- Recipe characteristics
- Notes on ingredients
- How to make it
- You may also like
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Recipe characteristics
- Quick and easy to make
- Made in a single bowl for minimal cleanup
- Perfect for breakfast, a healthy snack, or a light dessert
- Suitable for special diets: plant-based (vegan) and gluten-free
Notes on ingredients
This gluten-free apple cake uses a blend of mild, naturally gluten-free flours and fruit to keep the texture tender and the flavor bright. If you or someone you bake for has celiac disease or a strong gluten sensitivity, be sure to choose certified gluten-free oat flour and rice flour to prevent cross-contamination. The cake relies on ripe bananas and full-fat coconut cream to provide moisture and natural sweetness, while grated Granny Smith apples add a pleasant tartness and tender crumb. I use fine almond flour (from blanched almonds) rather than coarse almond meal for a smoother texture. Potato starch helps lighten the structure and gives the cake a soft bite. Coconut sugar gives a mild caramel flavor, but you can substitute brown or white sugar if needed.
- Oat flour: Naturally gluten-free if certified; otherwise may contain traces of gluten.
- White rice flour: Neutral in flavor and commonly used in gluten-free baking; choose certified gluten-free when necessary.
- Almond flour: Use fine almond flour made from blanched almonds for best results; almond meal may yield a different texture.
- Potato starch: A light, tapioca-like starch that helps keep the crumb tender and moist.
- Coconut sugar: Adds caramel notes; brown or white sugar can be used as alternatives.
- Golden raisins: Optional, but they add pleasant sweetness and chewy texture.
- Cinnamon: Classic spice for apple desserts; you can swap for a spice blend (pumpkin pie spice or gingerbread mix) if desired.
- Granny Smith apples: Tart and firm, they hold up well when baked and balance the cake’s sweetness.
- Bananas: Use ripe bananas for natural sweetness and easy blending.
- Coconut cream: Use the thick firm part from a can of full-fat coconut milk; it should be scoopable.
How to make it
This cake is simple to prepare and forgiving in texture. The method keeps things streamlined: mix the dry ingredients, prepare the fruit components separately, then combine and bake. The grated apples are drained to avoid excess moisture that would make the cake soggy, while blended bananas and coconut cream act as the wet binder and sweetener. Baking at a moderate temperature and covering the cake toward the end of baking prevents excessive browning while ensuring the center sets through.
Overview of the steps
- Preheat the oven and prepare a 16 cm springform pan by lining it with baking paper and greasing it with coconut oil.
- Whisk together the dry flours, starch, sugar, cinnamon, raisins, and baking powder in a large bowl.
- Peel, core and grate the Granny Smith apples. Drain the grated apples in a colander and squeeze out most of the juice by hand—you should have about 100 g of apple pulp remaining.
- Blend the full-fat coconut cream and ripe bananas until smooth to form the wet mixture.
- Fold the banana-coconut mixture and apple pulp into the dry ingredients and mix until combined. If the batter is very stiff, stir in 1–2 tablespoons of plant-based milk to reach a smoother consistency. Taste and adjust sweetness if needed.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake at 180° C for about 42–45 minutes. After roughly 30 minutes of baking, loosely cover the top with aluminum foil to avoid over-browning.
- Remove the cake from the oven and cool it completely in the pan before slicing. Optionally dust the cooled cake with powdered sweetener, then slice and serve.
If you enjoyed this recipe, you might also like these other gluten-free cakes:
- Gluten-Free Kabocha Squash Cake
- Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
- Gluten-Free Sweet Potato Cake
- Gluten-Free Mango Blueberry Cake
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Gluten-Free Apple Cake
Equipment
- 16 cm springform cake tin
- Electric hand mixer
- Silicone spatula
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
- 100 g white rice flour
- 100 g oat flour (certified gluten-free if required)
- 50 g almond flour (fine)
- 25 g potato starch
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 30–40 g golden raisins
- 60–70 g coconut sugar (or brown/white sugar)
- 200 g Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and grated (approx. 100 g drained apple pulp)
- 100 g full-fat coconut cream, at room temperature
- 100 g ripe bananas
- 20–30 ml plant-based milk (optional, if batter needs thinning)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180° C. Line a 16 cm springform cake tin with baking paper and grease it lightly with coconut oil.
- In a large bowl, combine the white rice flour, oat flour, almond flour, potato starch, coconut sugar, cinnamon, golden raisins, and baking powder.
- Peel, core and grate the Granny Smith apples. Place the grated apples in a colander and squeeze out most of the excess juice by hand; you should have about 100 g of apple pulp.
- In a blender, combine the coconut cream and ripe bananas, blending until completely smooth.
- Pour the banana-coconut mixture and the drained apple pulp into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Mix with an electric hand mixer until evenly combined. Taste and adjust sweetness if necessary. If the batter is too thick, add 1–2 tablespoons of plant-based milk to reach a spreadable consistency.
- Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and bake for approximately 42–45 minutes. After about 30 minutes of baking, place a loose sheet of aluminum foil over the cake to prevent excessive browning on top.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool completely before removing it from the pan. Once cooled, dust with powdered sweetener if desired, slice, and serve.
Please leave a comment below to share how it turned out. Your feedback is appreciated.