This one bowl gluten free apple cake is the ultimate fall dessert. With a simple maple cinnamon glaze, this dairy free recipe is a total crowd pleaser and so easy to make!

gluten free apple bundt cake on a stand with three slices on the side

My first attempt at this recipe was a disaster. It was completely stuck to the pan, tasted less than great and the texture was just off.

That’s usually what happens at a first cake attempt, but this recipe was based off my carrot cake so I had higher hopes!

After some trial and error, I finally landed on the perfect gluten free apple cake recipe ever. It’s moist, tender, perfectly spiced, topped with a cinnamon maple glaze and has the best cakey texture.

With hints of cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves, this is the perfect recipe for all of your Fall festivities. Plus, this gluten free cake truly tastes no different than any other cake. Promise!

How to make apple cake

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Generously grease and flour a bundt pan. Set aside.

In a large bowl, beat together all wet ingredients except for the apple. Beat in the dry ingredients, making sure to spoon and level the flour, don’t scoop right from the bag.

Once well combined, fold in the grated apple until well combined. Transfer to your prepared pan and spread evenly.

cake batter in a glass bowl with a pink spoon

Bake for 45-50 minutes (I usually do 48) or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for just 15 minutes, then flip onto a cake stand, tapping the bottom lightly as needed to help it slide out more easily.

Let cool completely. Whisk together all ingredients for the glaze, then pour on top. Slice and enjoy!

pouring the icing on top of the apple cake

Pan sizes

For this gluten free apple cake I opted to use a bundt pan because I have never used that in one of my cakes before and I thought this would be the perfect occasion!

However, if you want to make a standard layer cake, you can use two 8 or 9 inch round cake pans and use my vegan buttercream frosting to decorate.

If you go the layer cake route, you’ll want to decrease the bake time to about 35 minutes, but check with a toothpick for doneness.

How to store cake

Once prepared, this gluten free apple cake will keep for about 3-5 days at room temperature or in the fridge. If you want to make it in advance, I suggest storing it in the fridge.

This is a bit easier if you make a layer cake since you can wrap the individual layers in plastic wrap and keep in the fridge before frosting.

With a bundt cake, it’s a bit more difficult, but you want to keep it covered so it doesn’t dry out. I like using a cake stand and cover, but you can wrap in plastic wrap or slice and store in a container.

gluten free apple bundt cake on a cake stand with maple icing

Grated vs. diced apple

I tested this recipe with both and I much prefer the grated apple. I’m not a big fan of the texture of cake with diced apple, so I opted for grated.

If you use diced apple, you can use up to 2 cups, but grated I suggest no more than 1 cup since it creates more moisture. This recipe uses a lot of apple sauce, so lots of apple flavor will be coming from there!

Flour options

I have not tested this recipe without the almond flour and I highly recommend sticking to the recipe as written for best results.

If you cannot have almonds, your best bet is to sub the 1 1/2 cups of almond flour with an additional 3/4 cup of gluten free all purpose flour (so use 2 3/4 cup total).

If you’re sticking with the almond flour version, be sure to use blanched flour, not almond meal. Blanched almond flour is made from almonds without the skin and will create a lighter more tender crumb.

I used (and recommend!) the Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 baking flour. You can try other blends, but they’re all a bit different so the texture of the cake may vary. If you use a different blend, just make sure it has xanthan gum in the mix.

gluten free apple cake with a slice cut out

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