If you love apple cake, this Easy Gluten Free German Apple Cake is a delicious dessert recipe to try. Double the recipe if you are feeding a crowd! I include a video below to show you how easy this German apple cake is to make
This Gluten Free German Apple Cake recipe is one of my husband's family favorites. It is one of many German dessert recipes I can't wait to share with you.
I am happy to say this recipe is not only gluten free, but it is dairy-free and refined sugar-free as well! If you love apples as much as we do, check out these delicious gluten free apple recipes.
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This gluten free version of our family's German apple cake recipe is just as good as the real thing! Crisp fresh apples and lots of cinnamon give this cake so much flavor.
Our family is definitely into apples. There are so many varieties and each has its own unique flavor. There is a vendor at our farmer's market that sells over 10 varieties of apples, many of these apples are heirloom, during the fall months.
The best apples for baking:
Many apple types will work in this easy German apple cake recipe. Here are some of my favorites:
- Gravenstein (These apples have just the right amount of tartness.)
- Granny Smith
- Gala
- Pippin
- Pink Lady
For this recipe, I used Pink Lady apples. I haven't been able to find Gravenstein, except for the fall farmer's market.
Baking with Coconut Sugar
I modified this recipe a bit from my husband's family recipe because we are trying to reduce our processed sugar intake. I have been baking with coconut sugar quite a bit. Coconut sugar has a lower glycemic index and still sweetens baking nicely.
Coconut sugar is typically brown, which can make baked goods look a bit drabby. I was really excited to find this blond colored coconut sugar!! This blond coconut sugar helps keep baked goods lighter in color...making them even more tempting!
Feel free to use regular organic sugar for this recipe if you would like. Either way, this cake is perfectly sweet.
This recipe doesn't require any hard to find ingredients. As a matter of fact, there are very few ingredients at all in this recipe, so you may already have everything on-hand.
This recipe is so easy to make. Here is a video that shows you EVERY step!
Looking for more gluten-free cake recipes to try?
- Gluten Free French Apple Cake
- Creamy Fool Proof Gluten-Free Apple Cake
- Gluten Free Raspberry Bundt Cake
- Gluten Free Orange Almond Flour Cake
Instructions:
The first step is to mix up your wet ingredients and dry ingredients in separate bowls. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
I have tested three gluten free flour blends in this recipe. I liked King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure, Namaste GF Flour, and Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend. This doesn't mean other blends won't work, I just haven't tested any others. Try to avoid flour blends that are high in starch. **Note: Namaste flour blend tends to need more liquid than the other flours. It tends to vary so please keep an eye on the dough consistency and add more liquid a tiny bit at a time if needed.
As always, if your blend does not contain Xanthan Gum, you will need to add 1 teaspoon.
Your cake batter will be a bit thick like I show in this picture.
Add the blond coconut sugar and cinnamon to cut up apple slices.
Pour the cake batter into a greased 8x8 baking pan. Top with the apple mixture. Press the apples down a bit so they set into the cake.
How long do you bake this cake for?
Bake at 350 degrees F for 40 minutes until the cake is done. The apples will look soft and the cake will be firm to the touch.
Allow the German apple cake to cool. Slice into 9 slices and serve. Eat by itself, or you can top with vanilla ice cream or whipped cream!
Reader adaptations:
Iza mixed her apples throughout the cake and dusted the top with powdered sugar.
Tools:
- An apple slicer certainly makes cutting up the apples easier!
- I use an 8x8 baking pan to make this cake.
📋 Recipe
Gluten Free German Apple Cake
A delicious easy Gluten Free German Apple Cake recipe.
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten free flour blend
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar, (for cake)
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 apples, (peel removed and sliced)
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, (for apples)
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar, (for apples)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Peel and slice apples into thin slices.
- In a large bowl, add dry ingredients and whisk to blend.
- In a smaller bowl add the wet ingredients and mix well.
- In a third bowl, add apples, 1/4 cup coconut sugar and cinnamon. Toss to coat.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix well.
- Spray an 8x8 pan with coconut oil. Add the batter and spread it out.
- Add the apple slices on top of the batter and press gently into the cake batter.
- Bake for 40 minutes until done.
Notes
I used coconut sugar in this recipe. Feel free to use regular sugar.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 9 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 280Total Fat: 13gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 41mgSodium: 71mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 2gSugar: 26gProtein: 3g
Please note this nutrition information is calculated by a recipe plugin and is an estimate based on the ingredients used in this recipe.
Pam
Hello! Any tips on making this ahead, or doubling the recipe and using a 9x13 dish?
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Pam, I haven't made this cake ahead, I think it is possible, but I haven't tried it. I assume it would be fine in an 9x13 dish, but I am not sure how deep the batter would go.
Anne
Hi,
I just made this and used 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup coconut cream milk substitute (thick consistency) and 1/4 c coconut oil. My batter was very thin. Any suggestions? I hope that it will bake ok. Thanks!
Sandi Gaertner
Hi Anne, it most likely depends on what gluten free flour blend you used. Some have higher starch content, which absorb more liquids. If you tell me what you used, we can troubleshoot it.
Anne Walker
Hi Sandi,
I apologize, I didn't see your reply. The cake baked beautifully with the thin batter and the cake was delicious. I used Laila's gluten free mix from Sweden, where we live. It's a wheat (gluten free) and potato starch mix. I have already baked this several times using different milk free products and either coconut oil or rapeseed and they all provided great results. The coconut oil provides a nice flavor, and the brown sugar caramelizes nicely. Thanks for sharing such a versatile recipe! This is one that we will enjoy forever! I've already shared it with my friends. All the best! Anne
Sandi Gaertner
I am so glad it worked out and thank you so much for coming back to let us know 🙂
Mika
Looks awesome! I should add 1/2 cup melted or solid coconut oil?? ?
Sandi Gaertner
I highly suggest melting the coconut oil so that it can blend in well.
Catherine Brown
Mmmm, I love German apple cake! I definitely need to try this GF version too as we have several GF eaters in our family.
Sandi Gaertner
This cake is super moist, hope your family loves it as much as we do.
Ginny
Love that you made this gluten-free. Your apple cake seems easier made this way too. Thanks so much!
Sandi Gaertner
Thank you so much Ginny. Have a great weekend :-).