A soft and sweet gluten free Irish apple cake that's inspired by a traditional Irish recipe. Delicious plain, it can be served warm or cold, or add a dollop of whipped cream.
First off, don't be fooled by the simplicity of this cake - this is, in fact, its beauty. Second, this Irish apple cake smells AMAZING, like the homeiest, coziest, apple-ist scent you didn't know you were missing. Welcome all year round (see: a way to use those fall apples), but it's especially nice as a Saint Patrick's Day dessert if you want something a bit lighter than a gluten free chocolate stout cake or a batch of gluten free Guinness chocolate cupcakes. Fresh, gluten-free, and just so lovely.
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What Is an Irish Apple Cake?
An Irish apple cake (also called a Kerry cake) is a traditional Irish cake that's made throughout apple season. It's often served with pourable custard sauce, though I've omitted that in my version. It tends to the not-too-sweet - sugar often being dear - and is wonderful plain, dusted with powdered sugar, or served with whipped cream.
What You'll Love
- Naturally gluten-free. Oat and almond flours in the right ratio form a tender, gluten-free crumb that rivals any made with wheat flour.
- Just so cozy. Cinnamon + apples always equals homey comfort to me, and this cake fits squarely in that category!
- Simple ingredients. A cake that makes the most of its easy ingredients, which include just butter, eggs, milk, sugar, apples, and a few other basics besides the gluten-free flours.
Ingredients Needed
Here's a look at what you'll need for this sweet cake. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts and instructions!
- Butter - Unsalted butter is best, brought to room temperature first.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs - I used large eggs.
- Oat flour - Pick up (certified gluten-free if needed) a package of oat flour at the store, or learn how to make oat flour. Substitute brown rice flour if you don't eat oats.
- Almond flour - Use fine ground almond flour rather than almond meal. Swap another nut if you don't eat almonds, or substitute another gluten-free flour of choice if you don't eat nuts.
- Baking powder
- Cinnamon - You can leave this out, but I love the warmth ground cinnamon brings.
- Salt - Use fine sea salt or table salt.
- Milk - I usually make this with whole milk, and heavy cream is also lovely for an extra bit of richness.
- Apples - Your choice of apple here. I used Pink Lady because we had them in the fridge, and Granny Smith, the classic baking apple, is also great. But really, any variety of apple will work.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here's an overview in photos of how to make this Irish apple cake:
1. Combine dry ingredients: Whisk together the flours and dry ingredients.
2. Cream butter: In a large bowl, cream the butter and sugar, then beat in the eggs.
3. Combine: Mix the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, along with the milk, then fold in the chopped apples.
4. Bake: Place in a 350F oven and bake for up to 1 hour, until a tester come out clean.
Tips & Recipe Notes
- Use a springform pan. I love using a springform pan for thick cakes; it makes it so much easier to remove from the pan after being baked. I reccommend using a 9-inch cake pan, either a springform or a regular pan, so that the cake bakes evenly.
- Fresh apples. Make sure to use fresh, crisp apples in this cake so that they retain their shape during baking.
- Another spice. Either leave out the cinnamon for a super traditional take on Irish apple cake, or swap in ginger or nutmeg.
- Dairy-free. Use non-dairy butter and non-dairy milk for a dairy-free version.
- Serve warm or cold. With ice cream, custard, or whipped cream! For extra deliciousness, drizzle slices with salted caramel sauce.
Proper Storage
- Counter - Cover with foil or place in an airtight container and store on the counter for up to 2 days.
- Fridge - Keep the cake, covered or in an airtight container, in the fridge for up to 5 days.
- Freezer - Note that the texture might change slightly when defrosted, but if you want to freeze the cake, wrap in plastic and place in a freezer-safe bag, then freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw in the fridge completely before serving.
More Apple Cake 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 ❤️
Recipe
Gluten Free Irish Apple Cake
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter , at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ¼ cups oat flour (150 grams)
- ¼ cup almond flour (30 grams)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 3 tablespoons cream , or whole milk
- 2 apples , peeled and chopped into ¼-inch pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350℉ and grease a 9-inch springform pan and line it with a circle of parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, beat together the ½ cup unsalted butter and ¾ cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the 2 large eggs, one at a time.
- Whisk together the 1 ¼ cups oat flour, ¼ cup almond flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture along with the 3 tablespoons cream. Fold in the 2 apples that have been peeled and chopped. Batter will be thick.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and use a rubber spatula to smooth the top. Rest the batter for 20 minutes, then place in the oven and bake for 50-60 minutes, until a tester comes out clean.
- Place the pan on a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes, then remove it from the pan to cool completely. Dust with confectioner's sugar if you like, before serving with whipped cream.
Notes
- Use a springform pan. I love using a springform pan for thick cakes; it makes it so much easier to remove from the pan after being baked. I reccommend using a 9-inch cake pan, either a springform or a regular pan, so that the cake bakes evenly.
- Fresh apples. Make sure to use fresh, crisp apples in this cake so that they retain their shape during baking.
- Another spice. Either leave out the cinnamon for a super traditional take on Irish apple cake, or swap in ginger or nutmeg.
- Dairy-free. Use non-dairy butter and non-dairy milk for a dairy-free version.
- Serve warm or cold. With ice cream, custard, or whipped cream! For extra deliciousness, drizzle slices with salted caramel sauce.
I'd love to hear from you! Please leave me a note.