Fluffy Vanilla Vegan Cake

a slice of yellow vanilla cake with white frosting with rainbow sprinkles

5 from 11 votes

A fluffy vegan vanilla cake that is soft and delicious, has a strong vanilla flavor, and a light texture thanks to applesauce instead of eggs and oil. Made with 6 main ingredients in under 45 minutes, this eggless, dairy free cake is perfect for any celebration.

Prep Time20

Cook Time30

Total Time45

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 401kcal

Author: Dee Dine

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

2 ½ cups all purpose flour* or 3 cups of oat flour
1 cup organic cane sugar
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients

6 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
¾ cup butter** Earth balance or Miyokos vegan butter in sticks
1 cup dairy free milk***
1 tablespoon lemon juice
3 teaspoon vanilla extract****

Frosting

2 cups white frosting (I used my healthier fluffy vanilla frosting)

Instructions

Prep

All ingredients need to be a room temperature
Preheat oven to 350 F.
Add the lemon juice to the milk at least 5 minutes before baking.
1 tablespoon lemon juice, 1 cup dairy free milk***
Grind your cane sugar in a blender or food processor for about 5 seconds. You will see powder on the sides of the container, the texture will be a smaller grain but still granulated - don't process into a powder. Do not substitute with commercial powdered sugar.
1 cup organic cane sugar
Line baking containers with parchment and/or grease and flour. I used 2 (6-inch round pans) but you can use 7-inch round cake pans or 1 (8-inch) square pan. Or add to 12 -18 cupcake liners.

Mix Wet Ingredients + Sugar

Add applesauce, milk, vanilla and sugar to a large mixing bowl and stir with a spoon or mixer for several minutes. This step is key to dissolving the sugar.
6 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce, 1 cup dairy free milk***, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, 3 teaspoon vanilla extract****, 1 cup organic cane sugar
Melt the room temperature butter sticks for 10 seconds in the microwave, and add that the wet ingredients. Use the mixer to combined.
¾ cup butter**

Add in Dry Ingredients

Add dry ingredients to wet mixture and use a hand mixer to just combine batter.
2 ½ cups all purpose flour*, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ¼ teaspoon salt

Bake

Pour the batter into your pans of choice.
Bake 6-inch or 7-inch layers cakes at 30-35 minutes or until a tester comes out clean.
Bake cupcakes at 20 minutes each. This recipe makes 12-18.

Cooling & Storage

Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then remove and cool on a rack. Then frost.
2 cups white frosting
Cake can be refrigerated for 48 hours but then freeze after that or else texture will become crumbly.

Video

Notes

Grind your cane sugar no more than 5 seconds. Do not use powdered sugar.

*Flour options. Use 2 ½ cups of all purpose or a gluten-free baking flour, or use 3 cups of oat flour.

**Butter substitutions. Instead of butter, use ½ cup high-fat yogurt and ¼ cup additional apple sauce.

***Use a high fat milk such as almond or cashew milk.

****Use a quality vanilla, vanilla paste if possible for a strong vanilla flavor in this vanilla cake.

Nutrition