Healthy Strawberry Apricot Snacking Cake

When it comes to the ultimate snack, there is one type that takes the cake. 😉 What could it be other than a snacking cake! If you’ve never had a snacking cake, it’s a simple, single-layered cake that is not super sweet and is perfect for eating as a snack. And my Healthy Strawberry Apricot Snacking Cake is the perfect summertime snack! It’s vegan-friendly, plant-based, and made with better-for-you ingredients (with a burst of fresh apricots and strawberries) for the ultimate sweet treat!

Friends, have you ever opened your fridge, searching for a snack, only to be met with an overwhelming desire for… cake? Don’t tell me it hasn’t happened to you, because I KNOW it has happened to me. A fun fact about me is that I love cake, any time of day. It’s why I’ve created recipes like my Carrot Cake Overnight Oats and my Healthy Birthday Cake Smoothie, to help give you the taste of cake, anytime of day!

But then I discovered snacking cakes, and everything changed. Snack cakes are just like normal cakes, except they’re single-layered, perfect for eating on-the-go! This snack cake is loaded with fresh strawberries and apricots (from my friends in Peaches LA who sent me the BEST apricots ever), and is made without refined sugars, making it a healthier take on this perfect snack. Oh, and this recipe also happens to be vegan-friendly too, so to my plant based friends: this recipe is for YOU!

If you’re someone who loves having a little sweet treat with your coffee, then this is the perfect cake for you. Because it’s not too sweet, its perfect for pairing with coffee, like my Copycat Starbucks Sugar Cookie Iced Latte!

What You Need to Make This Summer Snacking Cake

• Apricots: Summertime is peak apricot season, and this recipe is my favorite way to enjoy them! My absolute favorite apricots are from Peaches LA. They’re grown locally in Los Angeles and shipped nationwide, and I cannot recommend them enough.
• Strawberries: Strawberries are sweet and refreshing and pair wonderfully with the apricots! Just be sure to wash them thoroughly- I recommend using this super simple and easy hack!
• All-Purpose Flour: You can use either regular all-purpose flour or a 1:1 gluten-free flour. Both work just as well!
• Granulated Monk Fruit Sugar: Instead of using traditional white sugar, I like using monk fruit sugar in this recipe. My favorite is by Lakanto– it makes
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: The combination of baking powder and baking soda ensures that this cake rises and turns out perfectly fluffy.
• Kosher Salt: A pinch of kosher salt ensures that this cake doesn’t turn out too sweet.
• Apple Sauce: Instead of using an egg, we’ll be using applesauce to keep this cake light and fluffy. However, you can also use an egg if you prefer. It works just as well!
• Plant-Based Butter or Dairy Butter: If you want to keep this recipe vegan-friendly, I recommend using plant-based butter. However, you can also use dairy butter in this recipe- it works just as well! And if you don’t want to use butter, you can also use melted coconut oil, instead.
• Lemon Juice: I recommend using fresh lemon juice for this recipe, as it adds the best, light and refreshing flavor to this cake.
• Vanilla Extract: A touch of vanilla extract adds the perfect flavor to this snacking cake!
• Unsweetened Coconut Shreds: Since this cake is perfectly sweet as-is, I love topping it with unsweetened coconut shreds to add a delicious coconut flavor that pairs well with the fruit.
• Brown Sugar: This is optional, but I love adding some brown sugar to the top of the cake to give it that perfect caramelized crust! However, if you want to stay away from refined sugars, you can absolutely leave it out.

How to Make This 60 Minute Snack Cake

To make this fruity and delicious snacking cake, start by preheating your oven to 350 F. Next, take a 9-inch spring pan or round cake pan and spray it well, with oil (or butter, if preferred). If you want, you can line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. Wash and chop your strawberries and apricots and set them aside. I recommend using my berry washing “hack” in order to get your strawberries perfectly clean!

Next, set your chopped fruit aside and add your dry ingredients (flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and sea salt) to a large bowl and mix to combine. Then, in a separate bowl, mix together all of your wet ingredients (apple sauce, melted butter, lemon juice, and vanilla extract).

Pour your wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients, and mix until they’re just combined. Be careful not to over-mix, as this will lead to the cake getting tough! Finally, transfer the batter to your cake pan and use a spatula to smooth it out.

Top your cake with the apricot and strawberries, then sprinkle the coconut flakes and brown sugar over the top. Bake for 40-50 minutes, until the edges of the cake are golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Once done, let cool, slice, and enjoy! Store any leftovers in an airtight container, in the fridge, for up to one week.

If you make this recipe, please be sure to leave a review and rating below! To see more recipes and behind the scenes, follow along on Instagram, TikTok, and Youtube! I’m also now on Pinterest, so stop by and take a look at what’s new.

** Photography by Tanya Pilgrim