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! If you love different kinds of apple cake, you will want to try all of my delicious gluten free cake recipes!
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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 :-)."
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.
If your family loves apples as much as mine does, you must also try my new Gluten Free Apple Bundt Cake recipe!
What apples are best for baking?
Any apple flavor will work in this recipe, but I am partial to 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 to use:
- 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 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 ½ cup additional gluten free flour blend instead of the almond flour.
Can you make this recipe dairy-free?
You can make this cake dairy-free as well. Substitute ⅔ 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.
You will also love these easy gluten free apple crumble bars!
Instructions:
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!
Can you use vanilla extract?
You can definitely use vanilla extract if you can't find the vanilla paste. You can also use vanilla beans.
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 350 degrees for 30-35 minutes. The caramel then bakes into this cake and the caramel seeps deep into the cake.
How do you know when the cake is baked?
To test to see if this cake is baked through, insert a toothpick into the center of the apple cake. If the toothpick comes back clean, the cake is ready. If you see batter or crumbs on the toothpick, it needs to bake a bit longer.
If you love apples as much as we do, give one of these gluten free apple recipes a try!
How long will this cake keep fresh?
This apple cake will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. You will need to keep it in a sealed container so it doesn't dry out.
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:
- 8x8 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.
If you tried this recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave me a rating and a comment. I LOVE hearing from you!! You can also FOLLOW ME on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest to see even more delicious recipes!
📖 Recipe
Gluten Free Caramel Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free flour blend
- 1 cup almond flour
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 stick butter melted
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup chopped apples
- ⅔ cups almond milk
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- ½ cup caramel I used Trader Joe's jar of caramel
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
- Spray an 8x8 baking pan with coconut oil.
- In a medium bowl, add all wet ingredients and blend.
- In a large bowl, add all dry ingredients and whisk. (*Note, if your gluten free flour blend doesn't contain xanthan gum, add 1 teaspoon.)
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and add the apples.
- Mix.
- Pour the batter into a baking dish and then drizzle caramel on top.
- Bake for 25 minutes, or until done.
- Allow to cool.
Notes
Nutrition
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This recipe has been featured on Better Homes and Gardens in 10 ways to enjoy a Caramel Apple (that's not a caramel apple).
Jeff
Thanks for the quick reply, I will be making it for our Christmas Day potluck.
Sandi Gaertner
Have a wonderful holiday 🙂
Jeff
Could I double the ingredients for. 9x13 dish?
Sandi Gaertner
You can definitely double up the ingredients Jeff. Enjoy :-).
Kerri
Can a person use regular vanilla instead of a paste?
Sandi Gaertner
You can use 1 tsp vanilla extract instead of the vanilla paste Kerri. Thank you 🙂
Cindy
Thx 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
I 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 🙂