Round Apple Cake with Cinnamon Crumble (Dairy-Free)

A compact, juicy apple cake on a crumbly, dairy-free base

A compact, juicy apple cake on a crumbly, dairy-free base with warm cinnamon crumble. Quickly prepared, with lemony freshness and a crispy crust.

Nutrition · per serving

980kcal

9gProtein

120gCarbs

46gFat

6gFiber

2 servings

Ingredients

17 items

Shortcrust Base (Dairy-Free)

All-purpose flour (Type 405)150 g

Vegan margarine, firm (cold)60 g

Sugar25 g

Egg1 (≈50 g)

Baking powder1/2 tsp

Salt1 pinch

Lemon juice1 tsp

Vanilla sugar1 packet (8 g)

Filling

Apples (tart-sweet, e.g., Elstar or Braeburn)2 medium (≈300 g peeled and cored)

Lemon juice (for the apples)1 tbsp

Cinnamon1/2 tsp

Sugar (for the apples)10 g (1 tbsp)

Cinnamon Crumble (Dairy-Free)

All-purpose flour (Type 405)50 g

Sugar40 g

Vegan margarine, cold40 g

Cinnamon1 tsp

Salt1 pinch

Tips

•For extra lemony freshness, add 1 tsp of finely grated lemon zest to the apple mixture.
•Use very cold margarine; only work it briefly with your fingers to ensure the crumble is nice and crispy.
•The cake can be served with a scoop of dairy-free vanilla ice cream if desired.

Steps

1
Preheat the oven to 180 °C (upper/lower heat). Lightly grease a springform pan (18–20 cm) or line it with baking paper.
2
For the shortcrust, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and vanilla sugar in a large bowl; add cold vegan margarine in pieces and quickly work it into the flour mixture with your fingertips or a cutter until crumbly, buttery crumbs form; briefly incorporate the egg and lemon juice and quickly combine into a smooth dough. Do not over-knead.
150 g All-purpose flour (Type 405)25 g Sugar1/2 tsp Baking powder1 pinch Salt1 packet (8 g) Vanilla sugar60 g Vegan margarine, firm (cold)1 (≈50 g) Egg1 tsp Lemon juice
3
Press the dough into the prepared springform, forming a rim about 2 cm high; prick the bottom several times with a fork.
1 (≈50 g) Egg
4
Peel, core, and slice the apples into thin wedges, immediately mix with lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon to prevent browning and lightly season.
2 medium (≈300 g peeled and cored) Apples (tart-sweet, e.g., Elstar or Braeburn)1 tbsp Lemon juice (for the apples)10 g (1 tbsp) Sugar (for the apples)1/2 tsp Cinnamon
5
Evenly distribute the spiced apple wedges on the dough base.
2 medium (≈300 g peeled and cored) Apples (tart-sweet, e.g., Elstar or Braeburn)
6
For the crumble, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl; mix in cold vegan margarine in pieces with your fingertips or a fork until coarse crumbs form.
50 g All-purpose flour (Type 405)40 g Sugar1 tsp Cinnamon1 pinch Salt40 g Vegan margarine, cold
7
Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the apples.
50 g All-purpose flour (Type 405)40 g Sugar40 g Vegan margarine, cold
8
Bake the cake in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 18–22 minutes until the crumble is golden brown and the apples are soft but still juicy. If the crumble browns too quickly, reduce the heat to 170 °C and bake for another 3–5 minutes.
9
Remove the cake from the oven, let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool for another 10 minutes on a wire rack or serve warm.

Origin & History

Apple cake is a classic German pastry that exists in many regional variations. The crumble topping comes from peasant techniques, using crumbs made from fat and flour as a simple, crispy garnish.

Pregnancy

No specific concerns.

Breastfeeding

No specific concerns.

german apple dairy-free baking cinnamon dessert

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Steps

Preheat the oven to 180 °C (upper/lower heat). Lightly grease a springform pan (18–20 cm) or line it with baking paper.

For the shortcrust, mix flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and vanilla sugar in a large bowl; add cold vegan margarine in pieces and quickly work it into the flour mixture with your fingertips or a cutter until crumbly, buttery crumbs form; briefly incorporate the egg and lemon juice and quickly combine into a smooth dough. Do not over-knead.

150 g All-purpose flour (Type 405)25 g Sugar1/2 tsp Baking powder1 pinch Salt1 packet (8 g) Vanilla sugar60 g Vegan margarine, firm (cold)1 (≈50 g) Egg1 tsp Lemon juice

Press the dough into the prepared springform, forming a rim about 2 cm high; prick the bottom several times with a fork.

1 (≈50 g) Egg

Peel, core, and slice the apples into thin wedges, immediately mix with lemon juice, sugar, and cinnamon to prevent browning and lightly season.

2 medium (≈300 g peeled and cored) Apples (tart-sweet, e.g., Elstar or Braeburn)1 tbsp Lemon juice (for the apples)10 g (1 tbsp) Sugar (for the apples)1/2 tsp Cinnamon

Evenly distribute the spiced apple wedges on the dough base.

2 medium (≈300 g peeled and cored) Apples (tart-sweet, e.g., Elstar or Braeburn)

For the crumble, mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl; mix in cold vegan margarine in pieces with your fingertips or a fork until coarse crumbs form.

50 g All-purpose flour (Type 405)40 g Sugar1 tsp Cinnamon1 pinch Salt40 g Vegan margarine, cold

Sprinkle the crumble evenly over the apples.

50 g All-purpose flour (Type 405)40 g Sugar40 g Vegan margarine, cold

Bake the cake in the preheated oven on the middle rack for 18–22 minutes until the crumble is golden brown and the apples are soft but still juicy. If the crumble browns too quickly, reduce the heat to 170 °C and bake for another 3–5 minutes.

Remove the cake from the oven, let it cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove from the pan and let cool for another 10 minutes on a wire rack or serve warm.