Gluten Free Apple Cake

Indulge in this beautiful twist on a classic recipe with this gluten free apple cake. This apple rose cake will have your taste buds dancing with joy with a perfectly soft and fluffy cake topped with sliced apples decorated in a pretty rose design. Serve hot or cold with a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream or hot custard.

There's nothing I love more than gluten free apple desserts just like gluten free apple tart, gluten free apple pie bars, and gluten free apple and blueberry crumble. So my gluten free apple cake was always going to make it into my gluten free cakes collection sooner or later.

I adapted my gluten free Victoria sponge as a starting point when developing this recipe and have also used it to make a gluten free strawberry cake and gluten free rhubarb cake. I wanted to take this gluten free apple cake recipe to the next level by adding a fun romantic flare by making the top of the cake a beautiful apple rose.

This gluten free apple cake works well for a gluten free valentines dessert but also for an impressive dessert in the holidays served warm.

🍎 The best apples to make an apple cake

When it comes to baking an apple cake, choosing the right type of apple is crucial. Each variety has its own unique flavor profile, texture, and sweetness level, which can greatly impact the taste and texture of the cake.

1. Granny Smith - These apples are tart and firm, making them a popular choice for baking. They hold their shape well and add a nice contrast to the sweetness of the cake.
2. Honeycrisp - These apples are crisp and juicy, with a slightly sweet flavor. They add a nice texture to the cake and pair well with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
3. Braeburn - These apples are slightly tart and firm, making them a good choice for baking. They have a great flavor that works well in apple cake.
4. Pink Lady apples - This apple variety is one of my favorites it holds its shape well during baking, and its firm texture adds a satisfying crunch to the cake. Additionally, they release a subtle aroma when cooked, which enhances the overall flavor of the cake.

📋 Ingredients Notes

• Gluten free All purpose flour - I used a shop-bought Gluten free flour blend from Doves Farm Freee from range. Which is a flour blend of Rice, Potato, Tapioca, Maize, and Buckwheat flour. I have had reports that others have used King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure for Measure Flour, Bob's Red Mill Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour, Cup4Cup Gluten-Free Flour with my recipes that have worked well.
• Sugar - This recipe uses both white and brown sugar. White sure for the cake mixture and brown sugar for the apples. Brown sugar in the apples as it adds a deeper, richer flavor that compliments the apples perfectly.
• Gluten free Baking powder - is a leavening agent that is commonly used in baking to help the batter rise and becomes light and fluffy. Expired baking powder loses its potency, causing baked goods to be flat or not rise properly. Therefore, it's important to check the expiration date before using it.
• Xanthan gum - Omit if the flour blend already contains xanthan gum.
• Unsalted butter - room temperature
• Eggs - Room temperature
• Vanilla extract - Adds additional flavor to the cake.
• Apples - I use Honeycrisp apples bit have also used pink lady apples when testing this recipe. When making this gluten free apple cake but you can use your preferred apples such as granny smith or Braeburn apples.
• Lemon juice - Lemon juice contains citric acid, which can slow down this oxidation process and help the apple slices retain their natural color. It will also add a nice balance to the sweet flavor of the apples.
• Apricot Jam - By brushing warm apricot jam over the baked apples will add a beautiful sheen and glossy finish to the apple slices and additional flavor and helps prevent the apples from drying out too much.

See the recipe card below for full ingredients & measurements.

⚡ Substitutions & Variations

• Dairy Free - to make a dairy free apple cake use dairy free butter.
• Alternative glaze - for a substitute for the apricot jam you can use warmed honey or maple syrup if preferred.
• Apple cinnamon cake - Add ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the sliced apples before baking.

🥣 Step by Step Instructions

Below is a brief step-by-step process with photos of how to make gluten free apple cake. See the recipe card below for more detailed recipe instructions.

Step 1: Prepare the cake tin, line the bottom with parchment paper, and line or grease the sides. Then, preheat the oven to 180°C/325°F/Gas Mark 3. In a large bowl beat sugar and butter together until smooth and fluffy, Incorporate eggs and vanilla and mix well.

Step 2: In a separate bowl combine flour, salt, baking powder, and xanthan gum.

Tip: Be sure to use room-temperature eggs and butter. As butter at room temperature, it is softer and easier to work with, making it easier to cream with sugar to create a light and airy texture. Room-temperature eggs also mix better with the other ingredients, resulting in a more even distribution of moisture and fat in the batter, which can help the cake rise properly and have a tender crumb.

Step 3: Combine the wet mix with the dry ingredients and whisk until the batter is smooth and free of lumps.

Step 4: Transfer the cake batter to your pre-prepared baking tin and set aside to rest while preparing the apples for the topping.

Step 5: Remove the core and cut the apples in half. Thinly slice the apples into pieces that are approximately ⅛ inch thick (See image 5).

Tip: I like to leave the skin on when making an apple rose because it adds a beautiful red color, and added texture to the finished dish. The skin also helps to hold the apple together as it bakes, preventing it from falling apart.

Step 6: Place the apple slices into a microwave-safe bowl and add the lemon juice, butter, and sugar. Mix together until the apple slices are fully coated. Put the bowl containing the apples in the microwave and heat for 3 minutes, pausing halfway through to stir.

Tip: The apple slices should have softened in the microwave and be flexible for bending into a curved shape.

Step 7: Place the larger apple slices upright at the outer edges of the cake tin, gently pressing them into the cake batter and overlapping them halfway. Continue around the cake tin until you have created a full circle of overlapping apple slices.

For the next row of apple slices, place them in front of where the previous apple slices have joined slices, and continue this process until you have reached a point where there is a ½ inch of space in the center of the cake (See image 7).

Take 1-2 apple slices and overlap them slightly on a flat surface to form a row. Roll the slices tightly together to create a small apple rose, then place it at the center of the cake.

Tip: If the apple slices are not flexible enough to roll you can pop them back in the microwave until they become soft enough to roll.

Step 8: Place the apple cake in the oven and bake it for approximately 40 minutes. Use a skewer to test for doneness, and if it comes out clean, transfer the baking tin to a cooling rack.

While the apple cake is cooling but still warm. Slightly warm the apricot jam in the microwave for a few seconds and brush over the top of the apple slices this will give the apples a lovely glaze.

🍽️ Serving suggestions

• Serve the cake with a dollop of french whipped creme chantilly or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
• Caramel Sauce - Drizzle the cake with warm caramel sauce for a decadent and indulgent treat.
• Powdered Sugar - Dust the cake with powdered sugar for a classic and simple presentation.
• Hot Custard - Serve a gluten free apple slice with hot custard over the top which is the perfect dessert for those cold winter nights.

Adding fresh fruit to cakes can be a great way to make a simple recipe look impressive and wow your guests. Other recipes that are easy to make but look beautiful and taste amazing are pear and chocolate cake and gluten free strawberry cupcakes.

If I'm craving an apple bit-sized treat these gluten free apple cookies are perfect.