Spiced Applesauce Bundt Cake with Salted Caramel Glaze (gluten free, grain free, dairy free, soy free, vegan)
 
Prep time
Cook time
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Not only does this spiced applesauce bundt cake taste delicious - even better the next day - it is truly a cake for all to enjoy, whether allergen-free, paleo, vegan, health-conscious, low-fat, and even kosher parve to serve on the Jewish New Year Rosh Hashanah, which celebrates the symbolic apple. And the perfect make-ahead cake recipe! Does it get any better than this? Hello apple season!
Jessica:
Recipe type: Dessert
Serves: 1 large bundt cake serves 12-14 or 18 small doughnut
Ingredients
  • Applesauce:
  • The applesauce yields a quart.
  • 3 pounds, about 11 medium apples, peeled, cored, and coarsely chopped *see note below
  • ⅔ cup water
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • ⅓ cup cane sugar or coconut sugar
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1½ teaspoons vanilla paste (Nielsen-Massey is gluten free)
  • Apple Spice Cake:
  • 150 g (1¼ cup) sifted chestnut flour (from nuts.com)
  • 62 g (1/2 cup) tapioca starch
  • 94 g (3/4 cup) arrowroot starch
  • 7 g (1½ tablespoons) psyllium husk (I use India Tree Organic)
  • 1½ teaspoons aluminum free baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 cup unbleached cane sugar (I use Wholesome Organic)
  • ½ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed (Wholesome Organic brand)
  • 3 tablespoons canned chickpea (garbanzo bean) liquid (also known as aquafaba)
  • ¼ teaspoon cream of tartar
  • (16 oz) 1½ cups chunky applesauce (preferably homemade)
  • ⅔ cup avocado oil
  • 1 teaspoon pure gluten free vanilla extract (I use Frontier Organic)
  • Egg using option in notes below.
  • Salted Caramel Glaze:
  • ½ stick (3 tbs) non-dairy soy free butter
  • 6 tablespoons light brown sugar, lightly packed
  • 3 tablespoons PLUS 2 teaspoons coconut or other milk
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • 2 cups sifted powdered sugar
  • For doughnuts: double the glaze recipe.
  • 1 stick (6 tablespoons) non-dairy soy free butter (I use Earth Balance soy free spread)
  • ¾ cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
  • ⅓ cup plus 2 tablespoons coconut or other nut milk
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 4 cups sifted powdered (confectioner’s) sugar
Preparation
  1. For the apple sauce:
  2. Combine prepared apples, water, and sugar in a medium (3 qt) saucepan, set on medium high heat. Stir to combine well, when it begins to simmer stir again.
  3. When it comes to a boil reduce heat to medium and add cinnamon and vanilla paste, stir again and every five minutes or so. Stirring occasionally will prevent the apples from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
  4. Cook for approximately 20 minutes, or until most of the liquid has evaporated.
  5. Use a hand held immersion blended or use a potato masher to reach desired consistency. Let it sit in the saucepan for 10-15 minutes to cool slightly then transfer to a glass jar (if using a plastic container wait until completely cooled so as not to leech plastic into your sauce). The sealed jar will remain fresh refrigerated for up to two weeks.
  6. *The bundt cake will use about half, leaving enough for topping yogurt, as an egg replacer (if needed), on toast, spoon straight out of the jar … you get the idea - it’s good stuff.
  7. For the cake:
  8. *Have all your ingredients ready, each ingredient doesn’t need much blending and we don’t want to over mix the batter.
  9. Prepare oven rack in the center and preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C). Grease a large bundt pan (or 2 doughnut pans) with non-stick coconut oil spray then dust a light coating of tapioca starch, set aside.
  10. In a medium bowl, combine all flours, psyllium husk, baking soda, kosher salt, cinnamon, ginger, and allspice, set aside.
  11. In a stand mixer with a paddle attachment set on medium speed, or a large bowl using an electric mixer, beat both sugars for 2-3 minutes, or until fully incorporated.
  12. Add chickpea liquid and cream of tartar, mix another minute until it looks light and creamy.
  13. Add half of the applesauce, half of the oil, then remaining applesauce and oil and vanilla. Immediately reduce speed to low, add flour blend and combine until just blended. Do not over mix. Use a rubber spatula to scrape any sugar at the bottom of the bowl and loose flour.
  14. Pour batter in greased and floured bundt pan. Note: It will come up about an inch short from the top of the pan.
  15. Place on center rack and bake 55-60 minutes. A toothpick in the center should come out with some crumb but not wet.
  16. Let cake cool for 20-30 minutes in the pan and should be only slightly warm to the touch. This is important, otherwise it won’t release easily.
  17. When cooled, place a cooling rack (right-side down) on the bundt pan, hold the bundt pan and cooling rack tightly together then flip over to release the cake. Tap the pan on its’ sides if needed. If it’s not releasing wait another 5-10 minutes to cool. Place parchment paper under the cooling rack to catch glaze drips.
  18. For the salted caramel glaze:
  19. In a small saucepan, combine non-dairy soy free butter, brown sugar, coconut milk and kosher salt, set on medium heat. When melted, whisk ingredients to blend then bring to a fast rolling boil, without stirring, boil an additional minute (exactly).
  20. Remove from heat and cool caramel in the saucepan for 15 minutes then transfer to a heat-safe medium bowl. Slowly add powdered sugar while whisking until well blended (you may need more to reach desired thickness). Consistency should be thick, and pour slowly, not thin like an icing. If it’s too thick, add ½ teaspoon of water at a time until reached consistency.
  21. Spoon glaze over cake, then sprinkle coarse sea salt and serve. I find the drizzling spoon from Wilton Co., used for chocolate making, makes the prettiest and less messiest drizzles (sold at any baking supplies store or online).
  22. Note: Stir the glaze just before glazing. It will stiffen up and form a sugar crust as it sits but easily blends again with a good whisk.
  23. For baked doughnuts:
  24. Transfer batter into a gallon-sized ziplock bag and cut about 1 inch off the tip of one corner. Pipe batter into (greased and floured) doughnut pans to the top. Use the back of a spoon to even out, if needed. For a quicker but messier approach: use a small liquid measuring cup to pour in about a ¼ cup or so (until ¾ full). Bake 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Mine were done at 30 minutes. Let doughnuts cool for 15 minutes (pans should be slightly warm the touch) before releasing. These are very moist, much like cake, and will release gently. If it feels resistant (I had a couple of these), gently twist the doughnut slightly and lift.
  25. Invert doughnuts onto two cooling racks to give them ample spacing and cool another 15 minutes. Place a piece of parchment paper under the cooling rack to catch drips. Dip cooled doughnuts, halfway, into the glaze and twist to catch the glaze. Gently slide any excess glaze along the edge of the bowl, if needed. Set back on cooling rack to set. After about 4 or 5 doughnuts, sprinkle on coarse sea salt (to your liking) before the glaze set. Repeat until completed. It will set somewhat quickly in a room temperature setting and may stick to the cooling rack when dripped down. If so, rub a toothpick underneath to separate the doughnuts before lifting. Best served immediately. Can remain fresh refrigerated up to three days.
  26. If making doughnuts ahead: Freeze them baked and unglazed between sheets of wax paper and seal in a freezer-safe container up to a month. Thaw in the refrigerator then come to room temperature and glaze. Glaze is not freezer-friendly and best prepared the same day as serving.
  27. Note:
  28. If you choose to use eggs to make this Paleo: omit the aquafaba, cream of tartar and 2 tablespoons of apple sauce, then add 2 whole eggs after creaming the sugars, and beat for a minute before adding in applesauce.
  29. Bundt pan: the batter may come up to the top of a smaller bundt pan but I haven’t tried that.
  30. Gluten-free flour blend:
  31. cups (297 g) Bob’s Red Mill GF 1 to 1 Baking Flour
  32. /2 teaspoons aluminum free baking soda
  33. -same amount of spices and kosher salt
  34. Gum-free Flour Blend:
  35. (173 g) 1¼ cup white rice flour
  36. (58 g) 1 cup tapioca starch
  37. (57g) ½ cup coconut flour
  38. (10 g) 2 tablespoons psyllium husk
  39. teaspoons aluminum free baking powder
  40. /2 teaspoon aluminum free baking soda
  41. -same amount of spices and kosher salt
Recipe by From Jessica's Kitchen at http://fromjessicaskitchen.com/spiced-applesauce-bundt-cake-with-salted-caramel-glaze-gluten-free-grain-free-dairy-free-soy-free-vegan-paleo-friendly/