cows…
Trine says
Oh, never mind, I see you’ve written “vegan butter” in the ingredient list. Still confusing choice of words in the instructions.
Esther McNaughton says
Can I leave off the frosting?
Hi Esther! You can leave off the frosting if you would like!
Meghan says
This looks so yummy! What are your recommendations for making it gluten free? Can I sub all purpose gf flour 1:1 or should I try to use a combo of gf flours?
Hi Meghan! That should work!
Zhanna says
I made this last night and it turned out soooo tasty! Better than any bakery bought cake (imo), knowing that I made it myself.
I added some coconut flakes in the batter, frosting, and as a topping.
It didn’t turn out as *pretty* as the one pictured here but I’m not a professional so I didn’t expect it to.
The only thing was that it took longer to make than 1 hour. It would’ve been nice to have an extra set of hands helping me out.
Thanks for this recipe :)
Sherri Lee says
Excellent!
Thomas Karlmann says
Frosting: I’d lose the powdered sugar (it’s refined sugar!) and replace with raw Agave, then add some Psyllium to thicken.
Olga says
I made it yesterday. My husband took it today to his job. I got three -WOW- from his coworkers ( non gluten free) and request for the recipe. Just amazing. I substituted molasses for honey and brown sugar for agave syrup and i used 2 cups of spelt flour.