Apple Cake (Grain and Gluten Free!)

It’s finally my favorite time of the year!!  Well, almost.  The weather is cooling down (a little) and fall fruits and veggies are ripening.  To celebrate fall coming, I went apple picking last weekend!  I had only been apple picking once before, in college, and when I went before, I came home with probably 20 pounds of apples.  I was making apple bread, apple crisp, and just eating them straight for a couple weeks.

This time, I came home with a peck of apples – which is about 11-12 pounds.  This orchard had a really great selection of apples.  I think we could pick 6 or 7 different kinds.  I ended up getting four different types – Crimson Crisp, which is related to the Honey Crisp (my favorite), Jonagold, Cammi and the last one we picked.. I can’t remember the name, but the photo here is that apple.  It actually looks and tastes a lot like a pear!  All of them were really tasty.  Personally, I think the best part about going to a pick your own farm is that you get to eat as much as you want.  I definitely took the opportunity to eat one of each kind of apple we picked. Each one was delicious!  And I was surprised to find that the Cammi apple is probably the type of apple I had when I was in China – they looked just right, and tasted the same.  I was so surprised because I had never seen them here before.  You can be sure I got a few of them (in addition to the one I ate while picking!).

Now, I’m just one person… and 12 pounds of apples is a lot.  So you have to come up with creative ways to eat all the apples. I decided to make an apple cake, because sometimes, you just want some cake.  I used some of the Jonagold apples and the left over almond and walnut pulp from making nut milk.  And, tooting my own horn a little, I think the result was not only beautiful, but delicious!!

I really enjoy trying new recipes.. and making it my own.  I found a recipe for an apple cake that used almond flour, but I make a couple of changes to it – I think the changes made it all the better.  I hope you give it a try!  And if you do, be sure to take a photo of your creation and tag me on Instagram! (@journeytoloving.me)

Without further delay, here you go!

Honey + Apple Cake (adapted from Healthy Green Kitchen)

• Butter/Ghee to dust the pan – I used my cast iron pan
• 3 eggs
• 1/2 cup honey
• 1/4 sugar
• 1 1/2 cup almond flour – I used the leftover pulp from making almond and walnut milk, so it was a little wet
• 1/2 cup milk – I used the nut milk I had just made, but you could use any kind of milk you’d like
• 2 1/2 tablespoons butter or ghee – I used 4th & Heart vanilla bean ghee, melted
• Splash of vanilla – add up to 1/2 teaspoon.  Since I used the vanilla ghee, I just put in a little
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2-3 medium apples, cored and cut into slices about 1/4 inch thick.  You can peel the apple too, if you prefer, but I liked the look of keeping them on.
• Up to 2 tablespoons coconut flour – this was a last minute addition for me, as the batter was quite wet.  Coconut flour will soak up a lot of moisture, so add it slowly if you think your batter is too wet.

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 350º F (175º C).
2. Grease your pan with butter or ghee, set aside.
3. Combine the eggs, honey and sugar in a bowl and combine with an electric mixer.  (I only have a hand mixer, but of course use a standing mixer if you have one!) Beat at medium speed until the eggs are pale in color.  Gradually add the flour, baking powder, milk, butter and vanilla, stopping to scrape the sides down with each addition.  If your batter is not incorporating all the liquid, add coconut flour, 1/2 tablespoon at a time. Also, at this point, it was actually easier for me to just use a wooden spoon to combine everything. Blend well.
4. Turn batter out into prepared pan.  Arrange apples on the cake in concentric circles around the pan, beginning on the outside of the pan, continuing to the center.
5. Bake the cake in the preheated oven for about 50 minutes, or until a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean and apples are lightly browned.
6. Remove and let cool for at least 10 minutes.  Slice and serve!

This cake smelled divine as it was baking.  It tasted pretty darn good too!  The honey was a great addition to the recipe, and I actually cut down on the sugar in the original recipe, as honey tastes so much sweeter than cane sugar.  I can’t recommend making it enough!  And like I said, let me know if you do!  You can be sure I’ll be making it again as the temperature falls even lower and having the oven on in the kitchen keeps my apartment nice and toasty!  Enjoy!