Description
This Vegan Apricot Crumb Cake is a delightful plant-based dessert featuring juicy apricots, a tender cake base, and a crunchy crumb topping. It combines fresh fruit macerated in preserves, a moist vegan cake batter made with soy milk and apple cider vinegar, and a spiced crumb topping for a perfect balance of flavors and textures. Ideal for a breakfast treat or an afternoon snack, this cake is dairy-free, egg-free, and packed with fruity sweetness.
Ingredients
Scale
Apricot Topping
- 6 apricots, quartered
- 80 g apricot preserves/jam
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (optional, if apricots are bitter)
Crumb Topping
- 60 g all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 2 tablespoons vegan butter, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Cake Batter
- 250 g all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 160 ml soy milk
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 200 g granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla pod or 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 90 g vegan butter, room temperature
- 3 tablespoons neutral oil or olive oil
- 160 g vegan Greek-style yogurt
Instructions
- Preparation: Line a 7.5 or 8-inch springform cake pan with parchment paper on the sides and base. Preheat your oven to 160°C (320°F) fan-forced or 180°C (356°F) conventional.
- Apricot Topping: In a bowl, toss the quartered apricots with apricot preserves and 1 tablespoon of flour. Add 1–2 tablespoons of sugar if the apricots taste bitter. Set aside to macerate while preparing other components.
- Crumb Topping: In a bowl, combine the flour, cinnamon, sugar, and vegan butter. Rub the mixture between your fingers until it forms a crumbly texture. Set aside.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: Sift together the flour, baking powder, and sea salt into a bowl, then stir to combine. Set aside.
- Make Vegan Buttermilk: Mix the soy milk and apple cider vinegar in a jug. Let it sit to curdle slightly for a few minutes.
- Flavor the Sugar: Add the granulated sugar and sliced vanilla pod to a large mixing bowl. Rub the vanilla seeds into the sugar with your fingertips, then remove the pod. If using vanilla extract, add it later with the oil and yogurt.
- Cream Sugar and Butter: Add the vegan butter to the vanilla sugar and whisk with an electric hand mixer for 1–2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the vegan Greek-style yogurt and neutral oil (and vanilla extract if using) to the sugar-butter mixture. Mix until well combined.
- Make the Batter: Add half the dry ingredients and half the vegan buttermilk mixture to the wet ingredients and whisk gently. Then add the remaining dry ingredients and buttermilk and whisk until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Assemble the Cake: Pour the cake batter into the prepared springform pan. Spread the macerated apricot topping evenly over the batter, then sprinkle the crumb topping evenly on top.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 55–65 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a skewer or toothpick into the center; it should come out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. If wet batter clings to the skewer, bake for an additional 5 minutes as needed.
- Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Carefully remove the springform pan sides and transfer the cake to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- If your apricots are very sweet, you may reduce or omit the added sugar in the apricot topping.
- You can substitute soy milk with other plant-based milk such as almond or oat milk.
- The vegan Greek-style yogurt adds moisture and tang; if unavailable, use a plain vegan yogurt alternative.
- Ensure vegan butter and yogurt are at room temperature for best mixing results.
- Use neutral oil like sunflower or grapeseed oil for a lighter crumb, or olive oil for a more pronounced flavor.
- Adjust baking time depending on your oven; cake should be golden and a skewer inserted comes out with a few crumbs.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 55-65 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: Vegan
Keywords: Vegan Apricot Crumb Cake, vegan dessert, apricot cake, crumb topping cake, plant-based cake, dairy-free cake
