Vegan Maple Apple Walnut Cake

This maple apple walnut cake is perfect for fall!  It is flavored with maple, cinnamon and apples, and it is sweetened with dates instead of sugar, so healthier than traditional cake. It also happens to be vegan and gluten free, but you would never guess by tasting it since it is sweet and delicious!

Author: Amy Lyons O’Neil

Amy has worked for Fresh and Natural Foods since 2006 contributing to the variety of healthful foods we offer. She graduated with a degree in studio art from Bethel University in 2007, but in her senior year of college, found that her passion was with the art of food. She later used her photography and culinary skills to create a vegan food and recipe blog, Fragrant Vanilla Cake. She has also written 3 cookbooks. She specializes in vegan and vegetarian recipes. Local, fresh and organic food has always been her focus in whatever she creates.

Twitter Facebook

Servings: 8 | Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 35 minutes | Ready in: 1 hour and 30 minutes

Ingredients

• Cake:
• 1/2 cup pitted organic medjool dates, soaked in filtered water for 30 minutes and drained
• 1/4 cup organic apple juice or water
• 3/4 cup organic apple sauce
• 2 Tbsp almond butter
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp maple extract
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 cup Bob's Red Mill all purpose gluten free flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp plus 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 Tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 3/4 cup chopped walnuts
• Glaze:
• 3 Tbsp coconut butter, warmed to liquid
• 1 Tbsp maple syrup
• filtered water as needed

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375F degrees, and oil a mini loaf pan 5×3 inches, 3 inch tall (if you are using the really small ones, or pouring into muffin tins (which you can do if you don’t have smaller loaf pans, only bake 15-17 minutes)
2. To make the batter, combine the dates, water, apple puree, almond butter, maple, vanilla and sea salt in a high speed blender and blend until smooth.  Add the cinnamon, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and blend until combined (but don’t over-blend).  Add vinegar, and blend slowly until bubbles form (you don’t want to go fast or you will deflate it).  Fold in the walnuts, and pour into the prepared pan.
3. Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 30-35 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out almost clean (or the 15-17 minutes if you used really small pans, or muffin tins).  Let cool completely on a wire rack before un-molding.
4. To make the glaze, whisk together all ingredients until smooth, adding just enough water to create a glaze that can be drizzled but isn’t too runny. Drizzle over the cake and serve.