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    Home » Recipe Archive » Snacks and Treats » Easy Apple Yogurt Cake

    Easy Apple Yogurt Cake

    Apr 24, 2020 · Modified: Oct 5, 2022 by thegranoladiaries · 16 Comments · About 9 minutes to read this article.

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    This delicious Apple Yogurt Cake makes the perfect mid-day snack. It is high in protein, low in sugar, and goes great with a warm cup of coffee or tea!

    Jump to Recipe


    If you are seeking a recipe that is easy to make and requires minimal ingredients, while still being delicious, kinda-sorta "healthy", and making enough to feed a family for a whole week, then you win!!!

    This is that recipe.

    It is so simple.

    One bowl. Hand mix with a spoon. One layer. No fancy equipment or whipping anything. It is so beginner friendly, and yet tastes like something you would get at a bakery!

    Easy Apple Yogurt Cake for the win!

    This Apple Yogurt Cake Recipe is delicious, moist, and super easy. It is refined sugar free, nut free, and can easily be made gluten free with a gluten free flour option. It comes together in only a few minutes and makes a delicious, healthy snack! #applecake #yogurtcake #appleyogurtcake #snackingcake #applecinnamoncake


    How I Came Up with a Cake Recipe Using Plain Yogurt

    I came up with the recipe for this Apple Yogurt Snacking Cake as I was trying to make do with the food I had in my kitchen. I was in the mood for something sweet, but not quite cookie-sweet or brownie-sweet.

    At the same time, I was nearing the end of my groceries and wanted to try to use up as much as I could before shopping again.

    I am always looking for ways to reduce food waste!

    Something I really needed to find a use for was some Vanilla Yogurt that I bought by accident. I am a big plain yogurt fan, and find the flavored versions too sweet for me.

    I knew putting it into a baked good would be the perfect way to create a recipe using vanilla yogurt.

    That said, when I searched for "yogurt cake" or "yogurt muffin" recipes, I was finding a lot of them called for only ¼ Cup of Yogurt.

    I really needed to use this whole big container! So I set forth to use at least a whole whoppin' cup in this recipe.

    Double the recipe (or make it twice), and you're basically done your yogurt container!


    Apple Yogurt Cake Ingredients

    Yogurt. Per the name of the cake, Yogurt is a star ingredient here - a whole cup of it! I used Vanilla flavored yogurt, which enhanced both the sweetness and flavor of the cake. To keep the sugar lower, you can use a plain yogurt. You could also add some fun fruity flavors and use a Raspberry or Strawberry Yogurt - either would be delicious with apple! In addition to adding flavor and keeping the cake moist, the yogurt also adds probiotics and protein to this healthier snack!

    Apples. Also in the title, Apples are obviously a star ingredient in this Snacking Cake. They provide lots of moisture without making the cake soggy. The little diced pieces provide pockets of juicy flavor bursts as you snack through the cake. If you want to sub the fruit, make sure you sub in a fruit with similar consistency, like pears or nectarines.

    Coconut Sugar. Just a little bit of Coconut Sugar gives the cake some delectable sweetness. I chose to use Coconut Sugar as the dry crystals allow baked goods to stay more airy than a liquid sweetener, like honey or maple syrup. If you want to sub in brown or white sugar, either of those would work. If you want to sub in a liquid sweetener, that would work too, but your cake will be denser and darker.

    Applesauce. Applesauce provides more of that delicious fall apple flavor, as well as more moisture. The recipe calls for equal parts Applesauce and Neutral Oil, but you could always sub them for each other. Both add moisture, but the applesauce also adds a bit of flavor.

    Egg Whites. This is probably the first recipe I have on this blog that calls for Egg Whites. I am usually all about using whole ingredients and not wasting anything (hello, unpeeled apple chunks), so this seems like a strange add. So how did this happen? I have been baking Tori Avery's Challah Recipe every Friday lately, which calls for 3 egg yolks. I didn't want the Whites to go to waste, so I thought to try them in a recipe. And whaddya know - it worked wonderfully! If you happen to have whole eggs you do not want to waste, 2 regular eggs would work too. Or keep reading for egg-free options.

    Cinnamon. Cinnamon really brings out all the delicious flavors in this simple cake. It enhances the apples, the Vanilla from the yogurt, the coconut sugar. You can't really have an Apple-desert without Cinnamon!

    • This Apple Yogurt Cake Recipe is delicious, moist, and super easy. It is refined sugar free, nut free, and can easily be made gluten free with a gluten free flour option. It comes together in only a few minutes and makes a delicious, healthy snack! #applecake #yogurtcake #appleyogurtcake #snackingcake #applecinnamoncake
    A little Coconut Butter drizzle makes a delicious dairy free frosting!

    Moist Apple Cake Frosting

    Can we talk about that delicious, white, dreamy drizzle for a second? It is simply just some Coconut Butter mixed with warm water and drizzled over the cake.

    If you love frosting, you can double it and turn the coverage up from a drizzle to full blown. If you're not a frosting lover, you can leave it out too. The cake is perfectly sweet and delicious enough without it.

    But... (warning: incoming joke that I have used on way too many of my recipe posts)... it really is the frosting on the cake! 😉

    Apple Yogurt Cake Substitutions

    Make it Dairy Free. While this Yogurt cake is certainly not normally dairy free, it can actually be made dairy free quite easily.

    While Yogurt is obviously a main ingredient (it's IN the title), there are no other dairy ingredients like butter, cream, or milk. These days, its so easy to find a dairy-free yogurt alternative, like a Coconut based one.

    Make it Gluten Free. In this recipe, I used regular All Purpose Flour. This is only the second recipe on the entire blog that uses AP Flour (the first being my Easy Cinnamon Rolls), as I was just trying to use what I had in my kitchen.

    This recipe would work just as well with a 1:1 Gluten Free Flour Baking Blend like this one, or any Oat Flour, Almond Flour, or mixture of the 2!

    PS Check out this recipe for a Gluten Free Apple Cake!

    Make it Egg Free. As I mentioned, I used 3 Egg Whites leftover from my homemade Challah, which called for 3 Egg Yolks. If you don't want to waste the yolks, you can simply use 2 whole eggs. Or, if you don't want to use eggs at all, you can make a "Chia Egg" or "Flax Egg" using 2 Tbsp of ground flax or chia and 6 Tbsp of warm water.

    I have also seen this Vegan Egg Replacer you can buy off Amazon. I have not tried it myself, but I reckon it would work.

    Sub any sweetener. I use a bit of Coconut Sugar as well as flavored yogurt to sweeten this cake. You can use honey or maple syrup if you prefer, just note that the cake will be denser and come out darker.

    Helllllo, juicy bites of deliciously sweet apples!

    Healthy Apple Baking Recipes & More Easy Baked Goods Recipes


    Greek Yogurt Blueberry Muffins
    Healthy Gluten Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake
    Gluten Free Lemon Poppyseed Muffins
    Gluten Free/Dairy Free Apple & Honey Cake
    Chai Latte Muffins with Espresso Glaze
    Oat Bran Banana Muffins

    Equipment Needed for Moist Apple Cake

    Mixing Bowl. Any bowl will do. Heck, use a salad bowl if you want. (PS These are my Dream Mixing Bowls - so many fun attachments and gizmos!)

    A spoon. Or a fork. A whisk if you're really feeling fancy. Anything to mix the things together.

    A baking dish. I absolutely love my glass Pyrex Baking Dishes (get them here), but anything will do. You could even make this in a skillet, technically!

    In my photos, I used a 7x11" Pyrex (like this one), but you could use a standard 9x11" baking dish, if that is what you have. Just note your cake will be a little thinner.

    Pin this recipe for later!

    This Apple Yogurt Cake Recipe is delicious, moist, and super easy. It is refined sugar free, nut free, and can easily be made gluten free with a gluten free flour option. It comes together in only a few minutes and makes a delicious, healthy snack! #applecake #yogurtcake #appleyogurtcake #snackingcake #applecinnamoncake


    If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo using #thegranoladiaries on Instagram.

    Follow The Granola Diaries on Instagram on Facebook!

    Apple Yogurt Cake with Dairy Free Coconut Butter Frosting

    Easy Apple Yogurt Cake

    This Easy Apple Yogurt Cake makes a delicious & healthy morning or afternoon snack that is high in protein and refined sugar free. It goes great with a hot cup of tea or coffee!
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 mins
    Cook Time 40 mins
    Course Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American

    Equipment

    • Mixing bowl
    • Baking Dish

    Ingredients
      

    Wet Ingredients

    • 3 Egg Whites Sub: 2 Eggs
    • ⅓ Cup Applesauce (One of those snack cups)
    • ⅓ Cup Neutral Oil, such as Grapeseed
    • ½ Cup Coconut Sugar
    • 1 Cup Yogurt Your favorite flavor!

    Dry Ingredients

    • 2 Cup Flour Sub: 1:1 Gluten Free Flour, Almond Flour, Oat Flour
    • 3 Tsp Baking Powder
    • ½ Tsp Salt
    • 1 Tsp Cinnamon

    Other

    • 3 Small Apples, diced
    • Coconut Sugar and Cinnamon, for sprinkling on top
    • 2 Tbsp Coconut Butter Optional, for frosting
    • 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil Optional, for drizzling on top

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat oven to 375 and grease a pyrex or baking tray.
    • Dice up your apples into chunks about 1 cm, or the size of your fingernail. You want them to be small enough so they will cook through, but large enough so you get yummy chunks in your cake.
    • Add all wet ingredients to a large bowl and mix well with a whisk (or a fork or spoon works too).
    • Add the dry ingredients on top of the wet mixture. Try to mix the dry ingredients together gently, while on top of the wet mixture. This doesn't have to be perfect, you just want to make sure all the baking powder + flour are incorporated. Then, gently mix the dry mixture into the rest of the wet ingredients, just until combined.
    • Gently fold in about ⅔ of the apple cubes to the mix, reserving some for the top.
    • Pour the batter into your baking dish. Top it off with remaining apple chunks, cinnamon, and coconut sugar, to your desire. Mixing the coconut sugar and cinnamon with some coconut oil will make a nice streusal-like topping, but that's totally optional!
    • Turn oven down to 350 and bake for 35 - 40 minutes. Check when fork inserted in middle comes out clean.
    • For the topping: Mix the Coconut Butter (NOT Coconut Oil) with Equal Parts Warm water, to create a runny texture. Drizzle on top of the cake. Enjoy immediately, or refrigerate and enjoy cold. Should last in the fridge for about 1 week, or you can freeze for about 1 month.

    Notes

    The blog post details lots of substitutions. If you skipped to the recipe, scroll up to see how to make a dairy free version, gluten free version, egg free version. 
    Did you make it? Tag me on Instagram and I will repost you! @thegranoladiaries
    For baking the cake, I absolutely these Glass Baking Dishes (plus they come with handy lids!)
    Keyword apple cake


    If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo using #thegranoladiaries on Instagram.

    Follow The Granola Diaries on Instagram on Facebook!

    « Flourless Chocolate Cake (GF & DF)
    Vegetarian Strata »
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. B’nai Blamer

      April 24, 2020 at 3:31 am

      5 stars
      Yummmmmmmm

      Reply
      • thegranoladiaries

        April 24, 2020 at 3:51 pm

        Thanks B'nai!

        Reply
    2. Lisalia

      April 24, 2020 at 5:04 am

      5 stars
      Yummy! A new favorite dessert. LOVE the yogurt added in. I can't quite taste it but makes it so moist and delicious! We just used plain greek yogurt.

      Reply
      • thegranoladiaries

        April 24, 2020 at 3:54 pm

        Sounds so delicious with Greek Yogurt! Glad you love it!

        Reply
      • Rahmah zia

        January 11, 2021 at 1:31 am

        How many calories in one tbsp of this cake?

        Reply
    3. Nart at Cooking with Nart

      April 24, 2020 at 5:48 am

      5 stars
      This looks really delicious and my mom loves apple cake. I know what to make her this weekend!

      Reply
    4. Dannii

      April 24, 2020 at 6:55 am

      5 stars
      We have loads of apples to use up at the moment, so I am definitely trying this.

      Reply
      • thegranoladiaries

        April 24, 2020 at 3:54 pm

        Yes! You can even double the apple amount if you want to use a whole bunch!!!

        Reply
    5. Alice | SkinnySpatula

      April 24, 2020 at 9:03 am

      5 stars
      This looks so tempting. I have some agave syrup, I think I'm going to try and use that as a sweetener.

      Reply
      • thegranoladiaries

        April 24, 2020 at 3:54 pm

        That would definitely work and be so delicious! Enjoy!

        Reply
    6. kim

      April 24, 2020 at 11:44 am

      5 stars
      Such a delicious recipe! This was way easier than I thought it would be and the whole family loved it! I will definitely make again!

      Reply
      • thegranoladiaries

        April 24, 2020 at 3:55 pm

        I am so glad to hear that! Its a household favorite over here too! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Nart | Cooking with Nart

      April 24, 2020 at 10:30 pm

      5 stars
      This looks so delicious. My mom is a big fan of apple cake. I’m gonna make this for her this weekend!

      Reply
      • thegranoladiaries

        April 27, 2020 at 9:11 pm

        That's so awesome to hear! Hope your mom loves it!

        Reply
    8. Robin

      February 15, 2021 at 4:46 pm

      Do you have the nutritional info for this cake?

      Reply
    9. G

      October 05, 2022 at 3:02 am

      Love this recipe so much!! Made it in a fluted cake pan and came out perf!!

      Reply

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    Hi, I’m Nicole! I love to make easy and healthy recipes, so I can bake a lot AND eat a lot. I share those recipes with you here on The Granola Diaries, hope you enjoy! More about me

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