This buttery and tender gluten free French apple cake is inspired by a classic recipe and will almost literally melt in your mouth. Plenty of luscious, juicy apples are the stars here, held together by a delicate cake fragrant with a hint of bourbon.
Gluten free apple muffins, gluten free apple cinnamon bread, gluten free apple scones, and now, gluten free French apple cake. Our apple trees are dropping Gravensteins all over the place come August, and I'm always looking for ways to incorporate them into, oh, everything. This lightly sweet cake is absolutely crammed with chunks of fresh apples with a buttery, gluten-free batter to bind it all together.
A traditional French apple cake calls for dark rum, but - spoiler - we don't drink rum, so I swapped in a bit of bourbon. The alcohol burns away in the heat of the oven, leaving a slightly sweet undertone in the cake without the boozy bit. Of course, if you don't drink, you can easily leave it out or substitute more vanilla extract; the cake will still taste utterly delicious. I love this cake plain, but a little whipped cream is also a nice finish.
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Why Make a French Apple Cake?
Unlike my gluten free apple cake, which has a higher ratio of cake to apples, I love that this French-inspired recipe leans hard on the apples, making them the standout ingredient. The cake, though, is not an afterthought: it's gorgeously light and tender, with a gentle vanilla/bourbon flavor that perfectly accentuates the apples. It also comes together in just a few minutes of active prep time, making it a great choice for a last-minute dessert option. And, it's:
- Packed with apple flavor. There are at least 3 cups of freshly chopped apples in this cake, which means every bite is just loaded with fruit.
- A bit different. I love an American-style, more fluffy (whole grain apple) cake as much as anyone, but it's always a good idea to have a variety of recipes from which to choose! And, the bourbon adds a little je ne sais quoi - but it's fantastic.
- Great anytime. Because I live in America, apples are one of those fruits that are available no matter the season (although I definitely advocate for making alllll the apple things during late summer and fall). So, make this cake when apples are ripe on the trees, but also make it during mid-winter when you need a special dessert for a dinner party.
Ingredients Needed
Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions.
- Gluten free flour - I used my homemade gluten free flour blend here, as I always do when I develop recipes calling for gluten free flour, and it worked wonderful. Feel free to use your favorite 1:1 gluten free baking blend.
- Baking powder - Just a bit of (fresh!) baking powder give the cake lift.
- Salt - Use fine sea salt or table salt.
- Butter - Make sure to bring the butter to room temperature first so that it easily blends with the sugar to make a creamy base for the cake. I always use unsalted butter.
- Granulated sugar - Have a little extra sugar handy to sprinkle over the top of the cake before baking.
- Eggs - I use large eggs here.
- Vanilla - Use pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste.
- Bourbon - As noted, you can omit the alcohol altogether or use more vanilla. Bourbon or dark rum are nice choices in this cake.
- Apples - Use firm baking apples for the best results; I love the tart-sweetness of Gravensteins, which is what I incorporated here.
- Confectioners' sugar - If you like, sift a bit of powdered sugar over the top of the cake to add a pretty finish.
How to Make Gluten Free French Apple Cake
Here's an overview in photos of how to make this delicious sweet treat:
1. Make dry mix: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Cream: In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar, then add the eggs. Beat in the vanilla and bourbon, then beat in the dry mix until just combined.
3. Add apples: Fold in the apples, then pour the batter into a 9-inch lined baking pan. Sprinkle sugar over the top.
4. Bake: Place the cake in a 350°F oven and bake for about 45 minutes. Cool completely before serving.
Baking Tip: You Can Use Any Apples
Yes, a firmer "baking apple" such as a Granny Smith or Jonagold will hold its shape better during baking, but I'd argue that any apple you have on hand will do. If you've got any variety of apple tree in the backyard, use those apples to make this cake - it will be fine.
Tips & Some Variation Ideas
- Alcohol substitute. As mentioned, if you don't drink or don't happen to have any bourbon or rum in the house, no worries. You can leave it out or try these substitutions: 2 tablespoons vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract, or 3 tablespoons of tea.
- Cool completely. This is a delicate cake, even more so than other gluten free bakes, because it doesn't call for a lot of flour. Make sure to cool the cake completely (at least 30 minutes) before slicing it so that the crumb has time to set and firm up a bit.
- Try brown sugar. For a lovely hint of caramel complement to the apples, use light brown sugar instead of the granulated sugar.
- Dairy-free. Substitute ½ cup of non-dairy butter for the butter to easily turn this into a dairy-free cake.
- Add almonds. I love scattering sliced almonds over the top of the cake before baking for a bit of nutty crunch.
- A little spice. This may buck tradition, but you can try adding ½-1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon or ginger to add a touch of fall-inspired spice to the cake.
Serving Options
- Warm or cold with a cup of coffee!
- With a drizzle of salted caramel sauce
- Whipped cream!
- Scoops of vanilla ice cream
Proper Storage
- Counter - Cake may be kept, loosely covered, on the counter for up to 2 days.
- Fridge - Cover the cake with foil and keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer - Wrap the cooled cake in a layer of plastic and a layer of foil, then store it in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the cake in the fridge before serving.
More Gluten Free Apple Recipes
Happy baking! If you make this recipe, I'd love to know. Please leave a comment below, reach out with any questions, and tag me on Instagram @Cucina Nicolina ❤️
Gluten Free French Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup gluten free flour (140 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar plus more for sprinkling over cake
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons bourbon or rum (use 2 tablespoons vanilla if not using alcohol)
- 2-3 apples peeled, cored and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 3 cups)
- optional confectioners' sugar for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Butter or grease a 9-inch cake pan and line it with parchment paper.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the 1 cup gluten free flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, and ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt.
- In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream the ½ cup unsalted butter and ⅔ cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the 2 large eggs and beat well to combine, scraping down the sides of the bowl. Beat in the 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract and 3 tablespoons bourbon or rum. Mix in the flour mixture on low speed, then fold in the chopped 2-3 apples.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan use a rubber spatula to smooth the top. Sprinkle the surface evenly with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar if you wish. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes, then bake for about 45 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool the cake in the pan set on a wire rack for 20 minutes, then turn it out gently to cool completely. Sift optional confectioners' sugar over the top of the cake to finish if desired.
Notes
- Alcohol substitute. As mentioned, if you don't drink or don't happen to have any bourbon or rum in the house, no worries. You can leave it out or try these substitutions: 2 tablespoons vanilla extract, ½ teaspoon almond extract, or 3 tablespoons of tea.
- Cool completely. This is a delicate cake, even more so than other gluten free bakes, because it doesn't call for a lot of flour. Make sure to cool the cake completely (at least 30 minutes) before slicing it so that the crumb has time to set and firm up a bit.
- Try brown sugar. For a lovely hint of caramel complement to the apples, use light brown sugar instead of the granulated sugar.
- Dairy-free. Substitute ½ cup of non-dairy butter for the butter to easily turn this into a dairy-free cake.
- Add almonds. I love scattering sliced almonds over the top of the cake before baking for a bit of nutty crunch.
- A little spice. This may buck tradition, but you can try adding ½-1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon or ginger to add a touch of fall-inspired spice to the cake.
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