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!
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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!
I drooled. This apple cake recipe that Ken created is just that good. When Ken said I could create a gluten free version of his recipe, I was so excited to jump in and attempt it.
If you want to try different amazing gluten-free apple cake recipes, my Gluten Free Fool Proof Apple Cake and Gluten Free Caramel Apple Cake recipes are worth making!
After baking, I recommend dusting the gluten free French apple cake with powdered sugar. It’s a simple but elegant dessert that perfectly captures the comforting flavors of fall and winter in France.
If you love apples as much as we do, check out ALL my yummy Gluten Free Apple recipes!
Why I love this gluten free apple cake recipe:
- This is 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.
- It tastes as if it came from an expensive French bakery.
- This cake is really easy to make.
Fantastic dessert! I used KA’s Measure for Measure and baked it as a 9-inch cake for about 40 minutes.”
susan, blog comment
Allergen Information:
This homemade French apple cake recipe is gluten-free, nut-free, soy-free, and oat-free. Make it dairy-free using plant-based butter and milk.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF (pictured above) and Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- Sugar – I recommend white cane sugar. Coconut sugar will turn your cake brown.
- Xanthan Gum – If your flour blend doesn’t have a binder, add one teaspoon of either xanthan or guar gum.
- Baking Powder – Use aluminum-free baking powder.
- Apples – Any variety will work. Be sure to peel your apples. See the Recipe FAQ for my list of the best apples for baking.
- Butter – Use unsalted butter.
- Eggs – Size large.
- Milk – Use regular milk or non-dairy milk.
- Vanilla Extract – Use pure vanilla extract.
- Dark Rum – You can use this or rum extract.
- Lemon Juice – Fresh is best, but bottled will work.
If you are new to cake baking, here is a good write-up of my favorite Kitchen Tools For Baking Cakes.
Tips For Success
1. Do not overmix your batter. I do not recommend using a stand mixer because it will make your cake turn out dense.
2. Measure your flour with care. Too much flour can make your cake dry.
I recommend using either the spoon or the leveling method to measure your gluten-free flour. Spoon Method: You can also use a spoon to fill the measuring cup. Use a knife to level along the top to remove the extra flour. 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.
3. Let the cake batter sit for 15 minutes so that the ground rice flour has a chance to soften.
If you love to bake, check out my best Gluten Free Baking Tips.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
Preheat your oven to 350º F, and ensure the oven rack is in the middle position. Wash your apples and place them onto a cutting board. Use an apple peeler to remove the apple peels. Slice your apples thinly with a sharp knife
Step 1: Add all dry ingredients to a large
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Step 2: Pour the wet ingredients into a
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently stir to mix.
Step 4: Follow the recipe card below to cook your brown butter. Your batter will look like this as you stir the peeled and chopped apples.
Step 5: Spray a gluten free baking spray in the pan. Add parchment paper circles to the bottom of each deep cake section. Add the gluten free apple cake batter to fill each section 3/4 full. Bake at 350º F for 25 minutes until done.
Note: The actual baking time will vary depending on the depth and size of your muffin pan or if you are making one large cake.
🔑 Sandi says: To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the cake. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done baking. If you see batter or crumbs, the cake must be baked longer.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Line each section of the muffin tin with parchment paper. Spray with cooking spray. This will help prevent sticking.
Although any apple will work in this cake recipe, it is best with tart apples like Pippin, Granny Smith, Braeburn, Honeycrisp, and Pink Lady.
Store the cake in an airtight container in the refrigerator. The gluten free apple cakes will keep fresh for up to 4 days. You can also easily freeze these cakes in a zip-style freezer bag.
A French apple cake, or “Gateau aux pommes,” is a classic dessert with tender, cinnamon-spiced apples baked into a buttery cake batter. The cake is typically made with simple, wholesome ingredients like flour (gluten free in our case), sugar, eggs, butter, and milk.
You may also love this 3-Ingredient Gluten Free Dump Cake recipe.
More European Gluten Free Dessert Recipes:
- These Gluten Free Cream Puffs are as close to the real thing as possible.
- If you love Danish, this Gluten Free Cheese Danish is excellent.
- 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!
Love This Recipe?
If you made and enjoyed this recipe, I would be incredibly grateful if you could leave a comment below. Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Gluten Free French Apple Cakes
Ingredients
- 3 large pink lady apples peeled and sliced thinly
- 1 cup gluten free flour blend * see note
- 1 cup organic white sugar plus one tablespoon of sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder aluminum free
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 9 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 large eggs
- ¾ cup whole milk or non-dairy milk
- 4 tablespoons dark rum or 1 tsp. rum extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Be sure to place the oven rack in the middle position in your oven.
- Spray either a 9 inch cake pan or a pan with 6 three inch cake sections with coconut oil. (This pan often sold as a Jumbo muffin pan.)
- Cut parchment paper to line the bottom of the pan(s) and spray bottom with non-stick spray.
- 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 1/2 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.
Video
Notes
- I have also tested the recipe with Bob’s 1 to 1 Gluten Free Blend and King Arthur Gluten Free Measure for Measure. Other blends may work. I have not tested others.
- Starchy flour blends may need more or less liquid than the blends I tested.
- If your gluten free blend doesn’t contain xanthan or guar gum, add one teaspoon.
- Let your cake batter sit for 15 minutes so the grit can soften.
- Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
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.
This post was updated with new pictures and a video from a 2015 post.
Question about reheating these little gems – please share what your family does, thanks so much for the recipe! Oh, Google GFJules for a croissant recipe.
Hi Lisa, we typically let them thaw on the counter. Microwaving tends to eliminate the crips little edges. I will check out Jules recipe. Thank you!
This sounds delicious. Can it be made gluten AND dairy free as I want to make it for a friend but she can’t have either.
Hi Lynne, I have not tested this recipe with vegan butter or coconut oil, so I am not sure if it will work. In theory it should work though. If you try it please do come back and let us know how it turned out.
Hi, this recipe looks wonderful! Can it be made in a cake pan? Spring form or otherwise?
J
Hi Jennifer, I assume it can, but I haven’t tried it. The baking time will need to be a lot longer. If you try it, would you please come back and let us know how it turned out?
I see that there is 1/2 tsp of salt but I don’t see it in the instructions. Thanks
Hi Liz, the salt goes in with the dry ingredients. Thank you:-).
These are delicious!!! Thank you for sharing this recipe
I am so glad you liked these Annette 🙂
These were a hit at the birthday party. The cake turned out more custard like than cake-like, but it was so good we didn’t mind at all. We made it with half the amount of sugar and it was just right.Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Thank you so much for coming back to let me know how much your family liked this recipe Sue. Can I ask which gluten free flour blend you used?
These look absolutely perfect for my book club meeting this week. Since it’s Fall, I was looking for a recipe with apples.
Can I make these as mini muffins? The ladies tend to prefer small bites.
Thank You!
Hi Theresa, of course you can make these as mini muffins. I would definitely keep an eye on the baking time as you will need much less?
I love an Authentic recipe like this one and its so bakery worthy. I am going to get the bobs mill brand and try these this week I already know I am going to love them
I hope you like them Claudia :-).
Hi! I just made the Gliten Free French Apple Cake and it is absolutely delicious! I have done work in France for the past 34 years where I go twice a year and you sure capture the flavors of the French Bakeries! I do have a question. When using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 gluten free flour should we still add the xantham gum? I used it but my cupcakes look a lot bigger than the ones in your picture. Thanks!
I am thrilled you liked my recipe :-). Thank you so much for your note. If your gluten free flour blend has Xanthan Gum, you don’t need to add any additional. Take care, Sandi
Hi! Do I still need to add xanthum gum if my gluten free flour blend already has xanthum gum included? Thanks
Hi Marge, if your blend has Xanthan gum, you do not want to add more. Thank you so much.
Sandi
Hi! I’m fairly new to baking in general, especially gluten free baking. Is there something that I can substitute for the rum? I was wanting to make this for thanksgiving breakfast, but I have a family member who’s recently stopped drinking & I don’t want to tempt them any! (Altho I know the alcohol is cooked out, there will still be the flavor.) thanks!!
Hi Beth, I am certain you can leave out the rum. Have a great evening. Sandi
I used almond extract instead of rum and dash of cinnamon. They were great!
Hi. I am making the carameliorate apple cake. Can I substitute lactose free milk for the almond milk? Thank you for your time.
Hi Kathie, milk should be fine to substitute 🙂 Take care
Sandi
These look so delicious! I can’t use brown rice flour. I know this is a long shot but would you know the measurements if I just used white rice flour, tapioca, potato starch, cornstarch and xanthan gum?
Hi Nancy, If you can’t use brown rice flour, I would recommend sorghum flour. It is less starchy than white rice flour. Plus it is a bit healthier. Thank you so much for your email 🙂
Thanks Kira. You can click on Hungry Rabbit’s link in the article to find a version that is not gluten free.
Is there a substitute for the alcohol I can use and the recipe still be good?
Hi Faith, I think the alcohol is just for flavoring. I suspect it will be fine if you use tart apples so the apple flavor really stands out. Please let me know how they turn out!
Sandie I love your recipes. I have a question though do you know if it’s possible to make rice flour by grinding up the rice such as you do with coconut or almond I’m just concerned as it is so much harder, but after searching the net I find many suggest at least part rice flour, thanks in advance for your imput.
Hi Lori, I have to assume you can grind the rice flour yourself. The key is to make sure you grind it to a super fine grain. Let me know how it works.