Cakes don’t get much healthier than this Buckwheat Apple Ring Cake. On top of being completely vegan, it also happens to be free of gluten and refined sugar. Of course, it’s also absolutely delicious!

Cakes don't get much healthier than this Buckwheat Apple Ring Cake. On top of being completely vegan, it also happens to be free of gluten and refined sugar. Of course, it's also absolutely delicious!

This Buckwheat Apple Ring Cake I originally created ages ago, in March of 2012 to be exact, after a friend had challenged me to “heatlthify” an apple cake recipe he’d found on the Internet.

I’d readily accepted his challenge and practically reinvented the thing… Not only did I manage to keep it vegan, like the original, but also made it gluten and refined sugar free. Indeed, the only ingredients in charge of bringing sweetness to this gorgeous ring cake are apples and raisins. Yet, it tastes plenty sweet to be enjoyed as dessert!

HA! I’m telling you, cakes don’t get much healthier than this one. Especially not cakes that taste this good! This one has a really dense yet surprisingly moist texture, and offers very pleasant and distinct notes of buckwheat, which remind me of my childhood’s breakfasts, when my dad used to make buckwheat pancakes for us. Paired with apples, it’s like a match made in heaven!

Oddly, though, since I’ve originally created that cake, many people have reported in the comments that the recipe didn’t work for them. I felt the need to retest it for myself, without changing a thing to the recipe. This is exactly what I did here, and it came out just as perfect, if not better than the first time.

At least now I’m reassured, and as a bonus, you get to have step-by-step pictures, which I didn’t do back in the days.

Oh, and I got to eat cake, too! And that, is never a bad thing! 

Buckwheat Apple Ring Cake by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

When baking, it’s always best to start with a good mise-en-place, which means prep, measure and weigh all your ingredients before you start cooking or baking.

Your first step should be to preheat your oven to 350°F, then grease and flour a 9″ tube pan; you could use any flour you like to do that, but I strongly suggest that you use buckwheat flour in order to keep your cake gluten free.

Then, peel and core 4 baking apples  — I used gala but feel free to use your personal favorite — cut them in half and then cut 2 of them into tiny little cubes and slice the other 2 as thinly as you can.

Buckwheat Apple Ring Cake by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

Next, grab a large mixing bowl and in it, combine the dry ingredients and whisk until fully incorporated. We’re talking:

  • 1-1/2 cup buckwheat flour
  • 3/4 cup almond meal, sifted
  • 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
  • 2 tsp gluten free baking powder
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 tsp salt (I’m a huge fan of Himalayan salt)

While you’re at it, might as well measure your chopped pecans and raisins; you’ll need 1/2 cup of each.

Buckwheat Apple Ring Cake by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

Grab another mixing bowl and this time, combine the wet ingredients and whisk vigorously to combine. We’re looking at:

  • 1-1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
  • 1 cup non-dairy milk of your choice
  • 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • the zest and juice of 1 lemon

Buckwheat Apple Ring Cake by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

Alright now we’re all good and ready to go! Pour the wet ingredients right over the dry…

Buckwheat Apple Ring Cake by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

… and mix delicately with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just incorporated.

Buckwheat Apple Ring Cake by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

Throw in the cubed apples, as well as the raisins and chopped pecans, and fold them in delicately.

Buckwheat Apple Ring Cake by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

Transfer the batter into the prepared ring pan and spread it as evenly as you can.

Buckwheat Apple Ring Cake by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

Finally, arrange the apple slices around the cake, pushing them lightly into the batter.

Buckwheat Apple Ring Cake by Sonia! The Healthy Foodie | Recipe on thehealthyfoodie.com

Time to bake that cake! Place it on the middle rack for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.

Of course, the apples will have softened some, but they won’t have taken much coloration; just a slight little touch of golden brown…

Cakes don't get much healthier than this Buckwheat Apple Ring Cake. On top of being completely vegan, it also happens to be free of gluten and refined sugar. Of course, it's also absolutely delicious!

Once it’s out of the oven, you’ll want to let your cake cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, and then take it out of that pan.

To do that, lay a flat plate over the top of the pan and carefully flip the cake over onto that plate. Lift the pan off and place another flat plate over your cake and again, carefully flip it over so the nice, top side of the cake is back up.

Cakes don't get much healthier than this Buckwheat Apple Ring Cake. On top of being completely vegan, it also happens to be free of gluten and refined sugar. Of course, it's also absolutely delicious!

Now sprinkle the top of your cake with a little bit more chopped pecans and a pinch of shredded unsweetened coconut, if desired.

This cake is equally good served warm or cold, so ultimately, the choice is yours! Leftovers should be kept in the fridge, though, seeing as how it contains no sugar to help preserve it at room temperature.

Cakes don't get much healthier than this Buckwheat Apple Ring Cake. On top of being completely vegan, it also happens to be free of gluten and refined sugar. Of course, it's also absolutely delicious!

When ready, slice your cake up, and serve!

If you feel like indulging a little, or are in need a little more sweetness, drizzle a little bit of pure maple syrup on top; it goes perfectly well with it!

Cakes don't get much healthier than this Buckwheat Apple Ring Cake. On top of being completely vegan, it also happens to be free of gluten and refined sugar. Of course, it's also absolutely delicious!

Cakes don't get much healthier than this Buckwheat Apple Ring Cake. On top of being completely vegan, it also happens to be free of gluten and refined sugar. Of course, it's also absolutely delicious!
Print Recipe Rate this Recipe
3.72 from 14 votes

Buckwheat Apple Ring Cake

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 45 minutes
Cool time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Cakes don't get much healthier than this Buckwheat Apple Ring Cake. On top of being completely vegan, it also happens to be free of gluten and refined sugar. Of course, it's also absolutely delicious! 
Servings: 12

Ingredients

Dry

Wet

Add-ins and topping

  • 4 large baking apples, (I used gala)
  • 1/2 cup raisins
  • 1/2 cup chopped pecans

Optional garnish

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and flour a 9" tube pan* (use buckweat flour to keep the cake gluten free); reserve.
  • Peel and core your apples, then cut 2 of them into tiny cubes and slice the other 2 as thinly as you can. Set aside.
  • In a large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients and whisk until fully incorporated.
  • In a separate bowl, combine the wet ingredients and whisk vigorously to combine. Pour over the dry ingredients and mix delicately with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until just incorporated.  
  • Add the cubed apples, raisins and chopped pecans and fold them in delicately. 
  • Pour the batter into the prepared ring pan, spread evenly and arrange the apple slices around the cake, pressing them lightly into the batter. 
  • Bake on the middle rack for 40-45 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean. 
  • Allow cake to cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then lay a flat plate over the top of the pan and carefully flip the cake over onto that plate. Lift the pan off and place another flat plate over your cake and again, carefully flip it over so the top side of the cake is up. 
  • Sprinkle with more chopped pecans and a pinch of shredded coconut, if desired.
  • Serve warm or cold. 

Notes

*You can make your own gluten free baking powder at home by combining one part baking soda, two parts cream of tartar and two parts non-grain starch, such as tapioca, potato or arrowroot.
*Based on the experience of many, this cake must absolutely be baked in a tube pan. No other pan ever gave conclusive results. 

Nutrition

Calories: 227kcal, Carbohydrates: 31g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 11g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 33mg, Potassium: 367mg, Fiber: 6g, Sugar: 10g, Vitamin A: 40IU, Vitamin C: 3.4mg, Calcium: 106mg, Iron: 1.7mg
Course: Bakery
Cuisine: American
Author: Sonia! The Healthy Foodie

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*Editor’s Note: This post was originally published in March of 2012 and has since been completely revamped and updated with better wording and pictures. No modifications to the original recipe have been made.