• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

VegKitchen logo

  • Vegan Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Baking and Sweets
    • Breakfast
    • Main Dishes
    • Pasta and Noodles
    • Salads
    • Sandwiches and Wraps
    • Sauces, Dressings, and Condiments
    • Side Dishes
    • Soups, Stews, and Chilis
    • Snacks and Dips
    • Desserts
    • Drinks
    • Canning and Preserving
    • Cheese-y Delights
    • Global Recipes
    • Raw Vegan
    • Slow-Cooker
  • Vegan Living
    • Vegan Substitutions Guide
    • Green Kitchen
    • Healthy Eating Tips
    • Food and Produce Guides
    • Vegan Food Hacks
    • Kid Friendly
    • Vegan Product Reviews
    • More Vegan Living
  • About
  • Shop Cookbooks
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Vegan Recipes
  • Vegan Living
  • Cookbooks
  • About Us
  • Freebie!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • search icon
    Homepage link
    • Vegan Recipes
    • Vegan Living
    • Cookbooks
    • About Us
    • Freebie!
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Vegan Cakes and Pies

    Cinnamon Apple Chickpea Cake

    Published: Apr 19, 2021 · Updated: Nov 8, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe - Print Recipe
    vegan apple cake

    Made with chickpeas as the ‘secret’ ingredient, this Cinnamon Apple Chickpea Cake is fudgy, delicious and healthy at the same time! It’s the perfect high protein and dairy-free dessert to enjoy with a cup of tea. 

    chickpea cake being served from a black dish
    Jump to:
    • Baking with Chickpeas
    • How to Make a Chickpea Cake
    • Add Protein to the Cake
    • Tips & Tricks
    • More Recipes to Try
    • Recipe
    • Comments

    I hope you can sense my excitement through this post, because today we’re making cake. And not just any cake – a cinnamon apple chickpea cake.

    It’s three amazing things in one: cinnamon, apples, and cake. Actually, four amazing things, because chickpeas are pretty incredible too.

    chickpea cake topped with apple and berries

    A fun fact is that I always struggle with naming my recipes. I didn’t know whether to call this a cake or a pie, and went with the former because it doesn’t have a crust.

    But I don’t know, apples are typically used in pies and you don’t hear "apple cake" all too often. And I don't think I've ever heard of a "chickpea cake". But let's go with it.

    And while you're here, don't forget to grab a copy of my free vegan cheat sheet. It's packed with all my favorite substitutions to vegan-ize any recipe!

    slice of chickpea cake being served on a white plate

    Anyway, regardless of the name, the result is absolutely phenomenal. Fudgy, moist, the sort of thing you can eat all by yourself as a meal. I won't tell. 😉

    It has just the right level of sweetness and a wonderful soft texture thanks to the chickpeas and the peanut butter.

    Plus, there’s just something so cozy about baking with apples in fall. Apples and pumpkin - the two things that make me less sad about short days, colder weather and the end of summer fruit that doesn’t cost the equivalent of my weekly grocery budget per pound.

    Oh, and this cake just happens to be completely vegan too!

    Baking with Chickpeas

    If you’ve never baked with beans of any kind before, fear not. I swear this vegan apple cake doesn’t taste like hummus. And as much as we all love hummus, we don’t want our sweet treats tasting like it.

    Chickpeas in themselves are pretty neutral in taste. The key is using the right ratio of other ingredients to sweeten them up and create a fudgy, cake-like texture.

    slice of chickpea cake topped with fruit and nuts

    Baking with beans (that sounds so catchy it should be a TV show) is cool for many reasons. They’re great for adding softness to treats like chocolate cookies, brownies, blondies, or even cookie sandwiches.

    Plus, they naturally make the treat higher in healthy protein - without your kids ever knowing. I’m a huge believer in creating recipes that are good for both the body and the soul, and this is certainly one of them.

    How to Make a Chickpea Cake

    vegan chickpea cake topped with apples in a baking dish

    As I mentioned, you definitely don’t have to be a gifted baker to make this chickpea cake. I’m certainly not – savory recipes are much further into my comfort zone.

    Here is a quick summary of the instructions. Scroll down for the detailed, printable recipe card.

    Simply start by adding the all of the ingredients to a food processor. Don’t worry too much about the order, but I’d recommend starting with the chickpeas and dry ingredients followed by the wet. Blend for 1-2 minutes, until a soft mixture forms (almost like a dense hummus lol).

    Then, pour the batter into a lightly greased shallow cake pan. Add a chopped apple on top, and a handful of cashew nuts, if you want. Then, bake in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F for 45-50 minutes. The cake should be golden and crispy around the edges, with still a bit of softness in the center.

    Allow the chickpea cake to cool for 15-20 minutes. Then, it’s ready to serve with fresh fruit or berries and a drizzle of nut butter.

    Keep it in the fridge (covered) for 3-4 days and enjoy the chickpea cake either as a dessert or snack.

    slice of chickpea cake with a spoon
    chickpea cake with a spatula serving slices

    Add Protein to the Cake

    To take the protein content of this cake even further (and also add extra flavor), I added a scoop of protein powder.

    The one I used in this recipe is Vega Protein Powder in Caramel Toffee. It’s my favorite from the ones I’ve tried, and doesn’t have a weird aftertaste.

    You can use your own favorite brand. I recommend using a protein powder that’s either a neutral or vanilla flavored so that it doesn’t interfere too much with the other ingredients.

    vegan chickpea cake being served on a white dish

    Tips & Tricks

    If you want to leave out the protein powder, use 2 extra tablespoons of coconut flour.

    Add any nuts, seeds or berries of your choice into the batter – chocolate chips would work brilliantly too! I love sprinkling in some goji berries for an extra superfood boost.

    For a chocolate chickpea cake, use either chocolate protein powder or 2 tablespoons of extra cacao powder.

    If you’re leaving out the protein powder or using a neutral-tasting one, use ½ a banana in place of the flax egg for extra sweetness.

    Use any nut or seed butter of your choice (either crunchy or smooth).

    More Recipes to Try

    If you love this Cinnamon Apple Chickpea Cake, be sure to check out these other delicious recipes:

    • How to Roast Chickpeas - 4 Ways
    • Chunky Applesauce Cake
    • Apple Pie Oatmeal
    • Almond Butter Protein Balls

    Recipe

    vegan apple cake

    Cinnamon Apple Chickpea Cake

    Made with chickpeas as the ‘secret’ ingredient, this Cinnamon Apple Chickpea Cake is fudgy, delicious and healthy at the same time! It’s the perfect high protein and dairy-free dessert to enjoy with a cup of tea. 
    4.25 from 8 votes
    Print Pin Rate Email
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free, Vegan, Vegetarian
    Keyword: apple cake recipe, chickpea cake, vegan cake recipe
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 45 minutes
    Resting Time: 15 minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
    Servings: 8 slices
    Calories: 207kcal
    Author: Veg Kitchen

    Ingredients

    • 1.5 cups cooked chickpeas
    • 1 scoop protein powder*
    • ¼ cup coconut flour + 3 tbsp
    • 1 tbsp cacao powder
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • ½ cup peanut butter or any other nut or seed butter of your choice
    • ¼ cup maple syrup
    • 1 cup almond milk
    • 1 large apple chopped
    • chopped cashew nuts to decorate, optional
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
    • Add the cooked chickpeas, protein powder, coconut flour, cacao powder, cinnamon, baking powder, peanut butter, maple syrup and almond milk to a food processor. Blend until smooth.
    • Transfer the batter to a shallow cake tin. Decorate the top with apple slices and chopped cashew nuts, and bake for 45 minutes, until golden and crispy around the edges, but still slightly soft in the centre.
    • Allow to cool for 15 minutes before serving with fresh berries and a drizzle of nut butter. Can be stored in the fridge for 3-4 days.

    Notes

    If you want to leave out the protein powder, replace it with 2 tbsp extra coconut flour and ½ a banana instead of the flax egg for extra sweetness.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 207kcal | Carbohydrates: 24g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 180mg | Potassium: 252mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 21IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 105mg | Iron: 2mg
    Vegan-ize any recipe!Grab our free vegan cheat sheet, packed with my favorite easy substitutions to make any recipe vegan.

    More Vegan Cakes and Pies

    • Vegan Banana Cake
    • Vegan Hummingbird Cake
    • Vegan Tiramisu
    • Vegan Pumpkin Pie Recipe

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Annika says

      November 08, 2021 at 11:40 am

      4 stars
      Love a one bowl mix & done batter. Texture was dense and fudgy. Filling with just one piece. I would omit the cocos next time and instead add vanilla extract

    Leave a Reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    nicole malik from vegkithen.com

    Hi, I'm Nicole! I'm the creator behind VegKitchen, and the author of the popular cookbook, Weeknight One Pot Vegan Cooking. Learn more about me here.

    More about me →

    vegan substitution chart

    Featured Recipes

    • Chipotle Black Bean Burgers (Vegan)
    • Vegan Walnut Taco Meat
    • Fudgy Avocado Brownies (Vegan!)
    • 25+ Vegan Valentine’s Day Desserts
    • 11 Best Vegan “Cheese” Recipes
    • Vegan Christmas Cookies

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    • Shop Cookbooks
    • Free Vegan Cheat Sheet
    • About Us
    • Work with Me
    • Contact
    • Privacy Policy
    • Terms of Use

    Still hungry? Check out our delicious family of blogs.


    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2021 Hook & Porter Media

    775 shares