Cinnamon Apple Crumb Cake - Low Carb & Gluten Free
A low carb and gluten free coffee cake or crumb cake that is flavored with cinnamon apples and chopped walnuts Perfect as a snack or with your morning coffee
A low carb and gluten free coffee cake or crumb cake that is flavored with cinnamon apples and chopped walnuts Perfect as a snack or with your morning coffee
- 2 eggs
- pinch of salt
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 cup walnuts chopped
- 6 tbsp butter
- 1/4 tsp xanthan gum
- 3 tbsp butter
- 3/4 cup almond flour
- 1/3 cup erythritol sweetener (i use swerve)
- 1/3 cup coconut flour
- 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
- 1 cup granny smith apples peeled and chopped into 1/2 inch pieces
- 1/4 cup erythritol sweetener (i use swerve)
- Carbohydrate 12.9041211592966 g
- Cholesterol 32.317939826423 mg
- Fat 33.8618519136525 g
- Fiber 5.84534151716781 g
- Protein 7.55232495421887 g
- Saturated Fat 17.9540814880001 g
- Serving Size 1 1 serving (113g)
- Sodium 170.517319446142 mg
- Sugar 7.05877964212874 g
- Trans Fat 2.18150588992879 g
- Calories 367 calories
Step-by-step
- Cream the butter and sweetener together until smooth and fluffy.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each, then add the vanilla extract.
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine the almond flour, coconut flour, cinnamon, baking powder, xanthan gum and salt and mix well.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix.
- Pour in the almond milk and mix until just blended.
- Spread the batter into a greased 9x9 baking pan.
- Melt the butter in a medium skillet.
- Add the apples, cinnamon and sweetener and cook for 2 minutes, stirring the entire time.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the almond flour, pinch of salt and chopped walnuts. Stir well until a crumbly dough forms.
- Spoon the topping evenly over the cake batter and spread out.
- Bake the cake in a 375 degree oven for 35 minutes. If you find the topping getting too brown, cover it loosely with parchment or aluminum foil for the final 10 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and cool before slicing into 3 inch squares.
- Alternatively, you can bake these in 9 large muffin cups for about 20 minutes at 375 degrees (F) or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
Almond flour does the heavy structural lifting in this batter, providing the dense crumb required to support heavy fruit without collapsing. Dense gluten-free baked goods require precise scaling if you adjust the pan size; halving the batter demands shifting from a nine-inch square pan to a smaller loaf pan to maintain proper depth, whereas doubling requires two separate pans rather than crowding one vessel to prevent uneven center baking. Creaming butter and erythritol thoroughly incorporates air pockets that substitute for gluten networks, while xanthan gum prevents the crumb from turning completely crumbly.
Managing Texture and Moisture
Coconut flour absorbs liquid aggressively compared to nut flours, meaning measuring by weight rather than volume yields a more predictable crumb structure. Overmixing the batter after adding the almond milk activates the gum excessively, resulting in a rubbery texture rather than a tender cake. Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 35 minutes, tenting with foil if the walnut topping browns too quickly before the center sets.
- Dry, crumbly topping usually stems from insufficient butter in the skillet mixture; ensure the warm apple juices are fully absorbed by the flour and fat before distributing over the batter.
- Sinking fruit can be avoided by ensuring apple pieces are cut strictly to half-inch dice and patted dry of excess surface moisture.
- Gummy centers indicate the baking powder has expired or the oven temperature ran too low; verify heat with an independent oven thermometer.
