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Home » Recipes » Chef Recipes

Mouthwatering Gluten Free French Apple Cake

Published: Sep 18, 2018 · Modified: Apr 16, 2020 by Sandi Gaertner · 85 Comments · This post may contain affiliate links

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If you loved French pastries before going gluten free, you are going to want to make this Gluten Free French Apple Cake recipe again and again! This easy French Cake recipe is buttery, yet crisp around the edges, and it melts in your mouth!

If you love apples as much as we do, check out ALL of my yummy Gluten Free Apple recipes!

A gluten free French apple cake on a plate. A cake pan is behind the plates.
Jump To:
  • Which gluten free flour is best for baking?
  • What are the best apples to use?
  • Instructions:
  • How thick should the gluten free batter be?
  • How do you prevent the cakes from sticking to the pan?
  • More Delicious French Pastry Recipes to Try:
  • Tools:
  • Recipe
  • Comments

Who misses French pastries? How about French apple cake? I do!! How long has it been since you could enjoy such a treat?

If you want to try different amazing gluten-free apple cake recipes, my Gluten Free Fool Proof Apple Cake and my Gluten Free Caramel Apple Cake recipes are worth making!

Gluten Free French Apple Cake partially eaten sitting on a blue plate. A fork is holding a piece of the apple cake.

It never occurred to me that I could bake something yummy that would take me back to those days.

A photograph on Pinterest of a French Apple Cake recipe caught my eye. Following the link, I ended up at the most incredible blog, Hungry Rabbit. Check it out and pass it on to all your friends who can eat gluten. They will thank you for it! The recipes are incredible.

I drooled. This apple cake recipe that Ken created is just that good. When Ken said I could post my gluten free version of this recipe, I was so excited to share this recipe with you.

The top view of a gluten free French apple cake on a plate. More cakes in a tin are behind the cake.

This Gluten Free French Apple Cake recipe is the only apple cake recipe you will ever want to eat again!"

Lisa C, Pinterest reader

This will be the gluten-free recipe you make to impress your friends, or maybe you should keep it all to yourself :-). It truly is the best apple cake recipe EVER!

Which gluten free flour is best for baking?

In this recipe, I used gluten free multi-purpose flour from Authentic Foods. Authentic Foods Multi-blend flour has a super fine grind, which allows for this cake to be so light. You could use other gluten free flours, but the texture and fineness are really important.

I also love Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour blend and Jules GF flour for this recipe.

  • Don't use a heavy rice-based gluten free flour blend unless it is superfine.
  • Also, I don't recommend any flour blended with bean flour. They are way too heavy and dense for this recipe.
A fork cutting into a French Apple Cake.

What are the best apples to use?

Although any apple will work in this cake recipe, it is best with tart apples like:

  • Pippin apples
  • Granny Smith
  • Braeburn
  • Honeycrisp

Instructions:

whisked dry ingredients in a glass mixing bowl

Add all dry ingredients to a bowl and whisk to blend them together.

adding wet ingredients to a mixing bowl

Pour the wet ingredients into a mixing bowl. Whisk to blend.

a bowl with the wet ingredients poured into the dry ingredients.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir to mix.

stirring apple cake batter in a bowl

How thick should the gluten free batter be?

Your batter will look like as you stir in the peeled and chopped apples.

a baking pan with apple cake batter in each cup

How do you prevent the cakes from sticking to the pan?

Line each section of the muffin tin with parchment paper. Spray with coconut oil. This will help prevent sticking.

Add parchment paper circles to the bottom of each deep cake section. Add the gluten free apple cake batter. Bake at 350 degrees F for 25 minutes until done.

More Delicious French Pastry Recipes to Try:

  • These Gluten Free Cream Puffs are as close to the real thing as possible.
  • If you love Danish, this Gluten Free Cheese Danish is really good.
  • This recipe takes some time to make, but these Gluten Free Flaky Pastries are worth it!
  • My Italian Gluten Free Tiramisu recipe is another delicious European dessert you should try!

Tools:

  1. Deep jumbo muffin tray. The depth of each cavity in this muffin pan is perfect for these apple cakes.
  2. Authentic Foods Multi-Blend Flour. This flour is milled super-fine and is great for making these cakes taste so good.

(This post was updated with new pictures and a video from a 2015 post.)

Recipe

Gluten Free French Apple Cakes

Sandi Gaertner
You are going to love this classic gluten free French apple cakes recipe. One of the most popular apple recipes on my blog!
4.86 from 94 votes
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Prep Time 20 mins
Cook Time 25 mins
Total Time 45 mins
Course Gluten Free Dessert Recipes
Cuisine American
Servings 6 small cakes
Calories 538 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • 3 large pink lady apples peeled and sliced thinly
  • 4 tablespoons dark rum I used Myers Dark Rum
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • 1 cup Authentic Foods Multi-Blend Gluten Free Flour
  • 1 cup organic white sugar plus one tablespoon of sugar
  • 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3 large eggs
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 9 tablespoons butter
  • ¾ cup organic whole milk or raw milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
  • Spray either a 9 inch cake pan or a pan with 6 three inch cake sections with coconut oil.
  • Cut parchment paper to line the bottom of the pan(s) and spray bottom with coconut oil.
  • In a small sauce pan, cook butter on low heat until slightly browned. (About 5 minutes) Stir often.
  • Remove from heat and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
  • In a small sauce pan, add two inches of water and apple slices. Cook apple slices on low heat until they soften. Keep an eye on them so they don't get mushy.
  • Drain water from apples, toss with 1 tablespoon of the dark rum and lemon juice, and let cool.
  • In a large mixing bowl, whisk together gluten free flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, and sugar.
  • In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, browned butter, vanilla, and remaining three tablespoons of dark rum.
  • Pour wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and blend carefully.
  • Gently fold in apples.
  • Pour into pan(s).
  • Sprinkle ½ teaspoon of sugar onto each mini cake (or 1 tablespoon of sugar onto a whole cake.)
  • Bake for 30-45 minutes, depending on pan size. Less time is needed if you are baking 6 three inch cakes.
  • Remove from oven and let cakes cool on a cooling rack.
  • Enjoy while warm.
  • Reheat if having it later.

Video

Notes

I used Authentic Foods multiblend in this recipe. I have also tested the recipe with Bob's 1 to 1 Gluten Free Blend and King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 538kcalCarbohydrates: 72gProtein: 8gFat: 22gSaturated Fat: 13gPolyunsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 145mgSodium: 548mgFiber: 3gSugar: 49g
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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.

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P.S. if you know of a good gluten-free croissant recipe, please let me know.

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Comments

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    Recipe Rating




  1. Fee

    January 06, 2023 at 1:37 am

    5 stars
    Yum love the apple muffins. Thanks for sharing.

    Reply
    • Sandi Gaertner

      January 06, 2023 at 7:04 am

      Thank you so much. I appreciate your kind words very much.

      Reply
  2. Barb

    January 04, 2023 at 9:33 am

    4 stars
    Normally I enjoy your recipes, but 1 cup of sugar with 3 apples and 73 carbs per serving is not even remotely appealing to someone with T2D.

    Reply
    • Carrie

      January 05, 2023 at 7:01 am

      So use less sugar in yours..or look for recipes that are specifically for people with diabetes.

      Why bother to leave a negative comment on someone’s post who clearly puts a lot of time and energy into creating recipes for people with celiac disease or wheat allergies?

      Reply
    • Fee

      January 06, 2023 at 1:41 am

      Agreed be kind to the person who is selflessly giving to others. Carrie clearly states these recipes are for GF people those that also have dietary needs just different to yours.

      Reply
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