Gluten-Free French Apple Cake (Vegan, Allergy-Free)

This Gluten-Free French Apple Cake is soft, delicate, and full of fresh apple chunks! Vegan, allergy-free, and made without alcohol, this classic French cake recipe is so easy and made with a light, moist, and buttery custard-like cake batter, apples, and rum extract for flavor! A simple and traditional dessert that can even be enjoyed for breakfast or brunch!

French apple cake is a humble French dessert that's simple and rustic without any of the Pâtisserie pretenses. With just a few ingredients this super light and delicate cake lets the apples and rum flavor shine. This gluten-free French apple cake swaps the flour, butter, eggs, and alcohol for a showstopping delicious treat without gluten, dairy, eggs, or actual rum! Melt-in-your-mouth tender crumb with naturally sweet apple chunks, you can enjoy a slice for dessert or breakfast!

What Is French Apple Cake?

This traditional French dessert is made with a buttery, custard-like cake batter that's infused with rum and fresh sweet apple chunks. This apple rum cake is super moist and delicate with chunks of apples in every bite and held together by a small ratio of flour and eggs. It's a rustic and humble cake from the French countryside with no extra flavors or fancy ingredients besides the apples and rum. Lightly sweetened with half white and half light brown sugar, dusted with powdered sugar on top. Served warm and on its own or with a touch of whipped cream or vanilla ice cream!

Why You'll Love This Gluten-Free French Apple Cake

This recipe is just like the classic cake but made without allergens and simplified with rum extract instead of the actual alcohol. Still, just as simple, delicious, and easy, this from-scratch recipe is:

• Gluten-Free
• Vegan & Vegetarian
• Allergy-free (Dairy-Free, Soy-Free, Egg-Free, Nut-Free, Peanut-Free, Wheat-Free, Sesame-Free, Corn-Free, Coconut-Free)
• Low in Sugar & Naturally Sweet
• Alcohol-Free
• Kid-Friendly
• Easy, Simple 9 Ingredients
• Make-Ahead & Freezer-Friendly
• Perfect Dessert, Breakfast, Brunch or Teatime Snack

Ingredients For French Apple Cake

• Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: Nothing fancy, just a simple gluten-free flour blend is all you need to give this cake some structure.
• Baking Powder + Salt: Baking powder and a pinch of salt to keep this cake light and fluffy.
• Granulated Sugar + Light Brown Sugar: A combination of granulated sugar or sugar-free sweetener plus light brown sugar or brown sugar-syle sweetener is used to sweeten the cake and add some rich molasses-y depth without the rum.
• Rum Extract + Vanilla Extract + Lemon Juice: To get the flavor of rum without the actual alcohol, a splash of rum extract and pure vanilla extract give this apple cake all the extra flavor it needs. I also like to add a splash of lemon juice to add a little tartness to the apples and prevent browning.
• Flax Eggs: This eggless French apple cake uses two flax eggs to hold the cake together and help mimic that custard-like texture.
• Apples: The main component in this cake! Fresh sweet chunks of peeled and cored apples. More notes on which apples are the best types to use below.
• Vegan Butter: To keep this vegan French apple cake moist and buttery without the dairy, a stick of melted vegan butter is all you need!

What Are The Best Apples To Use?

You want firm and crisp apples that will hold their shape while baking without turning to mush. The best varieties to use are Honeycrisp, Smitten, Pink Lady, Jonagold, Fuji, Envy, Evercrisp, or even tart apples like Granny Smith. Select one variety or use a combo!

French Apple Cake Without Rum

To mimic the rum flavors in this traditional rum cake, a few key ingredients are used. The first is light brown sugar. The classic cake uses all white sugar, but swapping half of the sweetener for brown sugar adds the rich molasses notes you'd find in rum. The other key ingredient is rum extract! The most simple and budget-friendly way to get all the rum flavors of vanilla and spice, leather and tobacco, brown sugar, and molasses without using the actual liquor.

How To Make Vegan French Apple Cake

1. Whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, and salt.
2. Melt the vegan butter and mix in the sugars, flax eggs, and extracts until creamed together and combined.

3. Add the bowl of wet ingredients to the bowl of flour.
4. Mix everything together until smooth and thoroughly combined.

5. Add the apple chunks to the bowl of cake batter.
6. Gently fold in the apples until all chunks are coated in cake batter.

7. Pour the cake batter into a lined cake pan.
8. Bake the cake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 55-60 minutes.

9.  Allow the cake to cool in the pan for a few minutes before gently transferring it to a wire rack.
10. Once cooled completely, sprinkle the cake with powdered sugar and serve.

Recipe Tips & Tricks

• Peel your apples! While I'm an advocate for zero food waste, it's important to peel and core the apples for this delicate cake. You can save the peels for later and dehydrate them for a crispy snack!
• Chopping the apples: When chopping the apples, try to keep the pieces similar in size for even baking. A small dice will give you a more tender bite, while a larger chop with give you more of a crispy crunchy apple texture.
• Feel free to add a dash of cinnamon, allspice, or nutmeg to your cake! Another great ingredient is almond extract if your diet allows for it!
• Line your baking pan with parchment! You can use an 8-inch round cake pan or springform cake pan, but make sure you line the bottom and sides with parchment paper. The cake is custardy and very delicate (i.e. fragile). To prevent the cake from falling apart, lining the pan is key If you use a springform pan, you can simply grease the sides and just line the bottom.
• Invert the slightly cooled cake onto a wire rack and then flip it back over for the easiest transfer when using a non-springform pan.
• Baking the cake low and slow is key. It gives the apples time to soften without the cake becoming dry.
• The batter will be very thick and sticky, but you don't want to over-mix it, making it tough. Gently fold in the apples until they are just incorporated.

How To Serve Your Apple Cake

Perfect for a light dessert or breakfast treat, simply dusting the top of the cake with powdered sugar or sugar-free sweetener ties everything together. However, you can also top it with some vegan whipped cream, marshmallow fluff, a dollop of apple butter, a dash of cinnamon, or even a scoop of vegan vanilla ice cream! It's best served slightly warm or at room temperature.

How To Store Leftovers

Once you've allowed the cake to cool completely, you can store it in an airtight container at room temperature for about 2 days. Store it in the fridge for about 5-7 days for best quality. Allow the cake to come to room temperature or warm it slightly in the microwave for best flavor before serving again.

Can You Freeze French Apple Cake?

You can! You can freeze this cake whole or in slices which means you can make this cake ahead of time. To freeze, allow the cake to cool completely at room temperature before wrapping it tightly with plastic wrap and then a layer of foil before placing it in a freezer bag or transfer it to a freezer-safe container. Store the frozen cake for up to 6 months in the freezer. When ready to eat, thaw the cake overnight in the fridge before bringing it to room temperature before serving.

More Gluten-Free Apple Recipes:

• Apple Fritter Bread
• Apple Butter Bundt Cake
• Crustless Apple Pie
• Apple Cider Doughnuts
• Apple Cinnamon Muffins
• Classic Apple Crisp

Print

Simple, humble, and absolutely delicious! This French apple cake is a perfect way to start or end a brisk autumn day or impress your girlfriends at a little teatime brunch!

So tell me:

+ What's you're favorite type of apple cake?

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