Apple Cake doesn’t get better than this MOIST Gluten Free Apple Pudding Cake with Caramel Syrup!

Step aside — to every other apple cake you’ve ever known. This Gluten Free Apple Pudding Cake will blow you away with its super soft interior and caramel syrup soak.

This recipe was inspired by Benjamina Ebuehi’s Hot Chocolate Halva Pudding Cake recipe, featured as a genius recipe on Food52. I know, a chocolate cake is nothing like an apple cake, but these two cakes share the same preparation method:

1. Make a cake batter that is simple and no fuss.
2. Before, baking the cake, pour a sweet boiling water mixture over the batter in the pan.
3. Bake the cake as is!
4. After baking you’ll be left with a super moist cake and the boiling water mixture will have seeped throughout the cake and onto the bottom creating a thin caramel layer.

It’s just too good! As much as I think the cake looks delicious in the pictures, I’m not sure they do the cake justice. It’s a must try!

Let’s run through how this specific version of a Pudding Cake is made.

Steps to make this cake:

Start with preparing the batter by mixing together all the dry ingredients. I used a combo of 3 of my favorite gluten free flours & it works perfectly to create a cake with a cakey crumb but also stays moist for more than one day.

Next, whisk the liquid ingredients together in a smaller bowl. This includes oil, eggs, vanilla extract and even orange juice!

The next common step to making an oil based cake batter is to whisk & fold the dry and liquid ingredients together, just until combined. And, in this case, we’re going to fold in chopped apples as well.

I’ve opted to use 1 Granny Smith and 1 Honeycrisp apple; my two faves for baking!

Batter is ready and now it’s time to make the sugary-boiling water mixture to soak our cake batter in. Don’t be nervous and skip this step, because it truly makes the cake taste magical!

Assembly time!

Now that the cake batter and sugary-water mixtures are prepped, it’s time to scoop them into the pan(s).

I’ve tested this cake in an 8″x8″ square pan and also in these adorable pie dish ramekins. If opting for ramekins, this recipe should make 4-6 ramekins, depending on the size of the ones being used.

Bakers gonna bake!

Almost every cake gets baked at some point, and this one is no exception. While baking this cake the sugary-water mixture will seep through the layers making the cake even moister & eventually it will form a caramel layer on the bottom of the pan. This is the magical goodness you’re looking for when digging in with a spoon once ready to eat!

Gluten Free Apple Pudding Cake

Yield: 8"x8" square pan or four 8oz ramekins

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

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Ingredients

For the Cake Batter

• 1 cups almond flour
• ¼ cup tapioca starch
• ¼ cup gluten-free 1 to 1 Baking Flour (such as Bob’s Red Mill)
• 1/2 cup cane sugar
• 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ¼ cup plus 2 tbsp maple syrup
• ¼ cup plus 2 tbsp oil (canola or vegetable oil)
• 1 1/4 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup orange juice
• 2 apples (peeled and diced), I used Granny Smith and Honeycrisp apples

For the Syrup:

• ⅓ cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup boiling water
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon

Instructions

Prepare the Cake Batter:
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line an 8” x 8” square pan with parchment paper, or grease well. Alternatively, grease small 6-oz ramekins.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the almond flour, tapioca starch, gluten free flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
3. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the oil, vanilla extract, eggs and orange juice.
4. Pour the liquid mixture over the flour mixture and whisk until well combined.
5. Mix the chopped apples into the cake batter.
6. Pour the cake batter into the prepared pan(s) and spread it into an even layer. Set the pan aside.

Prepare the Syrup:
1. Combine all syrup ingredients in a bowl (I used the dirty cake batter bowl) and whisk until combined.

Assembly:
1. Pour the syrup all over the top of the cake batter in the pan.
2. Bake for 30-45 minutes, until the cake is completely set. Allow to cool at least 10 minutes before enjoying!