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Maple Apple Spice Cake

October 20, 2014 By Becky 16 Comments

My boyfriend doesn’t like things made with apples, pumpkin, or squash, so fall is kind of a hard time for us.  I’m all like, “It’s time to apple-pumpkin-squashify all the things!” and he’s all like, “Oh, it looks like there’s some bread over there for toast.”  Literally, he had toast for lunch the other day.  I could not even get him to try a bite of this butternut squash soup with fried garlic and chili oil.

I’ve been a paleo food blogger for long enough that I feel like a little bit of a failure when my boyfriend has toast for lunch.

Things are going a little bit better on the apple front, though, because Ben really liked this cake.  Unless you’re the one to stir the grated apple into the batter, which would be a pretty major tipoff, you probably won’t know that there’s any apple in it.  It does help make the batter extra moist, though, kind of like the zucchini in zucchini bread, and also adds a little more sweetness.

When I went over to my spice rack to decide how to flavor this cake, I had two simultaneous thoughts: first, that I was out of cinnamon, and second, that I was tired of cinnamon anyway.  Why does cinnamon always get to be the main spice to hang out with apples and pumpkin and even squash?  I mean, I love cinnamon sometimes, but there are other spices in the sea (or at least on the spice rack).
So, in the name of spice-equality and avoiding last-minute trips to the store, this recipe has ginger, cardamom, and freshly grated nutmeg.  I loved how none of the three stood out on their own in the finished cake, but just added a slightly exotic taste and aroma to every bite.  (By the way, I have started grating whole nutmeg with a microplane whenever I need it for a recipe.  It’s fun, it takes two seconds, and it makes me feel hard core.  I highly recommend it!  The flavor is better, too.)

 

The very best part of this cake, though, is the buttery nut topping.  I made it with both hazelnuts and pecans (the pecan version is what’s in the pictures, because the photos of the cake with the hazelnut topping are trapped inside my defunct old computer) and loved both, so it really comes down to which nut you prefer.  Just don’t skip the topping altogether, because the salty-sweet crunch is irresistible!

And I almost forgot to tell you–this is a breakfast cake.  It’s perfect warmed up in the morning with a little melty ghee or butter on top, and a big mug of coffee or tea.  Enjoy!


Maple Apple Spice Cake
Yield: 8-10 servings
Prep time: 10 minutes
Bake time: 40 minutes

Ingredients:


For the topping:

1/2 cup pecans or hazelnuts, chopped
1 teaspoon melted ghee

2 teaspoons coconut sugar
or raw sugar

Pinch of sea salt

For the cake:

2 cups finely ground almond flour, lightly packed*
1/2 cup arrowroot
or tapioca flour

1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
1/3 cup maple syrup
1/4 cup melted ghee
or coconut oil

1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large apple, peeled, cored, and grated (about 1 cup)

*I recently spotted King Arthur brand almond flour at Whole Foods and bought some to try.  I was really happy with it because it’s very finely ground, which creates a really nice delicate crumb in cakes like this one. 

Preheat the oven to 350 and line a loaf pan with parchment paper or grease it thoroughly.

To make the topping, toss the pecans and melted ghee together in a small bowl.  Add the sugar and salt and stir.

To make the cake, mix the almond flour, arrowroot or tapioca, baking soda, spices, and salt in a large bowl, using a whisk or fork to break up any clumps.  In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, maple syrup, ghee or coconut oil, and vanilla.  Stir the grated apple into the wet ingredients.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix well.  Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and sprinkle on the topping.

Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until the cake is just set on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with only a tiny crumb or two.  Cool in the pan for a few minutes, slice, and serve warm or at room temperature.

This post contains affiliate links.  If you make a purchase on Amazon after clicking one of my links, I receive a small commission (the price you pay is not affected).  Thank you so much for supporting my blog!

Filed Under: breakfast, dessert, gluten free, paleo, recipe, uncategorized Tagged With: ACW original, apple, baking, cake, fall, grain free, maple, pecans, primal, spice

« Butternut Squash Soup with Fried Garlic and Chili Oil
Almond Butter Thumbprints with Salted Caramel »

Comments

  1. Bethany @ athletic avocado says

    November 20, 2016 at 11:02 am

    How can you not like all the amazing flavors fall has to offer? This cake looks amazing! Love the buttery nut topping! I would love this for breakky with a big cup of coffee!

    Reply
    • Becky says

      November 20, 2016 at 5:29 pm

      Thank you, Bethany! Yes, I think it’s perfect for breakfast. Glad you agree!

      Reply
  2. Semirah Dolan says

    October 26, 2014 at 7:12 pm

    That sounds like a delicious breakfast cake!

    <3 Semirah http://www.soundofcharm.blogspot.com

    Reply
    • Rebecca Winkler says

      October 27, 2014 at 7:26 pm

      Thanks, Semirah!

      Reply
  3. Homemadefoodjunkie says

    October 24, 2014 at 9:02 pm

    I'm pinning and sharing this delectable looking treat. Then I might bake it. Looks so good!

    Reply
    • Rebecca Winkler says

      October 27, 2014 at 7:26 pm

      Thank you so much!

      Reply
  4. OMG! Yummy says

    October 24, 2014 at 5:18 am

    Oh the topping sounds so yummy. No squash, pumpkin, or apples. Oh my. A patient one, are you!

    Reply
    • Rebecca Winkler says

      October 27, 2014 at 7:26 pm

      Haha, thank you, Beth!

      Reply
  5. Christina Lakey says

    October 22, 2014 at 2:35 pm

    I have a Ben, and he also hates anything with the word "squash" in it! Goes with the name? Luckily, he's still cool with apples. Whew. This looks amazing! And whole nutmeg with the microplane zester – absolutely! I can't do it any other way! So much better than pre-ground!

    Reply
    • Rebecca Winkler says

      October 22, 2014 at 10:47 pm

      Haha, so funny–is that him with you in your profile pic? 🙂

      I now cannot imagine how I survived without my microplane, which I only got a few months ago. Such a versatile tool!

      Reply
  6. Michelle De La Cerda says

    October 21, 2014 at 4:04 pm

    Maple and apple, you just made my day! This looks wonderful. I see that there is cardamom too, YUM.

    Reply
    • Rebecca Winkler says

      October 22, 2014 at 10:46 pm

      Thanks, Michelle! Yes, I LOVE cardamom, and it's so underused!

      Reply
  7. Betsy @ Desserts Required says

    October 21, 2014 at 2:14 am

    It may be a breakfast cake, I think I shall enjoy it all day long!! Before you know it, Ben will be eating more and more of your delicious offerings!

    Reply
    • Rebecca Winkler says

      October 22, 2014 at 10:46 pm

      Thank you, Betsy! I hope so 🙂

      Reply
  8. kathy says

    October 20, 2014 at 9:17 pm

    I was just sitting here… Wondering why there's never anything interesting to eat at my daughter's while I'm watching my g'son….except this bag of boring apples that no one seems to want… But this looks interesting… Thks for posting

    Reply
    • Rebecca Winkler says

      November 26, 2014 at 4:57 pm

      Thanks, Kathy! This won't make too much of a dent in a big bag of apples, but it is very delicious!

      Reply

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