
Dairy free, paleo apple honey upside-down cake is perfect for cool fall days. Subtly spiced and not too sweet, it’s great for breakfast or dessert!
The tradition of dipping apples in honey to celebrate Rosh Hashanah inspired me to bake this apple honey upside-down cake. Apples and honey represent the double dose of sweetness that’s hoped for in the year ahead. I didn’t get this post ready in time to share before the holiday, but this cake is an ideal dessert for anytime in the fall. Whether or not you celebrate Rosh Hashanah, everyone can use a little extra hint of sweetness as the air turns crisp and the nights begin to fall sooner.

To make this cake, I poured copious amounts of honey into the bottom of a parchment-lined pan, and then arranged apple slices on top. Since the apples and honey are so sweet, I only used a tiny bit of sweetener in the cake batter itself, and included a few hints of savory flavors to balance things out. Using extra virgin olive oil instead of butter makes the cake dairy free and provides a complexity that keeps the cake from being pure, unadulterated sweetness. And ginger and cardamom, spices that play on both the sweet and savory teams, are a welcome change from the usual cinnamon.



Apple Honey Upside-Down Cake
Dairy free, paleo apple honey upside-down cake is perfect for cool fall days. Subtly spiced and not too sweet, it’s great for breakfast or dessert!
Ingredients
- 1 medium apple, cored and sliced (I used a Gala)
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 cups almond flour
- 1/2 cup tapioca flour
- 3 tablespoons raw sugar or coconut sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 3 large eggs
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line an 8-inch springform pan with tinfoil and grease the foil lightly with olive oil. Pour the honey into the bottom of the pan and arrange the apple slices in a single layer on top. If there are any apple slices that don’t fit, eat them!
- Whisk together the almond flour, tapioca flour, sugar, spices, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Whisk together the lemon juice, olive oil, vanilla, and eggs in a medium bowl. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix thoroughly.
- Scrape the batter into the pan, using a spatula to gently spread it out until it reaches the edges, taking care not to disturb the apples too much. Place the pan on a baking sheet for ease of transport. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean or with only a few small crumbs attached. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes, then carefully remove the sides of the pan. Put a plate face down on top of the cake, carefully flip the cake and plate over, and remove the bottom of the pan and the foil. Cut into 8 slices and serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
Many of the ingredients used in this recipe are available at reduced prices from Thrive Market, a membership site with a huge selection of paleo ingredients. I believe a Thrive Market membership pays for itself in savings in a very short amount of time, and they also donate a membership to a family in need for every new paid member. I’m a member and an affiliate because I love what they offer and believe in their mission to make healthy food accessible and affordable for everyone. Learn more here!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 169Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 107mgCarbohydrates: 22gFiber: 1gSugar: 21gProtein: 3g
The nutrition label provided is an estimate for informational purposes only and may not be accurate. I am not a nutritionist or medical professional.
This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Could you use spun honey (creamed honey) instead of regular honey?
I haven’t tried it but I think it will work!
I don’t cook with tinfoil. Can I use parchment instead?
That should work!
I prepared this but forgot to line the springform pan with foil, so my honey leaked out on the cookie sheet under it. It was still great though. Next time I will chop my apple, so there’s more apple to each bite.
Oooh yes, the foil is key with springform! Glad you still enjoyed the cake. Great idea to chop the apple if you want it more evenly distributed!
As soon as I buy some almond flour I will try this cake; it looks perfect!
Thanks, Agata! If you get a chance, swing back by and let me know how it turned out 🙂
What a great upside down cake for fall! Sounds delicious and love that it's gluten free too!
Thank you so much!
This looks fabulous! I've made a banana cake in my cast-iron skillet before and this sounds even better, especially since it's honey-sweetened and has the warm spices. Pinning for later! 🙂
Thanks, Elaina! I don't know–a banana cake sounds pretty great, too. Maybe that will be my next upside-down cake! Thank you so much for pinning 🙂
That cake looks just wonderful! Apples are a favorite fruit for baking this time of year and I'm itching to have some fabulous smells in my kitchen.
Thank you, Laura! I'm with you–the smells are ALMOST as good as the cake itself 🙂
What a beautiful upside down cake, Becky! So perfect for fall!
Thank you so much, Lisa!
What a lovely upside down cake! It makes me want to dive in and take a slice immediately! I rarely make upside down cakes… and I'm not sure why.
Thank you, Amanda! I don't make them that often either, but they're super fun.
This looks so good. I love apple and honey cakes especially with cardamom. This ticks all of my boxes especially as it's not too sweet.
Thank you!! I love cardamom, too–a nice change from the usual cinnamon 🙂
This looks and sounds so good, Becky! I am loving apple season.
Thank you so much, Mary! Me too 🙂