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Apple season is upon us, and what better way to celebrate than with this apple oatmeal breakfast cake! This recipe is chock full of fresh apples and warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg. This apple oat cake is similar to baked oats but fluffier, with a cake-like texture that makes mornings feel like a treat.
And if you love dessert flavored oats, then you have to try my apple cinnamon overnight oats or these peach crisp oats next!
Why You’ll Love This Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Cake
I’m a big fan of both oatmeal and baked oats in the mornings. But sometimes it can get a bit boring eating the same thing day in and day out (even when you have fun recipes like these chocolate baked oats or these birthday cake overnight oats).
This oatmeal breakfast cake is a great way to start the day. I love enjoying a slice of it with a cup of tea or a cozy coffee as the weather starts to get a bit chillier. This recipe is flavored with lots of fall spices and in-season apples. Here are a few more reasons we love this recipe and you will too!
Emily’s Recipe Notes:
- Cozy Fall Flavor: This cinnamon apple cake is flavored with applesauce, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom.
- Healthy and Hearty: Made with healthy oats (which I grind into oat flour), this cake is a great way to start the day. You can make it into a healthier dessert with a drizzle of cinnamon icing.
- Simple & Great for Meal Prep: With only 1 bowl, and 10 minutes of prep time, this cake is easy to prepare on the weekend, so you have a filling breakfast all week long.
Ingredients
Ingredient Highlights & Some Swaps
Old Fashioned Oats
The foundation of the cake, giving it a wholesome texture and hearty bite.
This recipe uses old-fashioned oats which are ground into a fine flour. You can substitute another flour for the oat flour, like whole wheat, all purpose flour, almond flour or another gluten free flour. The texture may differ and you may need more or less wet ingredients.
Warm Spices & Flavors
A comforting blend of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cardamom pair so well with the apples and pecans.
I also add in a touch of vanilla extract.
Maple Syrup or Agave Nectar
This cake uses natural sweeteners to keep it refined sugar-free.
You can use another liquid sweetener of choice like date syrup. I don’t recommend using granulated sugars (like brown sugar or white sugar) in this recipe because there won’t be enough liquid.
Unsweetened Applesauce
This replaces eggs in the cake (to keep it vegan), provides moisture, and reinforces the apple flavor.
Dairy-Free Milk
I used almond milk but you can use your milk of choice (like oat or soy milk).
Melted Coconut Oil
Adds a touch of richness and ensures the cake has the perfect moist crumb. This can be substituted for vegan butter. Just make sure it’s melted, as cold butter won’t incorporate into the batter as well.
Apples & Nuts
Whether you lean towards a pink lady or a tart granny smith, you can’t have apple cake without fresh apples!
I also love adding pecans or walnuts for a bit of crunch. You could also swap out the nuts for almonds or hazelnuts for a different flavor.
How to Make The Best Apple Oatmeal Cake
Exact quantities are in the recipe card below!
To start, you’ll want to blend 2 cups of old fashioned oats with the other dry ingredients in a high speed blender. It should be a fine flour.
In a large bowl, add the blended dry ingredients. Then to a well in the center, add the wet ingredients.
Whisk the wet and dry together to form a batter.
Next, fold in the diced apples and any additional mix-ins like pecans.
The batter should be thick!
Baking the Apple Oat Cake
Transfer this oatmeal cake batter to a parchment-lined baking pan, making sure it’s evenly spread out in the pan.
You can sprinkle the top of the cake with more oats and chopped nuts. Bake until the top is golden brown and a tester inserted comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Let it cool on a wire rack before slicing!
Serving Ideas
This recipe is amazing when served warm, so I recommend heating it in the microwave or toaster oven for a few seconds prior to serving! You could also top it with a dollop of vegan yogurt, fresh fruit, or a drizzle of extra maple syrup for extra sweetness.
To make this breakfast cake into more of a dessert, you can also drizzle it with a bit of cinnamon icing like in the photos (recipe is in the notes section of the card down below).
Once your apple oatmeal cake has cooled, drizzle the cinnamon icing over the top, letting it ooze down the sides. The contrast of the sweet apples in the cake with the spiced icing is a match made in heaven.
For an extra indulgent dessert idea, add a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream on the side.
Storage
Keep any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 days. This breakfast cake will stay fresh for up to 5 days in the fridge.
If you’d like to freeze it, wrap the slices tightly in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. The cake will stay fresh in the freezer for 2-3 months.
Best Apples for Baking 🍎
Choosing the right apple variety for baking can elevate your cake and enhance the flavor. When it comes to baking, you’ll want apples that hold their shape and have a nice balance of sweet and tart flavors. Here are some of the top apples for baking:
- Honeycrisp: Sweet with a bit of tartness and a crisp texture, they bake beautifully without becoming too mushy.
- Braeburn: A balanced sweet-tart flavor and firm texture make these apples a popular choice.
- Granny Smith: Known for their tartness, they hold their shape perfectly and are great for adding some tang to sweeter recipes.
- Golden Delicious: A softer apple with a sweet buttery flavor, perfect for blending with other apple types.
- Pink Lady (or Cripps Pink): Offers a tangy bite and effervescent finish. They are both tart and sweet.
- Cosmic Crisp: Sweet and super crispy! Similar to a Honeycrisp but with less of a caramel flavor.
Often, the best apple cake or dessert combines two or more apple varieties. By doing so, you can achieve a layered apple flavor. But, this recipe only calls for 1 apple, so pick your favorite out of the list above!
Helpful Tips For Cooking with Oats
- For a moist cake: Try not to over-bake the batter. The cake is done when it is golden brown and no longer jiggly in the center.
- Blend the oats for best results: Blended oats have a flour consistency that helps create a cake-like texture. I blend the whole oats with the ‘mill’ setting on my blender for the best results.
- Use cooking spray: Grease the baking pan and use parchment paper prior to baking for easier cleanup.
FAQ
For best results, stick to old-fashioned oats. They provide the perfect texture.
The addition of apples and applesauce helps the cake retain moisture. Plus, avoid over-baking. A few moist crumbs on the tester are perfect.
Absolutely! Adjust the baking time accordingly and monitor the cake for doneness.
Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Cake – Vegan + Gluten free
Rate this RecipeIngredients
Dry:
- 2 ¾ cups old fashioned oats, divided, 330g – divided
- 1 tbsp ground cinnamon, 6g
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg, 1g
- ½ tsp ground cardamom, 2g
- 1 tsp baking powder, 4g
- ½ tsp baking soda, 3g
- ¼ tsp salt, 2g
Wet:
- 6 tbsp maple syrup or agave nectar, 90g
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract, 8g
- ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce, 180g
- ½ cup almond milk or milk of choice, 100g
- 3 tbsp melted coconut oil, 45g
- 1 large Honeycrisp apple, peeled and chopped into ¼” pieces [about 1 ½ cups]
- ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts, optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 8×8” baking pan with parchment paper and spray with oil.
- Add the 2 cups of oats, cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, baking soda, baking powder and salt to a high speed blender or food processor. Blend until it is a very fine powder or flour consistency.2 ¾ cups old fashioned oats, divided, 1 tbsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground nutmeg, ½ tsp ground cardamom, 1 tsp baking powder, ½ tsp baking soda, ¼ tsp salt
- Add the dry ingredients to a bowl. Add the maple syrup, vanilla, applesauce, dairy free milk and oil to a well in the center. Mix to combine. Add the remaining ¾ cup of whole oats, the diced apples, and chopped pecans. Fold into the batter.6 tbsp maple syrup or agave nectar, 2 tsp pure vanilla extract, ¾ cup unsweetened applesauce, ½ cup almond milk or milk of choice, 3 tbsp melted coconut oil, 1 large Honeycrisp apple, ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts
- Pour the batter inside the baking pan and use a spatula to even out the top. Sprinkle some extra oats or chopped nuts on top.
- Bake 25-30 minutes or until golden on top and toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs. Let cool for 5 minutes in the pan, then cool completely on a wire rack.
- See notes for cinnamon icing to make this into a dessert.
Recipe notes
- 1/2 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 1-2 tsp Almond Milk (or any milk of choice), to achieve the desired consistency.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar and cinnamon. Add in the vanilla extract. Slowly pour in the almond milk, whisking continuously until you achieve a smooth, drizzling consistency. Adjust with more milk or sugar as needed.
Did You Make This?
Leave a star rating and a comment below to let others know how it turned out for you!
Made this recipe today and love it….will be having this for breakfast this week until it is all gone….planning on making more and freezing for future use…..does it freeze well?
Hi Janis, I’m so glad you enjoyed this recipe! Yes, you can freeze the cake. I recommend letting it cool completely at room temperature, then you can wrap the slices with plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-bag. You can keep them in the freezer for 2-3 months. Let the slices thaw at room temperature before enjoying. The texture of the apples may change slightly, but other than that it freezes pretty well!
Great recipe..will do again
Could I add more apple sauce to make up for the added oil? Would love to make this.
Hi there! Apple sauce can be used in place of the oil, however the end result may be slightly drier.