This fluffy light Gluten Free Apple Cider Cake is full of delicious fall apple flavors. Top it with a delicious vanilla buttercream frosting or a cinnamon buttercream frosting. Either way, it is an incredible snack cake!
This fluffy gluten free apple cider snack cake is full of fall apple flavors. You can make this as a layer cake, snack cake, or as cupcakes. If you love cake as much as we do, you will want to try all of my incredible gluten free cake recipes on the blog!
This delicious gluten free apple cider cake recipe is based on my homemade Gluten Free Apple Cider Donuts recipe.
Why Make This Recipe:
- This cake is not dense. It is fluffy and light!
- Top them with vanilla buttercream frosting, my cinnamon buttercream frosting, dust a light coating of powdered sugar over the top, or enjoy this snack cake plain!
- You will also love that this cake freezes really well, so you can make it ahead.
- Make this cake in about 30 minutes (not including cooling time!)
This is one of my favorite gluten-free flour blends for cookies, cakes, pie crust, biscuits, and muffins! (Do not use this flour blend for yeast recipes.)
Ingredient Notes:
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF. That doesn’t mean others will not work. I just have not tested other flours.
- Xanthan Gum – If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add one teaspoon.
- Baking Powder – Use aluminum-free.
- Butter or Oil – Use unsalted butter. If you are using oil, I recommend a light oil and not a heavily flavored oil. I used canola oil when making this snack cake.
- Egg – Use a large egg.
- Apple Cider – You can use apple cider or apple juice. I do like the flavor more with apple cider.
- Apples – I like using fuji or another sweet apple variety in this snack cake recipe.
- Nuts – I like walnuts or pecans for this recipe.
Tips For Success:
- Do not use a stand mixer for this recipe. Standing mixers tend to overmix the batter, making the cake dense. Mix the wet and dry ingredients until they are just barely mixed.
- Be sure your cake is completely cooled before adding the frosting.
- I like to make my apple bits very small. I like to use a grater with large holes to grate the apple into small bits. Be sure to peel your apples with an apple peeler.
Recipe Step-By-Step Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350º F and ensure the oven rack is set in the middle of the oven.
Step 1: Add the dry ingredients to a bowl. Use a whisk to blend them all together.
To measure your gluten free flour, I recommend using the spoon method or leveling method.
- Put the measuring scoop into the flour and fill. Do not pack the flour. Use a knife to scrape along the top to remove the extra flour.
- You can also use a spoon to fill the measuring cup. Use a knife to level along the top to remove the extra flour.
Step 2: Use an apple peeler to peel your apples. This is optional. If you prefer to leave the peels on, that is okay.
Step 3: In a large bowl, place the grater. Grate the apple on the side of the grater with the large holes.
Step 4: Add the rest of the wet ingredients (eggs, vanilla, butter, non-dairy milk, and apple cider) to the bowl with the grated apple. and mix until they are blended.
Step 5: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until they are just barely mixed. Do not overmix your batter, or your cake can turn out dense.
I do not recommend a stand mixer for this cake recipe. These mixers always overmix the cake batter.
Step 6: Pour the batter into a prepared 8×8 baking dish, bundt cake pan, or cake pan. I used a coconut oil spray on my pan. Use a spatula to spread out the batter evenly.
Step 7: Bake the cake for 25-30 minutes, depending on the pan size you use. A bundt cake will take closer to 45 minutes.
Step 8: Test the cake to ensure it is finished baking. Do this by inserting a toothpick into the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, your cake is ready. If you see crumbs or batter on the toothpick, it will need to be baked longer.
Step 9: Place the cake on a cooling rack to cool. You want it to be completely cooled off before frosting it.
While the cake is baking, whip up some frosting. You can make either this Vanilla Buttercream Frosting or the Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting in this gluten free pumpkin cupcakes recipe.
If you love apple cake as much as I do, you may also want to try this fool-proof Gluten Free Creamy Apple Cake recipe!
You may also love this moist Gluten Free Sweet Potato Cake or this Gluten Free Crumb Cake recipe!
Recipe FAQ:
Yes, making this gluten-free apple cider cake dairy-free is easy. Just substitute dairy-free butter or oil for the butter.
Store the cake in an airtight container in your refrigerator. This will prevent the cake from drying out. It will keep fresh for up to 4 days.
It is easiest to freeze this cake if it is cut into squares. If the cake is frosted, refrigerate the cake to make the frosting cold. Carefully place slices of the cake in a freezer-style zip bag. This cake can keep fresh for up to 4 months in the freezer.
More Gluten Free Apple Desserts:
- Easy Gluten Free Apple Cobbler
- Gluten Free Apple Pie (with a tutorial video on how to weave a top crust.)
- Gluten Free French Apple Cakes
- Air Fryer Gluten Free Apple Fritters (with a deep fry option.)
Gluten Free Apple Cider Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free flour blend * see note
- ½ cup white sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar light or dark is fine.
- 2 teaspoons baking powder aluminum-free
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ cup grated apple
- 1 cup apple cider
- 5 tablespoons butter Melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup non-dairy milk of choice Do not use canned coconut milk
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350º F.
- Peel a large apple and use a grater to grate your apple.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the dry ingredients and whisk to blend.
- In a smaller bowl, add the wet ingredients and the grated apple and mix well.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix until just barely mixed. This will help you ensure the cake turns out fluffy.
- Pour the batter into a prepared 8×8 or cake-sized pan. You can also bake in a bundt pan.
- Bake for 25 minutes and test doneness with a toothpick. Actual baking time may depend on the size of the cake pan you use.
- Remove the baked cake from the oven to a cooling rack. Do not frost the cake until the cake has cooled completely.
- Mix up the frosting. See the notes section below for two flavor options for the frosting.
Notes
- I tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure flour. Other blends may work, but I haven’t tested any others.
- If your blend doesn’t contain xanthan or guar gum, add one teaspoon.
- You can use any variety of apples. I used fuji apples. Peeling the apples is optional. I did peel mine for this recipe.
- You can enjoy this cake plain or frosted with one of these two frosting flavors: Vanilla Buttercream Frosting or Cinnamon Buttercream Frosting.
- Store leftover cake in the refrigerator in an airtight container.
SPECIAL NOTE
Please know that every gluten free flour blend has a different starch to grain ratio. If you use a blend I didn’t test, you may need to adjust your moisture levels in your baked goods.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
Hello! So I want to make a GF butter pecan cake for my husband’s birthday. It used to be his favorite. I don’t see that you had one but thought I could manipulate this recipe 🙂 Any suggestions? I don’t mind still using the apple but probably not the cider….
Hi Lisa, That sounds like a delicious cake flavor idea. I am not sure how to edit this cake as it uses apple cider for the liquid. If you give me a few weeks, I can try to create this flavor.
That would be awesome! It is such a delicious flavor of a cake! Already looking forward to it! Thank you 🙂
I don’t see the nuts in the recipe. Writing down to make tomorrow, what is the amount and do the go in at the end? Thank you.
You can add 1/3 cup to the batter.