What is the best type of apple for baking?

You'll want to use crisp apples that hold their shape. Sweet apples are a great option such as Honeycrisp, Jazz, Gala and Fuji. For a tart, crisp apple, Grannny Smith works well.

Do you need to peel the apples?

It will be easier to grate the apples if you leave the skin on and the skin adds texture to the cake. Just make sure you choose apples without dents or blemishes, and wash the skin with water before grating.

What type and size of pan is best to use for this cake?

I recommend using an 8-inch springform pan for this cake. The removable sides mean you don't need to invert the cake to remove it from the pan and possibly flatten the streusel topping. In terms of size, an 8-inch round is the best size. I don't recommend using a 9-inch as the resulting cake will not be very high.

Can this cake be made vegan?

While this cake uses many plant-based ingredients, I haven't tested it without eggs. As they're important for rise, I don't recommend making this cake with an egg substitute.

Why did my cake sink in the middle?

This could be because the cake pan used was too small for the batter or the oven door was opened too early to check on the cake. Also, if the streusel topping isn't evenly distributed on top of the cake, it may cause it to sink in places.

Almond Flour Apple Cake

Description

This Almond Flour Apple Cake is a tender and moist apple cinnamon cake with streusel topping and a powdered sugar glaze. It’s naturally gluten-free and dairy-free and super easy to make!

Ingredients

For the streusel topping:

1/4 cup (40g) gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour
1/4 cup (60g) brown sugar, packed
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons plant-based butter, cold and cubed

For the cake:

2 1/2 cups (260g) blanched almond flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
3 large eggs, room temperature
1/2 cup (110g) cane sugar
1/4 cup (60ml) olive oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 small apple (Honeycrisp or Gala)

For the glaze:

1/2 cup (70g) powdered sugar, sifted
3–4 teaspoons unsweetened almond milk

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Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F. Grease an 8-inch springform pan and line the bottom with parchment paper.
Make the streusel topping by adding the 1-to-1 baking flour, brown sugar, cinnamon and butter to a small bowl. Use a fork, pastry cutter or your fingers to mix together the ingredients until crumbly. Place in the fridge until ready to use.
Use the medium holes on a box grater to grate the apple. You will need 1/2 cup or 85g of grated apple. Wrap the grated apple in a paper towel and squeeze out some of the juice. The grated apple should weigh 55g after the juice is squeezed out. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, oil and vanilla.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and stir until just combined.
Fold the grated apple into the cake batter. Do not add in the excess apple juice.
Add the batter to your prepared pan and use an offset spatula to spread it out evenly. (The batter will be thick).
Evenly scatter the streusel mixture on top of the batter.
Bake for 28-32 minutes, or until a tooth pick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Let cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing the sides and transferring it to a wire rack to fully cool.
In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and almond milk and drizzle it over the cake.
Slice and serve, or store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days.

Notes

Grate the apple by using the medium holes on your box grater. If you shred the apple with the smallest holes, it will be too small and wet for the cake.
For greater accuracy, I recommend weighing the grated apple before and after squeezing out some of the juice.
If you don’t have a kitchen scale, be sure to measure your flour using the spoon and level method with a dry measuring cup.
To achieve a crunchy streusel topping, make sure your butter is cold and cubed. If it is too warm, the topping will spread too much. Once the topping is made, I pop it in the fridge while the cake batter comes together.
If you would like to reduce the sweetness of the cake, feel free to omit the powdered sugar glaze.
Be sure to check out the other sections above the recipe card for more detailed advice and suggestions for making this recipe.