Gluten Free Apple Cake

Introducing The Gluten Free Apple Cake!!! Layers of soft cinnamon apple cider cake surrounded by luscious apple cider cinnamon buttercream topped with an apple cider caramel drip. Yup. It’s autumn on a fork. Apple cider isn’t in season where you live? You can use a natural style apple juice instead! Oh and of course, it’s gluten free, nut free, egg free and easily vegan!

I just love apple cider flavored desserts. I can’t get enough!

Apple Cider Donuts?! I could eat them all day!

I even have an Apple Cider Cookie recipe!

With that said, I knew I had to create a layer cake using these flavors of apple cider and cinnamon! 

This cake was so fun to make and it’s sooooo delicious!

Substitutions and Variations

This recipe has not been tested with these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!

How to Make Gluten Free Apple Cake

Here are the step by step instructions to make this cake!

Step 1: Reduce the Apple Cider

Pour the cider into a medium pan set over medium low heat. Let the cider simmer for about 25-35 min. You should be left with about 1.5 cups of cider. (You don't want less than 1 cup). Set aside.

Step 2: Preheat the Oven

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease and line two 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper. Set aside.

Step 3: Whisk the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

Step 4: Whisk the Light Brown Sugar and Wet Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup of the cooled cider, milk of choice, the light brown sugar, the vegetable oil and the vanilla.

Step 5: Mix the Wet Ingredients into the Dry

Slowly add the cider mixture into the flour mixture and use a spatula to combine as it gets thick.

Step 6: Bake

With a spatula, scoop half the batter into one pan and the other half into the other pan. Smooth the tops with a butter knife.

Bake both cakes in the center rack for 35 minutes.

Let them cool in the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack.

Step 7: Cut the Cakes

Once the cakes have cooled completely, cut them in half horizontally. Now you will have 4 thin layers of cake.

For the Frosting

Step 1: Cream the Sugar

Beat the butter or vegan baking stick and brown sugar together until smooth and creamy. About 2-3 min.

Step 2: Add Remaining Ingredients

Add in all the other frosting ingredients and beat until combined and smooth. If the frosting seems too thick, add more water ¼ teaspoon at a time. If it is too thin, add more confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time.

Divide the frosting into 4 equal servings.

Assembling the Cake

Step 1: Frost One Layer at a Time

Place one cake layer on the cake stand. Take ¼ of the frosting and frost the top. Place another layer of cake on top of the frosting. Repeat the frosting layer. Repeat this process with all the cake layers.

Step 2: Frost the Top and Sides

For the top, divide the last ¼ of the frosting in half. Use half for the top and half for the sides of the cake. Pop it in the fridge to chill.

For the Caramel

Step 1: Whisk all of the Ingredients

Whisk all the caramel ingredients together in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk constantly. When the mixture starts to boil, keep whisking constantly and let it boil, while whisking, for 2 minutes.

Step 2: Chill

Remove from heat and place in a heat safe bowl. Let sit on the counter until the bowl is no longer blazing hot. Give the caramel a whisk and then pop in the fridge uncovered. Let chill for about an hour.

Step 3: Reheat

After, whisk the caramel, it should be thick. If it’s too thick and not pourable, microwave it in 5 second increments until it is able to be poured.

Step 4: Pour onto Cake

Take the cake out of the fridge. Pour the caramel on top of the cake and use an icing spatula to push the caramel to the edge to let it naturally drip down.

Step 5: Chill and Frost

Pop the cake back in the fridge so the caramel hardens. After caramel is hardened, you can decorate the top with more buttercream if you desire. To get the swirl I did on top of the cake, while the caramel is wet, carefully put some buttercream on a paper towel and swirl it into the wet caramel.

Store cake in the fridge in a cake dome or wrapped in plastic wrap. If wrapping in plastic, put the cake in the fridge until the frosting hardens and then wrap it. If you wrap it when the frosting is wet you’ll have a giant mess.

Let the cake sit out on the counter for about 15-20 min prior to serving.

I am so obsessed with this cake! I love autumn and apple cider, so this cake was so fun to create! 

This Apple Cider Layer Cake is a delicious apple flavored dessert that’s gluten free, nut free, egg free and easily vegan! Enjoy!

Expert Baking Tips

• Use Room Temperature Butter- Do not use softened or melted butter/vegan baking sticks.
• Do the caramel drip- Take the cake out of the fridge. Spoon tablespoons of caramel on top of the cake. Take an icing spatula and push the caramel around to the edges of the cake so it drips down the sides. Pop cake back in the fridge to harden the caramel.
• Swirl the Frosting- To get the swirl I did on top of the cake, while the caramel is wet, carefully put some buttercream on a paper towel and swirl it into the wet caramel.

Recipe FAQs

Other Apple Recipes You'll Love

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📖 Recipe

Gluten Free Apple Cake

Author: Lee

Introducing The Gluten Free Apple Cake!!! Layers of soft cinnamon apple cider cake surrounded by luscious apple cider cinnamon buttercream topped with an apple cider caramel drip. Apple cider isn’t in season where you live? You can use a natural style apple juice instead! Oh and of course, it’s gluten free, nut free, eggless and easily vegan!

5 from 4 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 35 minutes mins

Total Time 50 minutes mins

Course Cakes and Cupcakes

Cuisine American

Servings 12 Slices

Calories 856 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

For the cake:

• ▢ 2 ¼ cups gluten free flour
• ▢ 1 cup granulated sugar
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• ▢ ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• ▢ ½ cup reduced apple juice start with 2 ½ cups and boil down
• ▢ 1 cup milk of choice
• ▢ ½ cup vegetable oil
• ▢ 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

For the frosting:

• ▢ 2 sticks 1 cup unsalted butter or vegan baking sticks, room temperature
• ▢ ¾ cup packed light brown sugar
• ▢ 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 6 cups confectioners’ sugar
• ▢ ¼ cup reduced apple cider
• ▢ 3 tablespoons water
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

For the apple cider caramel drip:

• ▢ ¼ cup reduced apple cider
• ▢ 1 cup light brown sugar
• ▢ ½ cup 1 stick unsalted butter or vegan baking stick
• ▢ ¼ cup heavy cream

Instructions

 

• Pour the cider into a medium pan set over medium low heat. Let the cider simmer for about 25-35 min. You should be left with about 1.5 cups of cider. (You don't want less than 1 cup). Set aside.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease and line two 8 inch cake pans with parchment paper. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup of the cooled cider, milk of choice, the light brown sugar, the vegetable oil and the vanilla.
• Slowly add the cider mixture into the flour mixture and use a spatula to combine as it gets thick.
• With a spatula, scoop half the batter into one pan and the other half into the other pan. Smooth the tops with a butter knife.
• Bake both cakes in the center rack for 35 minutes.
• Let them cool in the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack.
• Once the cakes have cooled completely, cut them in half horizontally. Now you will have 4 thin layers of cake.
• Make the frosting: Beat the butter or vegan baking stick and brown sugar together until smooth and creamy. About 2-3 min.
• Add in all the other frosting ingredients and beat until combined and smooth. If the frosting seems too thick, add more water ¼ teaspoon at a time. If it is too thin, add more confectioners' sugar, 1 tablespoon at a time.
• Divide the frosting into 4 equal servings.
• Place one cake layer on the cake stand. Take ¼ of the frosting and frost the top. Place another layer of cake on top of the frosting. Repeat the frosting layer. Repeat this process with all the cake layers. For the top, divide the last ¼ of the frosting in half. Use half for the top and half for the sides of the cake. Pop it in the fridge to chill.
• Make the caramel: Whisk all the caramel ingredients together in a medium saucepan set over medium heat. Whisk constantly. When the mixture starts to boil, keep whisking constantly and let it boil, while whisking, for 2 minutes.
• Remove from heat and place in a heat safe bowl. Let sit on the counter until the bowl is no longer blazing hot. Give the caramel a whisk and then pop in the fridge uncovered.
• Let chill for about an hour. After, whisk the caramel, it should be thick. If it’s too thick and not pourable, microwave it in 5 second increments until it is able to be poured.
• Take the cake out of the fridge. Pour the caramel on top of the cake and use an icing spatula to push the caramel to the edge to let it naturally drip down.
• Pop the cake back in the fridge so the caramel hardens. After caramel is hardened, you can decorate the top with more buttercream if you desire. To get the swirl I did on top of the cake, while the caramel is wet, carefully put some buttercream on a paper towel and swirl it into the wet caramel.
• Store cake in the fridge in a cake dome or wrapped in plastic wrap. If wrapping in plastic, put the cake in the fridge until the frosting hardens and then wrap it. If you wrap it when the frosting is wet you’ll have a giant mess.
• Let the cake sit out on the counter for about 15-20 min prior to serving.

Video

Nutrition

Calories: 856kcalCarbohydrates: 137gProtein: 3gFat: 35gSaturated Fat: 11gPolyunsaturated Fat: 10gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 397mgPotassium: 126mgFiber: 3gSugar: 119gVitamin A: 1018IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 122mgIron: 1mg

Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

The recipe for the Apple Cider Caramel is from My Recipes Apple Cider Caramel Sauce.