Gluten-Free Apple Cake (Paleo)
Posted Sep 09, 2018, Updated Jan 06, 2023
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This gluten-free apple cake is the best apple cake recipe ever! It’s an easy, healthy paleo dessert that’s made without refined sugar and bursting with cozy fall flavors.
Fall is my favorite season. While I definitely enjoy summer, I am always ready for the cooler temperatures, scarves, boots, and all the fall recipes – including this Gluten-Free Apple Cake!
This paleo, gluten-free apple cake recipe comes together in no time and is packed full of nutritious ingredients! Eat it for breakfast, eat it for brunch, serve it warm for dessert smothered with some Paleo Vanilla Ice cream. You really can’t go wrong.
This Paleo apple cake is irresistible! It’s perfectly sweet, seriously moist, and bursting at the seams with bits of apple goodness!
Gluten-Free Apple Cake: Ingredients & Substitutions
As always it is best to follow this gluten-free Paleo Cake recipe as it’s written, but here are a few potential substitutions!
- Tapioca Flour. Arrowroot powder is an acceptable substitute for tapioca flour! You can also use corn starch but it’s not paleo.
- Coconut oil. Butter is a super yummy (but not dairy-free) substitute for coconut oil! Ghee is also a great substitution!
- Coconut sugar. Any granulated sugar works great in this recipe, just be sure it complies with your dietary needs.
- Pecans. I have used walnuts with delicious results as well!
How to make Gluten-Free Apple Cake
- Finely dice the apples. This will ensure that the apples in the cake are fully baked (and not hard and crunchy)
- No Peeling Required. Since peeling is unnecessary, this best Apple Cake recipe is SUPER easy to make. I love that keeping the skin on the apples adds nutrition and fiber to this fabulous fall dessert!
- Making the topping. I know I say that the topping is optional, but really the sweet and salty crunch of the pecans is SO good I don’t recommend skipping it! I use a nut chopper to finely chop the pecans, but you can use a knife and cutting board if you don’t have one of those!
- Let it cool before removing from the cake pan. Please be sure to give this gluten-free apple cake recipe plenty of time to cool in the cake pan. This ensures that it will hold it’s shape and not fall apart when it’s removed from the pan.
Serve
Serve this healthy apple cake warm with a scoop of paleo vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream!
Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up 5-7 days.
Recipe FAQs
Any who. I believe the absolute best apples for baking are Pink Lady apples. They are a little sweet, and a little tart, and absolutely perfect in this Gluten-Free Apple Cake recipe! Some suggestions include (but are not limited to):
Pink Lady Apples. Must mention again because they’re my favorite!
Honey Crisp Apples. These are a sweeter variety, but super crisp with amazing flavor.
Granny smith. The traditional tart baking apple! They hold up well and add a nice little sour kick to the recipe!
Jazz apples and Gala apples. These varieties are very similar. They are great for baking but are mostly sweet with little (if any) sour taste!
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Gluten-Free Apple Cake (Paleo)
Ingredients
Cake:
- 1 cup almond flour
- 2 TBS tapioca flour
- ½ tsp sea salt
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups chopped apples
Topping:
- ¼ cup pecans chopped
- 1 TBS coconut sugar
- ½ tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Grease a 9" round cake pan, set aside.
- In a small bowl, mix together almond flour, tapioca flour, baking soda, salt, and ½ tsp of cinnamon; set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix together melted coconut oil, coconut sugar.
- Mix in egg and and vanilla until well combined.
- Add the flour mixture and stir until just combined.
- Stir in the apples, pour into prepared pan.
- Sprinkle pecans on top.
- In a cup or small bowl, stir together the remaining cinnamon and sugar; sprinkle over pecans.
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes in preheated oven until the cake springs back when lightly touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack. Then slice and enjoy.
Video
Notes
Ingredient Substitutions
- Tapioca Flour. Arrowroot powder is an acceptable substitute for tapioca flour! You can also use corn starch but it’s not paleo.
- Coconut oil. Butter is a super yummy (but not dairy-free) substitute for coconut oil! Ghee is also a great substitution!
- Coconut sugar. Any granulated sugar works great in this recipe, just be sure it complies with your dietary needs.
- Pecans. I have used walnuts with delicious results as well!
Serve
Serve this healthy apple cake warm with a scoop of paleo vanilla ice cream or homemade whipped cream!Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up 5-7 days.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
More delicious apple recipes:
- Make some pie, check out our recipes for BEST apple crumble pie, or classic apple pie!
- We make this Apple Cinnamon Baked Oatmeal for breakfast all the time!
- These Healthy Cinnamon Apples are made on the stovetop and taste so good!
- These Cinnamon Apple Muffins are the best! Enjoy them with a warm cup of coffee for a perfect fall breakfast!
- I could eat 3 of these Paleo Apple Crumb Muffins in one sitting!
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Thank you for sharing this! It’s a brilliant recipe! I was diagnosed coeliac about 7 years ago & now follow a paleo lifestyle due to a number of gut health issues/intolerances. I grew up with my mum’s apple cake & it was my absolute FAVOURITE! In 7 years I haven’t had anything as close & delicious to it as this cake here. I did halve the sugar & add some nutmeg,allspice, ginger & extra cinnamon, but it just worked out so well. Will definitely be making it for years to come, as my husband & kids loved it too (although to be fair they were lucky they got any of it – I may have scoffed most of it – oops). Thank you!
Thank you Alice! I am so glad you found a recipe that fits your lifestyle! <3 Sharing is definitely overrated!
Omg! This is amazing. My daughter fixed it fore for my birthday. I’m on week 4 on paleo. Lost 8 lbs, and my inflammation has really proved!
Congrats Tina! So glad you enjoyed this! And happy birthday!
Can i use unsweetened apple sauce instead of sugar? if so, how much? should i also use some raisins to sweeten it up a tad? making it for someone who does not like a sweet cake.
It’s SO GOOD! Next time I’ll double the recipe, and add a bit more cinnamon. This was my first gluten-free bake and it’s got me very excited to try other recipes! Thanks!
I was looking for something sweet for my family one night that could use up some aging apples. My family LOVED this cake! It was SO easy to make and so delicious! This will likely be made in our house again and again! Thank you!!
I just made this today and it was great! I used half blanched almond flour and half unblanched. I was a bit worried since the batter wasn’t very runny but it turned out great! I can only get one type of apple where I live but it still worked great. I also halved the coconut sugar in the batter. Thanks for a keeper than my hubby even liked!
So good! I made this and couldn’t believe it was paleo. I froze half the batch and they are even better out of the freezer! Such a good use for all those fall apples! And yes honey crisp are by far the best!!
Thank you Molly! It’s so good to know that it freezes well (and tastes even better)!
Delicious recipe! I’ve made it several times in a 10” spring form pan doubled the recipe and cook for longer. My family loves it and it is perfect for those with food sensitivities without sacrificing flavor ☺️
Thank you Laura! I love that you double it in a larger pan with a longer baking time! Such great advice!
thank you for the gluten free recipe. Ive been gluten free for a year this month and am always looking for new recipes.!
You will love this one Judy!
Everyone loves this cake. I cut the coconut sugar back to 2 TBsp in the cake and 1/2 a Tbsp in the topping and used sweet honey crisp apples. We love it. Thanks
Thank you for stopping by to let us know you love it!
This recipe was AMAZING! I loved it and so did the people I made it for! I used a 10in spring form pan and 1.5x the recipe and used a ‘flax egg’ and it was delicious!!!