Gluten Free Apple Cake (Super Chunky)

This gluten free apple cake is positively packed with fork-tender apple chunks, the cake delicate and tender from being baked alongside them. It has a rich, custard-like texture inside, and a buttery browned crust.

A true apple-lover’s cake — more fruit than batter!

Why this recipe works

Unlike most apple cakes out there—light on apples and heavy on topping—this gluten free apple cake shines with nothing on top at all, or just a simple dollop of whipped cream. Every slice is packed with big, fragrant pieces of apple that bake until they’re soft, juicy, and perfectly tender inside.

It took plenty of testing to get here. I started with just a modest amount of diced fruit, even grated some for moisture. But the more apple I added, the better it got—until there was just enough batter to hold together a cake that with the texture of chunky, jammy applesauce if it also had a tender, golden crumb.

Key ingredients explained

Here’s what you’ll need to make this apple cake, and what role each plays in the final result:

• Apples – This recipe calls for “baking apples,” which are apples that have good, balanced flavor (not too sweet), and have firm enough flesh to hold their shape during baking. My favorites to use here are a combination of Granny Smith, for the sweet-tart flavor and super-firm flesh, and Cortland or Gala (for more sweetness and a little less firmness). You’ll need to peel and core them, since only the flesh will have time to soften in the oven.
• Spices – A combination of mostly ground cinnamon and a touch of freshly-grated dried nutmeg adds tons of appley flavor and aroma.
• Lemon juice – Helps keep the apples from turning brown after they’re exposed to the air, and adds some brightening flavor. You can use a mild-tasting vinegar in its place.
• Gluten free flour – The relatively small amount of flour in this cake does the heavy-lifting to provide the whole cake’s structure and help it bake evenly without falling as it cools. Try Better Batter’s classic blend, Nicole’s Best with added xanthan gum as directed in the recipe or Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 (blue bag) with an extra 1/8 teaspoon extra xanthan gum (the blend has too little).
• Baking powder – Provides rise in the oven, giving the cake volume and a more delicate crumb.
• Salt – Balances sweetness and brightens the other flavors.
• Butter – Adds moisture which makes the cake tender and creates steam during baking, buttery flavor, some rise when creamed with the sugar.
• Sugar – Adds sweetness, locks in moisture for a tender crumb, and helps the cake brown in the oven.
• Eggs – Help bind the cake batter together, create structure that holds as the cake cools.
• Vanilla – Adds depth of flavor and enhances sweetness.

How to make gluten free apple cake (with step by step photos)

Here are some photos to guide you in your home kitchen, and explanations of why the recipe instructions call for the steps they do. See the recipe card for precise amounts:

1. Prepare the apples

Prepare the apples by peeling them with a sharp vegetable peeler, to expose as much of the flesh as possible, or the apples won’t soften during baking. Remove the center core with an apple corer or sharp knife to get rid of the toxic seeds and the toughest part of the apple.

For the right size dice, cut the apple flesh in half, then into quarters; slice each quarter into 3 or 4 pieces along the length, then into chunks by cross-section. Toss the apples to coat them fully in the cinnamon and nutmeg for flavoring, and lemon juice to prevent browning.

2. Whisk the dry ingredients

In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour blend, xanthan gum, baking powder and salt to ensure even combining.

3. Make the cake batter

Beat the butter and sugar together for about 4 minutes or until the sugar is mostly dissolved (it will become less grainy) and the butter becomes more pale in color. That means the mixture has trapped air, which helps lighten the cake.

Add eggs and vanilla, and beat until smooth, then the whisked dry ingredients and beat until fully combined. There’s no gluten to overwork, so make sure the flours are fully hydrated in the wet ingredients.

4. Assemble the cake

Combine the prepared diced apple mixture with about 2/3 of the total raw cake batter, mixing to coat all of the apple chunks with fluffy cake batter. The apple chunks will always remain visible, but the batter between the pieces will hold the apples in suspension.

Line the bottom of a greased and lined round cake pan with the rest of the batter to create an apple-free crust that the rest of the apple-studded cake batter will bake on top of. Pile the apple cake batter on top and spread evenly.

If you’re using a classic 8-inch round cake pan that’s 2-inches tall, the pan will be almost full. It won’t overflow, though, since this isn’t a very high-rising cake.

5. Bake and cool

Bake covered in foil for about 20 minutes, then uncovered until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (usually another 50 minutes for an 8-inch pan). Covering the pan in foil first gives the cake a chance to start creating structure before there’s much of any browning so it never burns.

Expert tips

Get 3 mixing bowls ready

You’ll need 3 separate bowls for the different ingredients in this apple cake, but it’s worth it. You’ll need one for the apples, to which you’ll add most of the prepared cake batter, one for whisking together the few dry ingredients (gf flour blend, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and/or nutmeg), and one for creaming together the wet ingredients (butter, sugar, eggs, vanilla).

Expect a chunky batter

You’ll combine about 2/3 of the butter and egg mixture with the chopped apples, and the batter will be almost impossibly chunky. Just make sure to coat all the apples as evenly as possible in the raw batter.

Line the pan with plain batter

Coating the bottom of the baking pan with 1/3 of the plain raw cake batter, then topping with the chunky apple-studded batter, creates a solid base for the cake so you can get it out of the pan.

Ingredient substitutions

Dairy free

The only dairy in this recipe is the butter, and you should be able to replace it successfully with vegan butter. My favorite brands are Melt and Miyoko’s Kitchen. Earth’s Balance Buttery Sticks might work here, but they’re really salty and have more moisture, so reduce the salt and expect that the batter might leak from the pan. Line it with a rimmed baking sheet during baking.

Egg free

There are two eggs in this cake, and you should be able to replace each of them with one “chia egg.” To make 2 chia eggs, place 2 tablespoons ground white chia seeds and 2 tablespoons lukewarm water in a small bowl, mix to combine, and allow to gel.

Variation suggestions

• Serve your apple cake warm, with a generous scoop of vanilla ice cream;
• Drizzle the cake very lightly with a really simple confectioners’ sugar glaze;
• Replace half the apples with firm pears, prepared the same way, for a gf apple pear cake;
• Add a dollop of fresh whipped cream and a light sprinkle of ground cinnamon on top.

Storage instructions

Short term:
This gluten free apple cake is super moist and will keep on the counter, covered tightly in plastic wrap, for at least 1 day at room temperature. Place it in a sealed container in the refrigerator and it will last for at least 3 days.

Longer term:
For longer storage, freeze this cake whole, or in slices in a container with a tight-fitting lid. If you’re freezing the cake whole, you can wrap it tightly in plastic wrap on all sides, and place it on a quarter sheet pan in the freezer until it’s frozen. Then, remove it from the pan.

Defrosting:
Defrost a frozen cake or slices at room temperature uncovered, since condensation will gather on the container or plastic wrap as it defrosts, which could make it soggy.

Make ahead:
You can prepare the apples ahead of time, then, spread them on a baking sheet and place the baking sheet in the freezer. Once they’re frozen, transfer them to a zip-top bag and return them to the freezer. Then use them in the cake without defrosting them.

FAQs