Healthy Apple Cake is the ultimate fall treat. Dense, moist, and perfectly spiced! Just blend up the batter, pour it into the pan, and bake. It’s that easy!
author’s note
The Cake That’s Just as Good for Breakfast as Dessert!
Every fall, I find myself testing more apple desserts than anything else. My kids love apples in any form: fresh slices dipped in caramel, apple nachos, or warm apple pie.
Last year, after a trip to the apple orchard, we had way more apples than we could eat fresh. I wanted to create something cozy that felt like dessert but was also made with wholesome ingredients. That’s how this Healthy Apple Cake came to life.
The best part? My family loved it so much that I had to make it two days in a row. My daughter asked if she could have it for breakfast, which I took as the biggest compliment. It really does taste like apple pie in cake form, but with good-for-you ingredients that keep you satisfied.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swaps or Tips |
|---|---|
| Cashews | Swap with almonds or walnuts, but cashews give the best texture. |
| Old-Fashioned Oats | Don’t use quick oats since they will make the cake gummy. |
| Honey or Maple Syrup | Use maple syrup for a vegan option. |
| Unsweetened Applesauce | Make homemade applesauce for fresher flavor. |
| Coconut Oil | Melt before measuring. Swap with avocado oil if preferred. |
| Eggs | Flax eggs can work, but the texture will be denser. |
| Warm Spices | Adjust cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves to taste. |
Quick Tip
Want to frost this Healthy Apple Cake? Try Cream Cheese Frosting and garnish with coarsely chopped nuts or a Bare dried Apple Chips. Or top slices with a spoonful of vanilla Greek yogurt.
How To Make Healthy Apple Cake
- Prep Pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line and grease an 8×8 pan.
- Blend: Blend all ingredients until smooth and creamy.
- Bake: Pour into the pan, smooth the top, and bake for 35-40 minutes, until set.
- Cool & Serve: Cool on a rack, dust with powdered sugar if desired, then slice and enjoy!
Use a light-colored 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper. The cake is ready when the top isn’t shiny, edges are golden, and it pulls away from the sides. A toothpick should come out clean or with a few crumbs.
Storage
Leftover Healthy Apple Cake
- Store: Keep in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 1 week.
- Freeze: Wrap individual pieces tightly in plastic and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw before serving.
More Gluten-Free Baked Goods:
Breakfast
Gluten Free Zucchini Muffins
Desserts
Gluten Free Brownies Recipe
Breakfast
Gluten Free Banana Pancakes
Desserts
Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
Healthy Apple Cake
Video
Equipment
- Blender see note 1
- 8 x 8-inch baking pan with parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup dry roasted and lightly salted cashews
- 1-1/2 cups old-fashioned oats see note 2
- 3/4 cup honey or pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup melted coconut oil measure when melted
- 1 cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 large eggs
- 1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract optional
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch see note 3
- 1/2 batch cream cheese frosting optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Line an 8×8-inch pan with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- Add all “First Blend” ingredients to a powerful blender. Blend until smooth, about 60 seconds. Then add “Second Blend” ingredients and blend until creamy, about 60–90 seconds, stopping to scrape down sides as needed.
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Bake for 35–40 minutes, until edges are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool fully on a wire rack. If desired, prepare cream cheese frosting and frost before slicing and serving.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hello, I’m about to try out this recipe. It sounds amazing! I was wondering if you think it would do well in a muffin tin to make muffins out of it and if so, how long do you recommend the baking time to be?
Hey Nicole, I haven’t tested this cake in muffin form but I do have a really delicious healthy apple muffin recipe: https://www.chelseasmessyapron.com/healthy-flourless-almond-apple-muffins/.
Made it today… Baked for the first time in a very long time, and this came out absolutely perfect! This is definitely keeper! Thank you!
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks Vesna! 🙂
No lies here, made this today and both my husband and I enjoyed this flavorful cake very much. Reminiscent of gingerbread on top of apple, and smells delicious as it bakes. I was concerned that my blender might have issues blending the cashews so I broke down the cashews first and my Cuisinart handled the blends with no problem. Another yummy + healthy recipe! Thank you, thank you.
I am so happy to hear this! Thanks Eva! 🙂