A Healthier Fresh Apple Pound Cake

Is it possible to make over a classic apple pound cake recipe into a healthier version? Why, yes it is! I couldn’t wait to get my hands on my mom’s recipe for fresh apple pound cake that I grew up drooling over every Fall season. This “healthified” version of my mom’s fresh apple pound cake has a few simple swaps to give it a gluten-free and vegan twist without compromising in flavor or texture.  

There are a few classic recipes that I remember being on rotation at my house growing up, and fresh apple pound cake was one of them. I can picture it and smell it all at the same time, even though it’s been years since I’ve had a slice.

I find that when it comes to Fall flavors, you’re either on team apple or pumpkin. While I do love pumpkin, I would choose apple-flavored anything in a heartbeat.

Related post: Upside Down Baked Apple French Toast

The Original Recipe

The original recipe that my mom has been using for years includes all of the classic baking essentials. The original fresh apple pound cake calls for:

• 1 ½ cups vegetable oil
• 2 cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• Salt
• Vanilla extract
• 3 large apples
• 1 cup chopped pecans

For the glaze:

• ½ cup butter
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 2 Tablespoons milk

Delicious, but not so nutritious.

The Healthy Swaps for the Apple Pound Cake

My thought in creating a healthier version of this fresh apple pound cake is to first make it gluten-free and vegan to appeal to the masses. From there, we’re going to make a few simple nutritious swaps and change the ratios a bit for a healthier slice of fresh apple pound cake.

The swaps include:

• Reduce oil to 1 cup coconut oil and add 1 cup applesauce for moistness
• Replace sugar with coconut sugar and reduce to 1 cup
• Swap 3 eggs for 3 flax eggs (not necessary, but makes a vegan-friendly version)
• Swap 3 cups all-purpose flour for 1 ½ cups almond flour and 1 ½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour
• For the glaze, swap out butter and brown sugar for coconut cream and coconut sugar and reduce overall sugar

What I love most about making over my family’s favorite recipes that have been around for years is that we can all still enjoy them, just in a more nutritious way. And I can share them with you, too!

Each bite of this fresh apple pound cake is moist, delicious and decadent. The swaps go unnoticed, but give each bite of apple pound cake more protein, fiber and less sugar so that you can have your cake and eat it, too (more often!).

A Healthier Fresh Apple Pound Cake

• Author: FitLiving Eats by Carly Paige
• Diet: Gluten Free

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Description

This healthier version of my mom’s fresh apple pound cake has a few simple swaps to give it a gluten-free and vegan twist without compromising in flavor or texture.  

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 cup applesauce
• 1 cup coconut oil, melted
• 1 cup coconut sugar
• 3 flax eggs* (3 Tablespoons ground flaxseed + ½ cup water + 1 Tablespoon water)
• 1 ½ cups almond flour
• 1 ½ cups gluten-free all-purpose flour*
• 3 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 apples (I used honeycrisp and granny smith)
• 1 cup chopped pecans

For the glaze:

• ½ cup coconut cream
• ¼ cup coconut sugar

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Combine applesauce, coconut oil, coconut sugar and flax eggs.
3. Beat for 3 minutes.
4. Add almond flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, vanilla extract and salt.
5. Mix until incorporated.Fold in apples and pecans.
6. Pour the batter into a greased bundt or tube pan.
7. Bake for 1 hour. Allow to cool for 20 minutes before covering with the sauce.
8. Meanwhile to make the sauce, combine the coconut milk and coconut sugar in a saucepan.
9. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly.
10. Continue to cook for 8 minutes.
11. While sauce is hot, drizzle over cooled cake.

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Notes

• Can substitute for 3 eggs
• Can substitute for 1 ½ cups gluten-free oat flour by blending rolled oats in a blender until fine.