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    Healthy Gluten Free Apple Honey Cake (Paleo!) Recipe Index

    Healthy Gluten Free Apple Honey Cake (Paleo!)

    Published: Oct 20, 2022 by Nicki Sizemore · This post may contain affiliate links

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe
    A slice of gluten free apple cake on a plate with whipped cream
    A slice of gluten free apple cake on a plate with whipped cream

    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 a paleo apple cake!). It’s a healthy apple cake, but you'd never know it. [Step-by-step VIDEO below!]

    A slice of gluten free apple cake with whipped cream.

    Paleo apple cake

    If you follow along here, you might know that my favorite kind of cakes are wholesome, rustic and unfussy. This gluten free apple cake recipe 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!

    Ingredients for the gluten free apple honey cake recipe.

    Ingredients:

    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 apple: 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). 
    • 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.
    Slices of apple honey cake.

    How to make this gluten free apple cake recipe:

    • 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).
    Process shot showing apple being grated.
    • 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. 
    Process shot showing the wet and dry ingredients in a bowl.
    • Transfer the cake batter to parchment-lined 8-inch cake pan.
    Cake batter in a pan with almonds on top.
    • Bake until the top of the cake is golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let the cake sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, then transfer it to a cooling rack and let it cool completely. 
    Baked gluten free apple cake on a rack.

    Serving suggestions:

    Serve this gluten free apple 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!

    A slice of gluten free apple cake with honey.

    Storage tips: 

    The cake can sit at room temperature for up to 8 hours before serving. Refrigerate any leftover cake in an airtight container. 

    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.
    • 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!

    *This post contains Amazon and other affiliate links to products I use and love (from which I earn income, at no cost to you). Thank you or supporting From Scratch Fast!

    Slices of apple cake with almond toppings.

    FAQs

    Can you freeze apple cake?

    Yes! 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. 

    What kind of apples are used for cakes?

    Sweet-tart apples work great for cakes, such as pink lady, fuji, honeycrisp, gala or even granny smith apples. 

    How do you make gluten free cakes rise?

    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. 

    What flour is best for gluten free cakes?

    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.

    What can I do with a glut of apples?

    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.

    Top angle shot of the gluten free apple cake slices.

    More gluten-free cakes to try:

    • Healthy Banana Cake
    • Easy Gluten Free Carrot Cake
    • Gingerbread Cake
    • Blueberry Yogurt Cake
    • Cherry Ricotta Cake
    • Chocolate Almond Cake
    • Coconut Almond Cake

    Watch the video

    Stay Connected

    I'd love to answer any of your questions and see what you're cooking!! Don't forget to rate this recipe and leave a comment below. Follow along on Instagram, Facebook, YouTube & Pinterest, and be sure to tag @fromscratchfast so that I can share your creations!

    Get the recipe!

    Paleo Gluten Free Apple Cake
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    Gluten Free Apple Honey Cake (Paleo!)

    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 a paleo apple cake!). It gets moisture from just grated apple, applesauce and honey—there’s no oil, butter or dairy in this cake. In other words, it’s a healthy apple cake, but you'd never know it. 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.
    Prep Time20 mins
    Cook Time30 mins
    Total Time50 mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Keyword: easy apple cake, gluten free apple cake recipe, paleo apple cake
    Servings: 1 8-inch cake
    Author: Nicki Sizemore

    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

    Storage: The cake can sit at room temperature for up to 8 hours before serving. Refrigerate any leftover cake in an airtight container.
    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.
    • 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!

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      Gluten Free Pie Recipes (+ New Class!)
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      Easy Maple Glaze (for donuts, scones, cakes and more!)
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      Easy Homemade Strawberry Sauce (and how to serve it!)
    • A piece of gluten free carrot cake for Easter on a plate with a fork.
      Best Gluten Free Easter Desserts

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Catharine says

      October 31, 2022 at 1:20 pm

      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

      Reply
      • Nicki Sizemore says

        October 31, 2022 at 3:32 pm

        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!

        Reply
        • Catharine says

          November 01, 2022 at 8:49 am

          Good to know!!! Can't wait to try this one as published.

    2. Cathy Greenebaum Borten says

      October 23, 2022 at 8:07 pm

      5 stars
      Made this tonight with an apple from the farmers market. So easy and SO delicious! I will be making this A LOT!

      Reply
      • Nicki Sizemore says

        October 24, 2022 at 8:40 am

        Hooray! This makes me so happy to hear. 🙂

        Reply

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    Meet Nicki

    Headshot of Nicki Sizemore.

    Welcome! I’m Nicki Sizemore, a trained chef, recipe developer and cookbook author. My mission is to help you make wholesome & delicious food from scratch without spending hours in the kitchen. All of my recipes are naturally gluten-free.

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