With its festive topping of toasted almonds and a honey glaze, this grain-free cake is pretty enough to serve at any gathering, but easy enough to whip together at a moment’s notice. This apple cake is not only grain-free, it’s gluten-free and dairy-free, too. The magic ingredient here is almond flour. This is made from finely ground, blanched almonds and it makes a fantastic substitute for flour in a dense, moist cake like this one. Note that almond flour is different from almond meal. Almond meal usually contains the almond skins and is sometimes ground a little more coarsely. It’s fine to substitute it for the almond flour in this recipe, but the cake will be more rustic. Another bonus to using almond flour: Most apple cakes include a cup of oil or butter, but the almond flour is rich enough that you don’t need nearly that much. I first made a version of this cake years ago, when a friend of mine was hosting a fall-themed potluck. I’ve played with the recipe over the years, adding the lovely toppings and simplifying the ingredient list. I love this combination of moist apple cake, crunchy toasted almonds, warm spices, and sweet honey glaze, and I hope you enjoy it too! For more information on which apple varieties are best for baking, check out our Guide to Apples. For a more rustic cake, use almond meal instead of almond flour, and leave the apple unpeeled.
1 1/2 cups (6 ounces) almond flour 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg 3/4 teaspoon salt 3 large eggs 1/4 cup honey 2 tablespoons neutral-tasting oil (I use avocado oil) 1 medium (7-ounce) Granny Smith apple, peeled and cut into thin matchsticks, or grated coarsely
For the glaze and topping:
1/2 cup powdered sugar 2 tablespoons honey 1 tablespoon almond milk or water 1/4 cup sliced almonds
Toast the sliced almonds in a skillet over medium heat until they are lightly browned, about five minutes. Shake the pan often so that the almonds are browned evenly. When they are done, immediately transfer to bowl to cool.
