Gluten-Free Apple Cake Recipe

Tis the season for flourless cakes, so I thought I might reprise one of my first gluten-free recipes, based on a traditional Jewish apple cake recipe I had used for years. Using nut meal instead of flour is a baking tradition in Eastern Europe and a favorite way to make a cake during the season of Passover. Almond meal makes this cake a dense, chewy and delicious dessert or a perfect snack with tea.

Karina's Jewish Apple Cake

Almond meal gives this gluten-free wheat-free apple cake a satisfying chewy texture. Both blanched and regular almond meal works. Blanched almonds produce a slightly softer flour.

You'll need:

5 apples, peeled, cored (I use a mix of both tart and sweet apples)
Juice from half a lemon

Wet ingredients:

3 large organic happy free-range eggs
1 cup packed organic light brown sugar
1/2 cup organic cane sugar
2 teaspoons vanilla extract [or use Kosher vanilla powder, to taste]
3 tablespoons extra light olive oil
1/4 cup sour cream

Dry ingredients:

2 cups almond flour aka almond meal
1/4 cup rice or sorghum flour
1/4 cup starch- potato, tapioca, cornstarch
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder* see notes
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon McCormick Apple Pie Spice [or other gluten-free sweet spice mixture]
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon or cardamom
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

To assemble:

Organic light brown sugar
1/2 cup pecan or walnut halves


Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch Springform pan with greased parchment paper.

Chop the apples and toss them into a bowl; spritz with the juice from half a lemon. Toss.

Beat the eggs with the brown sugar until smooth. Add the vanilla, oil and sour cream; beat to combine.

Stir together the dry ingredients in a separate bowl. Slowly add them into the wet mixture and combine well.

Drain the apples, if necessary. Toss them in a light sprinkle of sugar.

Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan.

Add the drained sugared apples into the batter. Shake the pan a bit.

Add half of the nuts.

Pour the remaining batter on top of the apples; shake the pan again to distribute the batter around the apple pieces.

Add the rest of the nuts to the top and lightly press in.

Bake in the center of a preheated oven. The cake should be done in about 60 to 70 minutes. Test for doneness with a small thin knife. If the cake begins to over-brown before it is done, cover the edges loosely with pieces of foil.

Cool on a rack for ten ten to fifteen minutes. Loosen the cake gently from the sides of the pan with a thin spatula. Release the clasp and remove the pan ring. Allow the cake to cool completely on a wire rack.

Serve warm or room temperature.

Wrap up leftover cake slices individually in foil; seal in a freezer bag, and freeze. To thaw, unwrap and allow the cake to reach room temperature.

Servings: 8 - 10


Karina's Notes:

• For those interested in making their own Kosher baking powder for Passover Allergen Grocer has a recipe.

• Some Readers have noted that the cake takes longer to bake. This might be an indication of an oven temperature difference. Also make sure the oven is preheated. It also might indicate the use of larger eggs - too much moisture - I use large eggs, not extra large. It also might indicate the apples were not drained well. It also might indicate the use of a smaller pan [I used a 9-inch Springform], or perhaps even larger-than-average apples.

• I baked this cake at sea level and it took an hour; but as always, go by your own experiential wisdom. If the cake needs a bit longer to bake, please do so, and keep an eye on it.

• Sometimes I mix it up and use a combo of pears and apples.

• Try my Apple Cake with Cranberries recipe for a sweet-tart change-up.