Description
This Easy Vegan Apricot Almond Cake is a moist and flavorful loaf cake made with fresh apricots, almond flour, and a vegan yogurt base. It features a tender crumb enriched with olive oil and a bright lemon glaze on top, perfect for a wholesome vegan dessert or snack. The cake is simple to prepare, combining fresh fruit and almond flavors with a light crumb, all baked into a delightful treat suitable for vegan diets.
Ingredients
Scale
Fruit
- 180 g fresh apricots (washed, dried and pits removed)
Dairy Alternatives and Liquids
- 180 ml soy milk
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 100 g vegan Greek-style yogurt or Skyr
- 80 ml olive oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 200 g all-purpose flour
- 100 g almond flour (or ground almonds)
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 200 g granulated sugar
Toppings and Garnish
- 2 tablespoons flaked almonds
- 60 g powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
Instructions
- Prepare: Preheat your oven to fan-forced 160°C/320°F or conventional 180°C/356°F. Lightly grease a 1-pound loaf pan with some oil and line both sides with a sling of parchment paper, leaving an overhang on the sides for easy cake removal.
- Prep the apricots: Chop the fresh apricots into small cubes approximately 1-2 cm in size and set aside for later use in the batter.
- Make buttermilk: In a jug, mix the soy milk and apple cider vinegar and set it aside. This vegan buttermilk will react with the baking soda to help the cake rise.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the granulated sugar, vegan Greek-style yogurt, olive oil, and vanilla extract until well combined. Then add the vegan buttermilk mixture and whisk again to incorporate.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt until evenly mixed.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients in two parts. Fold the flour in gently between additions to avoid overmixing, stopping when just a few streaks of flour remain.
- Add apricots: Gently fold the diced apricots into the batter until well incorporated, ensuring no pockets of flour remain.
- Assemble: Pour the batter into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top with a spatula or knife. Place the pan on a baking sheet or aluminum tray. Optionally, dip a butter knife in olive oil and run it through the center of the batter to help create a crack in the loaf during baking.
- Sprinkle almonds: Evenly sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top surface of the cake batter for a crunchy garnish.
- Bake: Bake the cake for 55-65 minutes. Check doneness at 55 minutes by inserting a toothpick or knife into the center; it should come out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Continue baking in 5-minute intervals if needed to fully cook the cake.
- Cool: Allow the cake to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring it to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, carefully move the cake to a serving tray or parchment paper.
- Make the glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar and fresh lemon juice until smooth. Adjust the thickness by adding more powdered sugar for a thicker glaze or more lemon juice for a runnier consistency.
- Garnish: Place a sheet of parchment paper under the cooling rack to catch drips, then drizzle the lemon glaze evenly over the cooled cake.
- Storage: Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the fridge for 5-6 days. The cake can also be frozen in an airtight container; thaw for a couple of hours before serving.
Notes
- Use ripe but firm apricots to ensure the fruit holds together well in the batter.
- Soy milk combined with apple cider vinegar creates a vegan buttermilk which helps activate the leavening agents for a better rise.
- If vegan Greek-style yogurt or Skyr is not available, any thick vegan yogurt alternative can be substituted.
- Olive oil adds moisture and a subtle fruity flavor; you can substitute with other neutral oils if preferred.
- Almond flour provides a rich nutty flavor and texture—it can be replaced with finely ground almonds if necessary.
- Do not overmix the batter to avoid a dense or tough texture. Folding just until combined is key.
