If you love almond butter, wait until you try this soft, tender, gluten-free almond butter cake recipe. This cake is not only vegan, but it is also topped with incredible dairy-free ice cream. Dig in because this decadent dessert is too good to miss!
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One sweet bite of this almond butter cake will make you fall in love with this cake. If you love using your cast-iron skillet for baking, you will also want to try this homemade Gluten-Free Oatmeal Skillet Pizookie recipe!
You are in for a treat if you haven’t shopped at your local Safeway store lately. They are expanding their plant-based “better for you” foods, and the huge variety is exciting! Safeway’s Open Nature® and O Organics® lines are lower cost, but don’t let that fool you because these are high-quality foods!
Their new creamy, non-dairy ice creams are so good. You can find ice cream made with coconut, cashew, oat, and almondmilk.
I shopped at our local Safeway, but you can also find Open Nature® and O Organics® products exclusively at the Albertsons Companies family of stores, including Albertsons, Safeway, ACME Markets, Jewel-Osco, Vons, Randalls, Shaw’s Supermarket, Star Market, and Tom Thumb.
This gluten-free, vegan almond butter cake is “healthier” with apple sauce, almond butter, coconut oil, and unsweetened non-dairy milk. Don’t let this “healthy” term fool you. This cake is decadent! Nobody will know it is better for you!
Excellent recipe! Stayed moist and didn’t dry out as most gluten free cakes do.
anna, blog comment
Thanks!”
Flour Blends Tested:
- King Arthur Measure for Measure—This blend works really well in my recipes. I don’t have to let the flour blend rest in the batter.
- Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Blend—This blend also works well, but this flour blend does benefit from resting the batter for 15 minutes before baking. The rest allows the rice flour in this blend to soften, so you don’t have gritty baked goods.
Ingredient Notes:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe with the two blends listed above. If your blend doesn’t contain a binder, please add 3/4 teaspoon of xanthan or guar gum.
- Brown Sugar – Use light or dark brown sugar.
- Egg Replacer – I used Bob’s Red Mill Egg Replacer.
- Applesauce – Unsweetened.
- Almond Butter – Use smooth almond, peanut, or nut butter.
- Coconut Oil – You can also use another light oil.
Step-By-Step Photos and Directions:
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350º F. Add your dry ingredients to a large mixing bowl and whisk to blend. I used a vegan egg replacer made by Bob’s Red Mill. Whisk the egg replacer in with the dry ingredients.
Step 2: Add your wet ingredients to a separate bowl. If the Open Nature almond butter is cold and in the refrigerator, I recommend warming it for 10-15 seconds in the microwave so that it mixes in more easily.
🔑 Sandi says: Feel free to put the applesauce in a blender to remove the tiny texturized chunks if you prefer a smoother cake.
Step 3: Add the Open Nature Non-Dairy Beverage and whisk the ingredients to mix well.
👀 Sandi Says: Note: this is easier if you let the almond butter warm to room temperature.
Step 4: Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients.
Step 5: Mix the cake batter. Mix gently and take care not to over-mix. Over-mixing your cake batter can make the cake dense.
📢 Sandi says: Every gluten-free flour blend has a different starch-to-grain ratio. The brand of gluten-free flour you use will affect the moisture of the batter. If your cake batter is too runny, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquids.
Read Why Gluten-Free Flour Blends Vary to learn more about this.
Step 6: Pour the batter into a greased 10-inch cast-iron skillet and bake at 350º F for 30 minutes. Enjoy warm or room temperature. If you do not have a cast-iron skillet, you can bake this cake in an 8×8 pan.
The best way to check if your cake is finished baking is to insert a toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes back clean, your cake is finished baking. If you see crumbs or batter, it needs to be baked a little longer.
Yummy topping ideas:
- Vanilla ice cream and hot fudge
- Whipped cream and chocolate chips
- Chopped nuts
- Drizzle with warm Nutella
Frequently Asked Questions:
You can make this cake refined sugar-free by substituting coconut sugar for brown sugar.
You can make this recipe nut-free using SunButter, which uses sunflower seeds.
You can bake this cake in an 8×8 baking dish or even cupcakes!
More Gluten Free Vegan Recipes:
I have several great gluten-free vegan recipes for more recipe inspiration.
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!
Vegan Gluten-Free Almond Butter Skillet Cookie
Equipment
- Cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups gluten free flour blend *If your flour blend doesn't contain Xanthan Gum, please add 1 teaspoon.
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup coconut oil
- ¾ cup almond butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ cup applesauce
- 2 tablespoons egg replacer
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350º F.
- In a large bowl, add your dry ingredients and whisk to blend.
- In a microwave safe container, heat the coconut oil and almond butter for 15-20 seconds to soften. Note if your almond butter was in the refrigerator, you may need to warm it a little longer so that it mixes easily into the other wet ingredients.
- Add the rest of the wet ingredients to the almond butter mixture and mix well.
- Pour the almond butter mixture over the dry ingredients and mix until just barely mixed. This will keep the cake fluffier.
- Add the batter to a greased cast-iron skillet, or an 8×8 baking pan.
- Bake for 30 minutes until done.
Video
Notes
- If you would like this cake to be refined sugar-free, substitute coconut sugar for brown sugar.
- I used Bob’s Red Mill GF Egg Replacer. Make sure the package you get says gluten free. You can also use the egg replacer by the Neat Egg company.
- You can use nut butter or peanut butter.
- You can tell your cake is done baking with a toothpick test. Insert a toothpick into the middle of the cake. If the toothpick comes back clean, the cake is done baking. if you see crumbs or batter, the cake needs to bake a little longer.
- Top with ice cream!
- This cake will keep up to 4 days in an air-tight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
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.
can you just use eggs if not vegan
Hi Maggie, I assume you could. I haven’t tested that.
Excellent recipe! Stayed moist and didn’t dry out as most gluten free cakes do.
Thanks!
Anna
I am so glad you loved this cake Anna! I am so proud of how moist and fluffy it turns out.
Where is the ice cream recipe posted?
Hi Joyce, it is store-bought. The Open Nature Vegan Ice Creams.
Made this on the weekend and used coconut sugard. Delicious. This is a keeper.
I am so glad you liked it!
Hiw many eggs or yolks instead of replacement?
Hi Francine, if you want to use eggs, use two please.
Loved finding a gluten free skillet cake! This was so tasty!
I am so glad you liked it! Thank you for stopping by to let me know.
Such an easy dessert recipe. We loved it! Will definitely be making again…maybe this time we’ll share 🙂
LOL, it can be hard to share when it is this good 🙂