If you love caramel apples, this moist and delicious gluten free caramel apple cake will become your favorite apple recipe.
Gooey caramel and fresh apple flavors combine into this easy to make gluten free caramel apple cake!
Fall is around the corner and I am so excited to get fresh organic apples again.
This easy gluten free caramel apple cake recipe will help you use those yummy apples :-).”
What recipes do you like to make with apples?
Do you like to bake or cook with apples, or do you prefer to eat them raw? My family is so fast, if I want to cook with apples, I will have to be quick. My teens love crisp apples and this big bag will be gone in just a few days.
What kinds of apples can you use in this apple cake recipe?
Any apple flavor will work in this recipe, but I am partial to Gravenstein apples.
Gravenstein Apples
Apples are starting to show up in our Campbell farmer’s market and I bought a big bag of Gravenstein apples. These apples are crisp and slightly tart, which really add a lot of apple flavor to baking. You can use any apples in this recipe but try for one of the more tart varieties.
You may think I am silly. I know apples are available all year round, but in the spring and summer they are usually imported from far away, or they come from cold storage. When they are freshly picked, they are firm and juicy.
Other apple varieties you can use in this recipe include:
- Pink Ladies
- Granny Smith
- Jonagold
Lucky for me my family loves to eat cake. There are a few delicious apple cakes here on the blog, including Gluten Free French Apple Cakes and this Fool Proof Gluten Free Apple Cake. Both cakes are incredible and full of apples…but it was time for me to make something a little different. I hid away 3 apples so I could make an apple sheet cake for them :-).
Why Caramel Makes This Cake Great:
Do you know what is special about this dessert? It is full of caramel flavor because I bake the caramel topping right into the cake. If you love caramel apple flavor, this cake is going to quickly become your favorite fall cake recipe!
You can use jarred caramel like the one I bought at Trader Joe’s, or you can make a homemade caramel sauce.
Can you make this gluten free apple cake recipe nut free?
This cake is so easy to make, and I included almond flour to add extra protein. If you prefer a nut-free version, substitute 1/2 cup additional gluten free flour blend instead of the almond flour.
Can you make this apple cake recipe dairy free?
You can make this cake dairy free as well. Substitute 2/3 cup coconut oil instead of butter. For dairy-free caramel, check out this delicious dairy-free caramel recipe.
I used dairy free almond milk in this recipe, but you can also use flax milk.
How To Make Gluten Free Apple Cake:
If you look closely at the egg photo above, you can see the tiny vanilla beans in this vanilla paste. You will LOVE Rodelle’s Vanilla Paste because it adds so much real vanilla taste, with no alcohol aftertaste!
I can’t tell you enough how much I LOVE this high-quality vanilla bean paste.
After you put the batter into your pan, pour caramel over the top. Bake at 350F degrees for 25-30 minutes.
The caramel then bakes into this cake and the caramel seeps deep into the cake.
If you love apples as much as we do, give one of these gluten free apple recipes a try!
More Gluten Free Desserts to Try:
- Gluten Free Lemon Sour Cream Cakes
- Gluten Free Orange Almond Flour Cake
- Gluten Free Caramel Apple Tart with Vanilla Custard
Tools Used To Make This Caramel Apple Cake Recipe:
- 8×8 baking dish. I love this pan because it is the perfect size for so many baked items I make.
- Whisk. Sounds silly, but this is what I use to mix my wet and dry ingredients in their bowls. Then I use a spoon to mix the wet and dry ingredients together.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend. I use this mix time and time again in many of my baked recipes. It just works.
There are affiliate links in my posts. This doesn't change the cost you pay for an item, it just means a tiny commission comes to Fearless Dining to help offset the costs of running this blog. Thank you for your support!
Gluten Free Caramel Apple Cake
Ingredients
Instructions
Recommended Products
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8
Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 449 Total Fat: 20g Saturated Fat: 8g Trans Fat: 0g Unsaturated Fat: 11g Cholesterol: 77mg Sodium: 391mg Carbohydrates: 62g Fiber: 3g Sugar: 34g Protein: 8g
More Yummy Caramel and Apple Desserts to Try!
-
- French Apple Cakes
-
- Bourbon Butterscotch Caramel
-
- Caramel Tapioca Pudding
-
- Miso Caramel Mousse
-
- GF Blond Brownies with Peanut Butter Chips
Cindy
February 15, 2019 at 7:01 amThx for the recipe I can’t wait to make it,I to am gluten free also soy free I will have to make my own carmal store brand has soy in it. It’s ok I love to cook and bake. I use pillsbeary gluten free flour love that flour and not expensive get it at Walmart. Thx again Cindy from Colorado
Sandi Gaertner
February 15, 2019 at 8:51 amI will look for the Pillsbury gf blend Cindy, thank you. I believe the caramel recipe I linked in this recipe is soy free as well. Let me know how it turns out 🙂
Christina Prophet
November 14, 2018 at 10:21 amHello I got home with all the ingredients and realized I have vanilla almond milk and this recipe states to use just almond milk. Would vanilla be okay?
Sandi Gaertner
November 14, 2018 at 11:33 amHi Christina, you didn’t mention if your almond milk was sweetened. If it is, you may consider reducing the sugar amount in the recipe a little bit…otherwise it should be fine.
Karen M.
October 24, 2018 at 8:15 amMade this yesterday and it is delicious!! I did make as directed and used Cup4cup gf flour. After it was in the oven for about 12 mins. I checked it and it looked like it wouldn’t cook in the 25 mins. I will reassure you and tell you in the next 15 mins. It rose beautifully and smelled heavenly! Next time I will add more apples and nuts. Love the caramel and apple combination. Can’t wait to try your other recipes. Just to let you know, I served to non gf friends and they loved it and didn’t know, He He!
Sandi Gaertner
October 24, 2018 at 8:56 amI am so glad you liked this recipe Karen, and thank you for letting us know Cup4Cup works in this recipe. Have a great weekend!
Sharon
August 2, 2018 at 5:57 pmA slice of this and the drizzle on top has me getting those ‘Fall’ vibes. This looks fantastic!
Sandi Gaertner
August 3, 2018 at 10:14 amI like how you think Sharon 🙂
Jaclyn Anne
August 2, 2018 at 5:40 pmI am so excited for the beginning of Fall. Sweaters, boots, and apple and caramel flavored everything! Thanks for sharing such a great gluten-free cake recipe for the Fall!
Sandi Gaertner
August 3, 2018 at 10:14 amFall and apple season is my favorite time of year too 🙂
Diana
August 2, 2018 at 5:20 pmApples and cinnamon is a match made in heaven! I haven’t had an apple cake in a very long time, and you just made me want to go to the kitchen and bake one for myself.
Sandi Gaertner
August 3, 2018 at 10:18 amI hope you get a chance to try this recipe Diana, it is sooo good.
Taylor Kiser
August 2, 2018 at 4:51 pmI am so excited that Fall is just around the corner! This gf caramel apple cake is definitely going on the must-make list! It is the perfect way to welcome Fall!
Sandi Gaertner
August 3, 2018 at 10:19 amEnjoy, so glad to welcome fall!
Syama
August 2, 2018 at 4:19 pmWe are beginning to see new crop of apples here . I have a friend visiting whose little boy can not have wheat and dairy. What would you recommend as a good substitute for butter here ? oil or shortening ?
This will be such a nice treat to share with him !
Sandi Gaertner
August 3, 2018 at 10:21 amI am so jealous. I miss picking apples. If you can’t use butter, I would highly recommend coconut oil.
Terry H
August 1, 2018 at 3:11 pmIn March I found out I’m gluten sensitive. Next week is my birthday and I have been wondering what I was going to do. I love apples and love caramel even more. This will be my birthday cake. Thank you for sharing!
Sandi Gaertner
August 1, 2018 at 8:22 pmYou are so welcome Terry. This is one of our favorite cakes! Have a great birthday.
Robin
November 12, 2017 at 10:43 amHi! This cake sounds so yummy! Would like to bring it for thanksgiving this year. Do you know if it travels well? I would have to make it one or even two days before plus a 4 hour car ride…
Sandi Gaertner
November 12, 2017 at 6:36 pmHi Robin, I honestly don’t know. I have yet to have this cake last more than an hour because my family pounces! If you try it, please stop back and let us know how it worked.
Ava
November 2, 2017 at 4:49 pmHi, would this work as a layered cake? thanks!
Sandi Gaertner
November 2, 2017 at 10:19 pmHi Ava, honestly, I don’t know how it would work. I didn’t think to try it. I assume it would be delicious with a gooey caramel middle. If you try it, can you please come back and let us know how it turned out? Thank you!
Tammy Bents
October 23, 2017 at 11:31 amHave you ever added pecans?
Sandi Gaertner
October 23, 2017 at 10:22 pmHi Tammy, Pecans work beautifully in this recipe 🙂 Thank you for stopping by!
Kayla Rose
January 6, 2017 at 5:13 pmJust made this and guess who used hazelnut flour instead of almond? Oops! All the Bob Red Mill bags I have look alike! Luckily the cake looks and smells beautiful. I’m crossing my fingers that it has moisture!
Sandi Gaertner
January 6, 2017 at 6:06 pmHi Kayla, Hazelnut sounds amazing. Please come back and tell us how it is 🙂
Sandi Gaertner
January 8, 2017 at 1:03 pmHow did it turn out Kayla? I hope it was delicious with the hazelnut flour 🙂
Amanda
November 20, 2016 at 2:31 pmDid you peel your apples?
Sandi Gaertner
November 20, 2016 at 5:27 pmHi Amanda, I normally don’t peel the apples, but for this recipe I did. Thank you so much, Sandi
Amanda
November 20, 2016 at 6:18 pmThanks so much!
Stephanie Botts
November 11, 2016 at 8:21 amTo make this recipe large enough for a 13×9 cake pan would you double or triple the recipe?
Sandi Gaertner
November 11, 2016 at 12:52 pmHi Stephanie, I am not sure how deep your pan is, but I think doubling the recipe would be more than enough. Thank you so much for your note 🙂
Christine
October 24, 2016 at 8:28 pmI’m excited to make this for Halloween! Should you use gluten free flour with xantham gum added or without?
Sandi Gaertner
October 24, 2016 at 8:31 pmHi Christine, Thank you for writing. You definitely want to use a gluten free blend with xanthan gum. My favorite is Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten free flour blend. It really bakes up lighter than some other blends. (Also note, some blends have milk powder, which could affect this recipe.)
Katrina
October 6, 2016 at 1:31 pmHi! Do you think that the almond flour could be substituted with Coconut flour?
Sandi Gaertner
October 7, 2016 at 9:03 pmHi Katrina, Almond flour and coconut flour do not substitute well for each other. Coconut flour absorbs a ton of liquid, almond flour is already moist. I would substitute 1/2 the almond flour quantity with gluten free flour blend. So in this recipe, instead of 1 cup almond flour, I would try 1/2 cup additional gluten free flour blend. Take care and thank you for writing.
Celine
September 25, 2016 at 9:34 amDo you put the caramel sauce in the batter? Or is it just for the top?
Sandi Gaertner
September 25, 2016 at 9:43 amHi Celine, I only put the caramel on top. The flavor seeps into the cake while it cooks. Have a great morning 🙂 Sandi
Josi
September 21, 2016 at 11:50 pmHello! Do u think i can substitute the almond flour for chickpea flour or oat flour?
Thanks!
Sandi Gaertner
September 22, 2016 at 6:38 amHi Josi, I am not sure about chickpea flour. It would drastically change the taste of this cake. I would say if you try the oat flour, you will need to adjust the liquids because it absorbs more liquid. It will be an experiment :-). Please write back and let us know if the oat flour works, and what you did. I am sure that information would benefit a lot of readers. Thank you so much.
Cheryl
September 15, 2016 at 9:32 amHave you tried this as muffins or cupcakes??
Sandi Gaertner
September 15, 2016 at 10:24 amI haven’t Cheryl, but I like how you think!! If you try this, can you please come back and comment so other readers can benefit? Thank you so much!
Cheryl
September 15, 2016 at 11:22 pmI definitely will! We made the cake today and it was amazing! We used a butterscotch caramel for the top and everyone went nuts. We will be doing muffins next time. I will let you know!
Sandi Gaertner
September 16, 2016 at 1:40 pmI am so glad you all loved this recipe Cheryl. You made my day!
Lisa
September 8, 2016 at 6:43 pmOk. This might be a dumb question, but isn’t Almond flour GF? Also, what size pan does this make?
Sandi Gaertner
September 9, 2016 at 7:40 amHi Lisa, Thank you for your note. Almond flour is gluten free. The two brands I love that are certified gluten free are Anthony’s and Honeyville. If you use a non-certified brand, you need to make sure it isn’t processed on shared equipment with wheat. I made this recipe in a 7×7 baking pan.
Steff
September 3, 2016 at 11:30 amHey there 🙂
Yummy cake! Is it freezer friendly?
Thanks! 🙂
Sandi Gaertner
September 3, 2016 at 10:09 pmHi Steff, that is a great question. Cake doesn’t last very long in our house so I haven’t been able to test that. I would assume it would freeze well going by the ingredients. If you try freezing it, can you please drop another comment? I am sure other readers have the same question. Thank you 🙂
Misty
September 2, 2016 at 11:35 amThis recipe sounds delicious! However I wondered if there is a dairy free caramel recipe you know of? I know a lot of recipes call for condensed milk or coconut milk but I’m lactose intolerant and extremely sensitive to coconut milk. Thank you 🙂
Sandi Gaertner
September 2, 2016 at 11:49 amHi Misty, My friend, Meghan, has an amazing dairy-free caramel recipe. Here is the link: http://www.allergyfreealaska.com/2013/05/17/liquid-gold-dairy-free-caramel-sauce/
Elizabeth Coleman
September 5, 2016 at 10:33 amThere is also a caramel sauce made with dates that is fabulous…try the datelady.com…really words cannot describe how good this is!
Sandi Gaertner
September 5, 2016 at 12:56 pmThat sounds incredible too Elizabeth. Thank you for sharing the information with my readers so others can enjoy dairy free options 🙂
Karly
September 1, 2016 at 2:09 pmI’ve died and gone to heaven just looking at this. Caramel apple cake!? I mean come on, how does it get any better!?
Dini
August 28, 2016 at 3:25 pmThis looks so delicious. I can’t wait to make it! Do you think this would still turn out well if the almond flour was replaced with the same amount of gluten free flour?
Sandi Gaertner
August 28, 2016 at 4:02 pmHi Dini, Almond flour and gluten free flour behave differently in baking, so using equal amounts to substitute would make this cake very dry. I would sub 1/4 cup of gluten free flour for the almond flour.
Christy
November 25, 2016 at 7:14 amCan i use Coconut flour in place of Almond flour?
Sandi Gaertner
November 25, 2016 at 9:20 amHi Christy, I don’t think you should substitute coconut flour for almond flour. Almond flour doesn’t absorb very much liquid and coconut flour is the opposite, it needs a ton of liquid to work correctly in a recipe.
Sandi Gaertner
November 25, 2016 at 9:21 amI forgot to mention, if you want it to be gluten free, you can just add more gluten free flour instead of the almond flour.
kellie
August 23, 2016 at 6:10 amDoes this have to use almond milk?
Sandi Gaertner
August 23, 2016 at 12:39 pmHi Kellie, You can use coconut milk or regular milk. Thank you.
Karen M.
October 24, 2018 at 8:17 amKelli, I used regular milk and it turned out great!
Sandi Gaertner
October 24, 2018 at 8:56 amI am so glad milk worked. Thank you for letting us know 🙂