This Glazed Apple Bundt Cake is a healthier spin on a fall baking favorite! It’s moist and fluffy, packed with warm spices and juicy apples, and topped with a refined sugar free maple glaze that’s irresistible. It’s gluten-free, grain-free, dairy free, and paleo.
Baking with apples is one of the major reasons fall is just the BEST season, am I right?! Whether it’s a full on apple pie, an apple crisp, cookies, bars, or muffins. The delicious apple cinnamon combo gets me every single time!
Every time I decide I want to make a new apple treat, it’s ridiculously hard to pick just one thing to make. Still on my to-make list: apple cider donuts, a caramel apple vegan cheesecake, apple fritters, and apple cobbler.
Today though, we’re going to SWOON over this glazed apple bundt cake. Moist, perfectly spiced, lots of apples, and a sweet maple glaze that you won’t believe is actually free of refined sugar!
What You’ll Need To Make this Paleo Glazed Apple Bundt Cake
The ingredients are straightforward as far as paleo baking recipes go. Here’s what you’ll need:
Sweet-Crisp Apples (I love honey crisp for this!)
Blanched Almond Flour
Tapioca Flour
Maple Sugar
Eggs
Almond Milk
Coconut Oil
Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Ginger
Vanilla Extract
Baking Soda
Baking Powder (see my recipe note if you want to make your own Paleo baking powder)
Sea Salt
How To Make Glaze or Icing Without Confectioners Sugar
Making a smooth glaze without using store bought powdered sugar is a lot simpler than you might think!
All you need is maple sugar (or coconut sugar) and a good blender. I prefer to use maple sugar for both the flavor and the appearance of the glaze or icing, but if you only have coconut sugar, it will work just as well.
All you need to do is blend the sugar of choice until it reaches a powdery consistency. I typically use my NutriBullet and it does a great job!
Once you have the powdered sugar ready, all you need to do is mix it with a liquid, and in this case, coconut oil, to make a Paleo friendly glaze. Magical! But seriously, a good icing or glaze opens up an entirely new world of Paleo friendly goodies!
Tips for Baking This Glazed Apple Bundt Cake:
While this is a pretty straightforward recipe, I do have just a few tips for success:
Use a non-stick bundt pan AND spray the pan before baking. I use this avocado oil cooking spray and love it!
Squeeze the grated apples until there’s really no water/juice left. Since almond flour contains more moisture to begin with than traditional flour, extra moisture from the apples can make the cake soggy. Squeezing everything out ensures you’ll get a perfectly moist, fluffy texture.
Bake the cake right in the upper half of the oven, not too low. Since the bottom of the bundt cake pan actually becomes the top of the cake after baking, you want to make sure it doesn’t get too brown!
Allow the bundt cake to cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes, or even 30. The longer it cools in the pan, the easier it will release.
I hope you’re ready for a crazy delicious paleo baking recipe that’s going to WOW everyone who takes a bite! Go grab your apples and let’s get going – it’s time to make this Glazed Apple Bundt Cake!
Glazed Apple Bundt Cake {Paleo, Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free}
Glazed Apple Bundt Cake {Paleo, GF, DF}
Ingredients
Cake Batter:
- 2 large apples - I used honey crisp - peeled cored, and shredded or grated, water squeezed out completely.* You should have about 1 cup grated apples after squeezing
- 1 medium apple - peeled, cored, and diced into 1/4” pieces
- Squeeze of lemon juice - optional to avoid the apples browning
- 2 1/2 cups blanched almond flour
- 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp tapioca flour divided
- 1 tsp baking powder ***see note to make corn free baking powder if desired
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 Tbsp + 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon divided
- 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/2 tsp fine grain sea salt
- 5 large eggs room temperature
- 1/3 cup almond milk or other non-dairy milk
- 3/4 cup pure maple sugar or coconut sugar (I prefer maple)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil refined, melted and cooled to almost room temperature
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp pure almond extract optional
Maple Cinnamon Glaze:
- 1 Tbsp coconut oil melted but cooled to almost room temperature
- 1/2 cup powdered maple sugar coconut sugar is fine too if that's what you have on hand - **see note for instructions on making the powdered sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2-3 tsp almond milk or other non-dairy milk
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- Chopped nuts for garnish, optional
Instructions
Cake Batter:
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Preheat your oven to 350° F and spray a 9 or 10” bundt cake pan with avocado oil spray to ensure your cake doesn’t stick.
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Have your apples prepared as per the ingredients section. Toss the diced apples with the 1 Tbsp of tapioca and 1/2 tsp cinnamon and set aside.
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In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, 1/2 cup tapioca, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt, set aside. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, sugar, oil, and extracts until very smooth. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir until well combined. Fold in the shredded apples, but don’t add the diced apples yet.
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Pour a little less than half the batter into the prepared cake pan. Sprinkle the diced apple mixture over the batter, leaving any juice in the bowl. Pour the remaining batter over the apples, scraping to get it all, and spread the top evenly.
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Bake in the preheated oven for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted near the center of the cake comes out clean. I baked mine for exactly 40 minutes.
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Remove the cake from the oven and allow it to cool in the pan for 20 minutes. Carefully turn the pan upside down over a cooling rack to release, and allow it to finish cooling on the rack while you prepare the glaze.
Glaze:
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Stir together the maple sugar, coconut oil, vanilla and cinnamon, then add the milk slowly - 2 tsp first until you get a drizzly glaze, and only add the 3rd if it’s still too thick to drizzle on the cake.
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Generously drizzle the glaze all over the partially cooled or cooled cake. Sprinkle with chopped nuts if desired and serve at room temperature - slightly warm is fine too. The glaze will harden as it cools. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Notes:
*It’s important to squeeze all the water out of the grated apples so the cake isn’t overly moist. Squeeze a little lemon juice over the apples if you want to avoid them browning (optional step - they’ll be fine without the lemon.)
**To make your own paleo powdered sugar blend 1 cup maple sugar (or coconut sugar) in a food processor or high speed blender and blend until it reaches a powdery consistency. Use just 1/2 cup for this recipe.
***To make your own paleo friendly baking powder, simply mix 1 tsp of baking soda with 2 tsp cream of tartar. Use just 1 tsp of the mixture for this recipe.
Nutrition
Shop Products and Ingredients:
Want More Paleo Fall Baking Recipes? Try One of These!
Apple Muffins with Crumb Topping
Chewy Apple Cinnamon Pecan Cookies
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I love your recipes, but I am only gluten free, not by choice, and none of the rest. Can sugar, brown or white, be substituted for the maple or coconut sugar? Both are rather expensive, and I would prefer not to use them. Thank you so much!
Hi! I sometimes think of maple sugar as “light brown sugar” so I think that would sub in well, but regular cane sugar would too I would guess. Also, for the icing you can just use regular powdered sugar instead of making your own. You can also sub in regular butter for the coconut oil, and regular milk for the almond milk if you eat dairy. Hope this helps!
Thank you for your prompt reply. I am making it today to bring to a break the fast dinner on Wednesday. I think I’ll be fine making it a day + in advance but not cutting into it until it is being served?
Figures, I gave my Bundt pan away, can I just make this as a square cake? Looks delish!
Yes I’m sure you can! I’d say a 9″ square pan would work, I think 8″ might be too small.
I don’t suppose it’s possible to substitute the eggs for something else?
I haven’t tested it with egg replacers, although I know there have been a few people who’ve subbed in egg replacers (I think Bob’s Red Mill?) in some of my bread and cake recipes with good results.
Delicious, didn’t even need glaze! Will make again!
Didn’t make this recipe yet but I love your website and information it’s been very useful as I try to learn how to live with type 2 diabetes thank you for everything and I look forward to make some of these delicious looking dishes
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Wondering the same thing as Jan re: what is the amount of coconut oil in the recipe? Was just about to make this until I luckily noticed the omission ?
Paleo Running Momma is literally one of the BEST health conscious Diet Community anywhere. I read it everyday and i’m grateful i found http://bit.ly/2niT5at Paleohacks. It help me not only maintain a fit weight but kept me off it too.Hope it helps some other .
Hi Michele! In the list of cake ingredients it says 1/4 coconut oil- cup or Tablespoon- Teaspoon?? Looks delicious! I’m going to be making this.
Thank you.
This was amazing! My glaze wasn’t as thick as the picture. If anyone has an idea of what I did wrong please let me know!
Great flavors!
I love your recipes! I just made this cake using a 9×11 pan and it worked out great! It is super delicious! Husband and toddler approved!
Any suggestions for how long to cook if using a mini Bundt pan? I’m wondering if this could also be Made into muffins?
I think both should be fine although I’m not sure about bake time – I would watch and remove after it passes the toothpick test!
Hi Michele,
I love this recipe. I just made it today! Sometimes in your recipes when using Tapioca Flour you state you can use Arrowroot. Is there a reason why arrowroot is not suggested in this recipe?
Thanks!
I just made this apple cake very yummy! Will make again! Every baked thing I have made from you is so good, keep up the great work.
Hi,
The recipe says “1/4 coconut oil, refined, melted and cooled to almost room temperature”. Is it supposed to be “1/4 Cup coconut oil”? I assume it would be with the amount of almond and tapioca flour. Or, if someone that has tried this recipe, did you use 1/4 cup of coconut oil?
Thanks.
Wondering if this could be made a day ahead? And what was coconut oil measurement. Thanks michelle this looks so good – going to try with the family this weekend.
My husband likes it… Which is a sign that it’s amazing ???
I’ve made this cake and it’s wonderful! Wondering if it freezes well, for about a week.
Love it; so moist . Love all your Bundt cakes!
Absolutely delightful! Super moist. I baked my cake for 35 min and used coconut sugar. Rave reviews from friends.
This cake was delicious! I made it for Mother’s Day and my family devoured it! Thank you so much for making healthy deserts that satisfy my cravings?
5 stars I love your recipes! I just made this cake using a 9×11 pan and it worked out great!