Vegan Apple Spice Sheet Cake with Cream Cheese Frosting

Delight in the cozy warmth of this vegan apple spice cake, where each slice is tender and rich with autumnal spices and sweet apple chunks. Topped with luscious vegan cream cheese frosting and a drizzle of homemade caramel, this easy, one-bowl wonder doesn’t even require you to peel the apples, making it a delightfully simple treat.

Ingredients:

For the Cake:

• 1 cup (240 mL) vegan buttermilk (make with dairy-free milk and apple cider vinegar)
• 3 2/3 cups (450 g) all-purpose flour (or 512 g gluten-free 1:1 baking flour plus 1 tbsp arrowroot or cornstarch if gluten-free)
• 3 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tbsp apple pie spice
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup (150 g) light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (113 g) salted vegan butter, melted and cooled
• 1/2 cup (120 mL) avocado oil (or your preferred cooking oil)
• 1/2 cup (100 g) dairy-free yogurt, at room temperature
• 2 honey crisp apples, cored and pureed or finely grated
• 1 1/2 tbsp vanilla extract
• 1 batch vegan cream cheese frosting
• 1 batch vegan salted caramel

Instructions:

1. Preparation: Begin by preheating your oven to 350°F (177°C). Oil and line a 9×13-inch baking pan with parchment paper. Prepare the vegan buttermilk and set aside.
2. Apple Prep: Clean the apples and cut them into chunks. Puree them in a food processor or blender until they’re finely grated. Set aside.
3. Batter Creation: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the granulated and brown sugars, melted vegan butter, oil, dairy-free yogurt, and vanilla. Stir in the pureed apples. Then, sprinkle in the baking powder, baking soda, apple pie spice, and salt, mixing well. Gradually add the flour and vegan buttermilk, stirring until just combined.
4. Baking: Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the cake in the pan for 10 minutes, then move it to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Caramel Creation: While the cake is baking, prepare the vegan salted caramel and allow it to cool at room temperature.
6. Frosting Preparation: In a mixer, cream together vegan butter and vegan cream cheese. Gradually beat in powdered sugar until the frosting is fluffy and light.
7. Assembling the Cake: Once the cake is cool, spread the frosting evenly over the top. Drizzle with the cooled salted caramel.
8. To Serve: Cut the cake into squares and serve. Store any leftovers in the fridge, tightly covered, for up to 4 days.

Note: For an added touch, you can garnish the cake with extra apple slices or a sprinkle of apple pie spice before serving. Enjoy your delectable vegan dessert!