Gluten Free Irish Apple Cake – A Cozy Comfort Dessert
If you’ve ever been torn between a rustic apple pie and a tender coffee cake, this Gluten-Free Irish Apple Cake might just be your new favorite thing. Somewhere between a slice of classic apple pie and a fluffy, not-too-sweet cake batter, this traditional Irish apple cake recipe is studded with chopped apples, dusted in cinnamon, and crowned with the most irresistible streusel topping made with brown sugar, gluten-free oats, and cold butter. It’s hearty, flavorful, and perfect with your morning cup of coffee—or dressed up for St. Patrick’s Day with a drizzle of vanilla custard sauce or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Jump to Recipe
What are the best apples for a Gluten-Free Apple Cake?
When it comes to the best apples for baking, I like a mix of tart apples and sweet ones to balance the flavor. For this recipe, I love using a combo of Granny Smith apples, Honeycrisp apples, and Pink Lady apples. Granny Smiths give you that tangy bite, while the Honeycrisp and Pink Lady varieties mellow things out with just the right amount of natural sweetness. No mushy apples here—just bright, clean flavor and a tender-but-not-soggy crumb.
How do I make an apple cake?
I love this traditional Irish apple cake recipe because it’s very easy to make. It’s best to use a hand or stand mixer, but it has very few ingredients and comes together quickly. Baked in a springform pan, it has the most incredible apple flavor and golden brown topping. I’ve adapted this easy recipe from one of my favorite blogs, The View From Great Island.
Here’s what you need to make an apple cake:
- Apples – I like to either use a combination of Granny Smith, Honeycrisp apples or Pink Lady apples. It all depends on if you like tart apples or sweeter apples. If you prefer the latter, you can even try using gala apples. This recipe calls for three large apples, peeled and cut into chunks.
- All Purpose Flour Blend – I like Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1
- Baking Powder, Cinnamon, and Sea Salt
- Salted or Unsalted Butter – I almost always used salted butter in my baking recipes (don’t tell anyone). Of course, you can also use vegan butter if you choose.
- Sugar – I use regular sugar in the cake batter and brown sugar in the crumble topping
- Eggs – this recipe calls for two eggs and they should be at room temperature
- Heavy Cream – just a splash (three tablespoons)
Let’s make it:
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9-inch springform pan with gluten free cooking spray
- Using a stand or hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
- In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter/sugar mixture, along with the cream and vanilla. Stir in the apples.
- Spoon the batter into your prepared pan, and smooth out evenly.
- Prepare the Streusel. Put the flour, oats, and brown sugar in a medium bowl and whisk together. Add the butter and using your hands, or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it turns into coarse crumbs. Stir in the walnuts. Sprinkle over the top of the cake.
- Bake for about 50 minutes to an hour, until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan and release the sides. Serve warm or at room temp with vanilla ice cream or salted caramel sauce (or both). Wrap tightly to store at room temperature for up to three days.
How to Serve It
Traditionally, Irish apple cake is served with a warm vanilla custard sauce or even a crème anglaise (which is just a fancy name for the same thing). But I’m not mad at a big scoop of vanilla ice cream or a drizzle of salted caramel sauce. Heck, I’ve even gone full hybrid and served this like an apple crisp—topped with whipped cream and a little dusting of cinnamon.
Gluten Free Irish Recipes to Try
Irish Fifteens – A No Bake Gluten Free Dessert Recipe
Irish Fifteens are the culinary equivalent of a warm hug from a slightly tipsy aunt at a family gathering. This delightful, no-bake treat hails from the Emerald Isle, where simplicity and ingenuity in the kitchen are celebrated virtues. Traditionally, Irish Fifteens consist of digestive biscuits, marshmallows, cherries, and coconut, all held together by the magic of sweetened condensed milk.
Get the gluten free Irish dessert recipe
Gluten Free Chocolate Stout Cake
Imagine a cake that whispers sweet nothings of rich, dark chocolate with a hint of (gluten-free) stout so bold, it could tell tales of Irish folklore with each slice. Now, pair that with a Bailey’s buttercream so luxuriously creamy, it’s like finding the pot of gold at the end of a rainbow. You’re going to love this gluten-free “Guinness” Cake with Bailey’s Buttercream!
Get the gluten free Irish dessert recipe
Make It Your Own
One of my favorite things about this traditional recipe is how adaptable it is. Want a nuttier flavor? Swap the walnuts for pecans or hazelnuts. Craving a little extra richness? Fold a few egg yolks into the egg mixture for a more custardy texture (especially if you’re skipping the vanilla custard sauce and want that indulgent vibe baked right in). I’ve also added a handful of sliced apples to the top before baking, just for that extra wow factor—and they caramelize beautifully under the crumble topping. I’ve even topped it with Smitten Kitchen’s Salted Caramel Sauce and it was bonkers delicious.
And while I typically reach for a springform pan to make removal a breeze, you can also use a deep 9-inch round cake pan lined with parchment. Just be sure to let it cool slightly before releasing it from the pan. Whether you’re riffing on the recipe or keeping it classic, there’s something special about the smell of apples and cinnamon wafting through the house. It’s the kind of bake that feels like a warm hug straight from the oven.
Storing Your Cake
This tender cake keeps beautifully. Wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or place it in an airtight container once completely cool. It’ll stay fresh at room temperature for up to three days—if it lasts that long. Bonus points: it’s just as tasty the next day with a cup of tea or reheated in the oven.
Whether you’re baking it up for St. Patrick’s Day, a cozy weekend brunch, or just because your kitchen needs to smell like cinnamon and apples, this gluten-free Irish apple cake is the real deal. It’s humble, homey, and full of heart. And trust me—it’s even better shared.
Happy baking (and happy eating).
Love gluten free apple treats? Here are a few more gluten free delicious apple recipes to try:
- Gluten-Free Mini Caramel Apple Cakes
- Recipe for Gluten-Free French Apple Cake
- Baked Gluten-Free Apple Cider Doughnuts
- Baking with Apples Round Up on California Grown
Did you make this recipe? Be sure to leave a comment and star rating below (⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐). It means a lot and helps my content get seen! Post a picture and tag us on Instagram using the hashtags #agirldefloured #deflouredrecipes! Thank you!
Easy Gluten Free Irish Apple Cake Recipe
Equipment
- Stand Mixer or hand mixer
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1/2 cup salted butter at room temperature 113 g
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar 100 g
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 3 tablespoons heavy cream 45 mL
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose gluten free flour blend 150 g
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 large Granny Smith or Pink Lady apples peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks.
for the streusel topping:
- 3/4 cup all purpose gluten free flour blend 96 g
- 1/4 cup gluten free old fashioned rolled oats 25 g
- 1/2 cup brown sugar 100 g
- 6 tablespoons salted cold butter cut in small pieces 85 g
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts 75 g
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and spray a 9-inch springform pan with gluten free cooking spray
- Using a stand or hand mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs, one at a time.
- In a small bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir the dry ingredients into the butter/sugar mixture, along with the cream and vanilla. Stir in the apples.
- Spoon the batter into your prepared pan, and smooth out evenly.
- Prepare the Streusel. Put the flour, oats, and brown sugar in a medium bowl and whisk together. Add the butter and using your hands, or a pastry cutter, cut the butter into the flour mixture until it turns into coarse crumbs. Stir in the walnuts. Sprinkle over the top of the cake.
- Bake for about 50 minutes to an hour, until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge of the pan and release the sides. Serve warm or at room temp with vanilla ice cream or salted caramel sauce (or both). Wrap tightly to store at room temperature for up to three days.
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Nutrition
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Happy to leave the first review, 5 stars! I was hesitant about this because gluten free recipes can be hit or miss. I also had to make it dairy free. And I was out of cake flour so I used a bread flour brand I had never used before (Judee’s). However, it came it amazing. Made a double batch, no problem at all. Used Miyoko’s cashewmilk butter, and Silk heavy whipping cream as substitutes. Will definitely be making this again and again and will be posting the link on my FB site for my followers to see.
I’m glad it worked so well dairy free! Thanks so much for your comment, Raven. Happy you enjoyed it! 🙂
Made this for Thanksgiving. Was great!! Not super sweet, which I loved. We left it in a cake pan and it held together well.
Thanks for sharing!
Perfect pie/cake combination. And with a little ice cream on top it’s divine.
Cooking it now: where do the walnuts go?? A bit nervous about the number of apples—seems a lot! Il post once I’m done
Loved it!
Tasted ok, but there are problems. Three large Granny Smith apples is way too much fruit in proportion to the small amount of batter. Nothing at all like your photo. During the bake, apple juice leaked from the spring form pan and burnt on the floor of the oven. We had to bake over an hour and it was still soppy, more like a cobbler. Might try again with half the apple.
Unable to read recipe…too pale. Please make it so it can be printed in black and can be read. I am SO disappointed because I was very excited to finally find some decent recipes for my GF friend who is also battling cancer!
Kathy
I’m not sure I understand what you mean, but I’ll have my team look into it! There is an option to increase the font size as well…
I’ve read the recipe twice but can’t see the step of adding the apples?? Wanted to make it for a Coeliac friend.
Hi Grace – you add the apples in step 3 of the instructions. 🙂
Hi. I’ve made this several times both gluten free and it’s delicious. The only other comment is that when you double the recipe the gram amount at the end of each ingredient doesn’t change. So that’s a glitch with the software
Ohhh thanks for the heads up. I will see if I can fix it!
I still can barely read the printout. It looks lovely on my computer screen…a sort of soft sage color (and pink), but cannot be printed so it’s easy to read. All other recipes from other sources print out clearly in black and white, so I know it’s not my printer. I left this suggestion once before.
SO GOOD
I’m so glad you loved it!
We have a wonderful cafe where we live, and they have an apple cake that my spouse loves, but the price has jumped up, so it’s not a treat we can afford daily. I looked online for an alternative I could make myself and was thrilled to find your website! The directions were clear and easy to follow, and the apple cake turned out beautifully and delicious – thank you! Btw, I read your “About” section, and after a lifetime, I too am coming to terms with the connection between my IBS & osteoporosis, which I believe is the result of being over-prescribed antibiotics as a child. Sigh…
I’m glad you loved the cake! Regarding our health – we really need to be our own advocates!!
I don’t consider myself a baker, but wanted to make my spouse an apple cake for her birthday, and this was perfect and delicious. Thank you!
Hi Anne – that makes me so happy to hear! Thank you for sharing!
I feel dumb asking this, are total carbohydrate for the whole cake or a slice. I think I read carbs on the bag , but I don’t want to make a mistake. My grandson is type 1 diabetic. Thanks
I haven’t made the recipe yet, but I was wondering, could you regular flour?
Also, can it be frozen?
Hi Ursula – if you aren’t gluten free, you can use regular flour. And yes, it can be frozen 🙂
Everyone loved it, especially with salted caramel sauce! I used someone’s advice and used smaller apples.
I find more and more friends need gluten free, and they miss good desserts. This is really lovely–it isn’t too sweet, but it satisfies that sweet craving, was moist but not wet, and will make this over and over again. It is a good-looking dessert as well!
Glad you loved it!
I was a little nervous to make this after reading some comments. I made this recipe exact except I used gala apples because thats what I had on hand. Not too sweet, crunchy topping. Delicious. I wish I could have posted a picture!
Thanks for your comment, Nathalie. Glad you enjoyed!
We used cosmic crisp apples 🍎 ( to me like a cross between Granny Smith & pink lady), extra thick rolled oats, and some very intensely flavorful cinnamon. Wow!
Plus it’s better the next day. Not cake not pudding but something all its own. 💞🍎
Oh my – love your modifications…I’ll definitely be trying! 🙂
My husband has celiac and my 4 yr old was recently diagnosed as well. I made this for them for thanksgiving and they loved it!! I’m wondering if this could be made into muffins? My son misses his gluten muffins badly so I’d love to try making some he would like.
I haven’t tried them as muffins, but maybe. I do have several other muffin recipes on the website you can try though. I’m especially fond of the blueberry muffins 🙂
Asking your opinion. Could almond flour be substituted for the gluten free flour? Also could monk sugar be substituted for the white flour? This recipe looks great.
Will try those! Thank you!
The whole family LOVES this cake! Has anyone tried adapting it to do a plum cake??
I meant white sugar!