Healthy Gluten Free Apple Cake with Almond Flour
This gluten free apple cake recipe is a game changer. The easy cake has a supremely moist texture with a cinnamon-spiced flavor, and it’s made with just almond flour and honey (making it paleo!). It’s a healthy apple cake, but you'd never know it.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you follow along here, you might know that my favorite kind of cakes are wholesome, rustic and unfussy (see this gluten-free coffee cake). This gluten free apple cake with almond flour is one of my go-to, back-pocket desserts. It's just as fitting for a snack with a cup of coffee as it is for an elegant dinner party. My family adores it, and I hope you will too!
This recipe calls for a handful of pantry staples, fresh apples, and honey. It's a simple and fun way to celebrate apple season (if you live near an apple farm, it's a great treat to make after a day of apple picking), perfect for enjoying with the whole family.
Ingredient Notes
The cake is made with simple ingredients that you can find in any grocery store. It’s naturally dairy-free.
- Almond flour: This paleo apple cake is made with just almond flour, making it grain free.
- Arrowroot flour/starch: A touch of arrowroot starch or cornstarch gives the cake more structure.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Baking powder and baking soda help the cake to rise and give it a lighter texture.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: The cake is flavored with warming spices of cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Fresh apples: Instead of using apple slices or chopped apples, this cake uses a grated apple. The grated apple incorporates perfectly into the batter, giving the cake a moist texture (diced fruit results in a too heavy texture). You can use any type of sweet-tart red apple you prefer– Honeycrisp, Pink Lady, Granny Smith, or Gala apples work great.
- Applesauce: There's no vegetable oil or butter in this healthy apple cake! Instead it gets more moisture from applesauce (you can use store-bought or homemade applesauce).
- Eggs: Eggs bind the batter and also help it rise.
- Honey: The cake is naturally sweetened with just honey. You can swap it out for maple syrup if you prefer.
- Vanilla paste or vanilla extract: Vanilla gives the cake more depth of flavor.
- Almond extract: A touch of almond extracts lends a subtly sweet almond flavor.
Please see the exact ingredient amounts in the recipe card below.
How to Make This Gluten Free Apple Cake with Almond Flour
Step 1: The first step is to grate the apple on the small holes of a box grater (skin and all), moving around the core. Measure out ¾ cup of grated apple with its juices (it should be about the whole apple—discard any leftover apple if you have it).
Step 2: In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and spices. In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, grated apple, applesauce, honey, vanilla and almond extract. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and stir until evenly combined.
Step 3: Transfer the cake batter to parchment-lined 8-inch cake pan.
Step 4: Bake until the top of the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean. Let the cake cool at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, then transfer it to a cooling rack and let it cool completely.
Recipe Tips
- For the best results, I always recommend using an inexpensive kitchen scale when baking, especially when working with gluten-free flours.
- I use Bob's Red Mill superfine almond flour, but any fine almond flour/almond meal will work.
- Vanilla paste is one of my secret ingredients when baking. It lends a rich vanilla bean flavor at a fraction of the cost of fresh vanilla beans!
- Feel free to swap out the honey for maple syrup.
- You can use any sweet-tart apples you prefer. Honeycrisp, Gala, Fuji, Granny Smith, or Pink Lady apples work great.
- Be sure to fully bake the cake—it should be well browned on the edges and on top.
- Check out all of my GF cake recipes!
Serving Tips
Serve this cake all on its own, or dress it up with a dollop of whipped cream, coconut whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Storage Tips
The cake can sit at room temperature for up to 8 hours before serving. Refrigerate any leftover cake in an airtight container.
This apple cake freezes beautifully. Wrap each slice in parchment paper or wax paper, then store them in an airtight container or zip-top bag. That way you can grab a slice whenever the craving strikes. Reheat the cake in a warm oven.
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Recipe FAQs
Sweet-tart apples work great for cakes, such as pink lady, fuji, honeycrisp, gala or even granny smith apples.
You can use either baking powder, baking soda or a mix of both. When using just baking soda it's necessary to add an acid (such as lemon juice, vinegar, yogurt or buttermilk) to activate the baking soda. There's no need to add an acid when using baking powder.
An all purpose gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum works well for gluten-free cakes, or you can use a nut flour (such as almond flour), which is naturally gluten free.
If you have a ton of apples to eat, try incorporating them into slaws, salads, pies and cobblers! You can also use them in savory dishes, such as in pork and apples.
More Gluten-Free Cakes
- Coconut Almond Cake
- Healthy Banana Cake
- Easy Gluten Free Carrot Cake
- Gingerbread Cake
- Blueberry Yogurt Cake
- Cherry Ricotta Cake
- Chocolate Almond Cake
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Get the recipe!
Healthy Gluten Free Apple Cake with Almond Flour
Equipment
- 1 8-inch cake pan
Ingredients
- Cooking spray or oil for pan
Dry ingredients
- 2 cups (220g) almond flour
- 2 tablespoons (20g) arrowroot starch or cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg
Wet ingredients
- 1 large sweet-tart apple, such as Fuji, Honeycrisp or Pink Lady
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup (165g) honey
- ¼ cup (65g) unsweetened applesauce
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
For finishing and serving
- 3 tablespoons sliced almonds
- Regular or dairy-free whipped cream or ice cream (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F (175˚C). Spray an 8-inch cake pan with cooking spray or rub with oil, and line the bottom with a round of parchment paper.
Whisk the dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg. Use your fingers to break up any clumps of almond flour.
Combine the wet ingredients
- Grate the apple on the small holes of a box grater (skin and all), moving around the core. Measure out ¾ cup of grated apple with its juices (it should be about the whole apple—discard any leftover apple if you have it).
- In a small bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey, applesauce, vanilla and almond extract. Stir in the grated apple.
Finish the batter
- Scrape the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, and stir until evenly combined. Pour the batter into the prepared pan and spread it in an even layer. Sprinkle the sliced almonds on top.
Bake
- Bake the cake until it’s browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 30-35 minutes (don’t underbake—the cake should be well browned around the edges).
- Let the cake cool in the pan set on a rack for 15-20 minutes. Run a thin knife along the edge, then remove the cake from the pan (to do this, flip the cake over onto your hand or onto a plate, pull off the parchment paper, then invert the cake back onto the cooling rack so it's right side up—if you're nervous about doing this, just leave it in the pan!). Let the cake cool completely.
- Cut the cake into slices and serve it on its own or with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream, if you’d like. Enjoy!
Notes
- The cake can sit at room temperature for up to 8 hours before serving. Refrigerate any leftover cake in an airtight container.
- This cake freezes beautifully. Wrap each slice in parchment paper or wax paper, then store them in an airtight container or zip-top bag. That way you can grab a slice whenever the craving strikes. Reheat the cake in a warm oven.
- For the best results, I always recommend using an inexpensive kitchen scale when baking, especially when working with gluten free flours.
- I use Bob's Red Mill superfine almond flour, but any fine almond flour/almond meal will work.
- Vanilla paste is one of my secret ingredients when baking. It lends a rich vanilla bean flavor at a fraction of the cost of fresh vanilla beans!
- Feel free to swap out the honey for maple syrup.
- Be sure to fully bake the cake—it should be well browned on the edges and on top.
- Check out all of my GF cake recipes!
- Be sure to fully bake the cake—it should be well browned on the edges and on top. Serve it on its own, or dollop it with whipped cream, coconut whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Hi, it looks delicious. I can’t have almond. Will it ok to substitute a different flour?
Hi there! Are you able to eat other nut flours? While the almond flour is important to the texture of this cake, you could try another nut flour, such as hazelnut or pecan flour.
A delicious cake…perfect for the fall! The kids loved this one and so did I…so simple to make and a healthy treat. Thank you for this recipe!
I'm so glad you and your kids enjoyed it, Jas!!
Thank you for this beautiful recipe. I'd like to make it egg free. What is your favorite egg replacer?
Thanks, Jodi! While I haven't tested this particular cake with egg replacer, I love Bob's Red Mill brand egg replacer (sold as a powder), which I often use in baked goods (such as my banana bread!). I suspect it should work (use the equivalent of 2 eggs), but check the cake 5 minutes early, as it will cook faster. Please let me know if you give it a try!
This is my new favorite cake! Such a yummy flavor, so moist, and the browned edge gets a great caramelized nuttiness. One of the best-tasting almond flour recipes I’ve had! I’m glad I didn’t try to flip out of the pan though. I think it would have fallen apart—maybe because of more moisture in my apple and applesauce.
Hi Laura, this makes me so happy to hear!!
I am looking for a cake to bake in my honeycomb Nordic ware pan, which will fill the crevices and hold the shape. Any idea if this would work? Thanks!
Hi Betsy! This is a super tender cake with a delicate crumb so I don't think it's the best choice for the honeycomb pan. That being said, I haven't tested it!
Do you think I can use apple butter or cider instead of apples sliced??
Hi there, this cake uses grated apple (not slices), which is essential for its texture. I don’t recommend substituting it in this case. I hope you enjoy!
First time I bake grain-free. This cake is absolutely divine. How is wheat flour still the main flour used in baking! Can’t wait to try your other grain-free bakes.
Thank you!
Hooray! I’m so happy you enjoyed. 😊
This looks like a great recipe! I am trying to replace the nuts on top with apple slices in the bottom of the pan to make an upsidedown apple & honey cake. Has anyone else adapted this to that? The cake batter in this recipe, I know will be delish from my GF baking experiences. Thanks
Hi there! I actually tested a version of this cake recipe with apple slices on the bottom of the pan, but the cake broke apart when inverted as it's extremely tender. The grated apple works great, however!
Good to know!!! Can't wait to try this one as published.
Made this tonight with an apple from the farmers market. So easy and SO delicious! I will be making this A LOT!
Hooray! This makes me so happy to hear. 🙂