Gluten-Free Upside-Down Apple Honey Cake

I grew up in a mixed-faith family. My mom is Jewish and my dad was Christian, and while I’m not particularly religious, I will always take an opportunity to celebrate a holiday with good food. ❤️

Rosh Hashanah is one of those holidays for me, and every year I love making an apple cake to celebrate the start of the Jewish New Year.

This upside-down honey apple cake is incredibly easy, beautifully spiced, and perfect for fall. It’s gluten-free, dairy-free, and made with our Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, so it has that soft, tender texture you want in a cake without tasting “gluten-free” at all.

And really, even if you don’t celebrate Rosh Hashanah, this is just a wonderful apple cake to make any time you want your kitchen to smell like fall.

Why Apples and Honey?

Apples dipped in honey are traditionally enjoyed during Rosh Hashanah as a symbol of wishing for a sweet new year, which is why I love bringing those flavors into this cake.

The apples caramelize beautifully on the bottom of the pan while the cake bakes, then become the top once you flip it over. The honey adds just enough sweetness, and the apple spice makes the whole thing warm and cozy.

The Spice I Use

For the apple-spice flavor, I use either our Apple Pie Spice or Little Palates Apple Cinnamon.

Both of these blends give this cake the classic fall apple flavor you want in an apple cake.

Gluten-Free Flour That Actually Works

I make this cake with our Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour, which i developed to work as a 1:1 replacement in non-yeasted recipes after years of failed baked goods using other store-bought gluten-free flour.

It gives this cake a soft, bakery-style crumb and keeps the recipe simple because you don’t need to mix together a bunch of different gluten-free flours.

Tips for the Best Apple Cake

Use apples that hold their shape well when baked, and slice them fairly evenly so they cook at the same rate.

Be sure to let the cake cool slightly before flipping it out of the pan. You want it warm enough that the apples release easily, but not so hot that the cake falls apart.

And if a little piece of apple sticks to the pan? Just place it right back on top. No one will ever know. 😉

Perfect for Rosh Hashanah or Fall Baking

This cake feels special enough for a holiday table, but it’s easy enough to make on a random September afternoon.

Serve it as-is, with coffee or tea, or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream if you want to make it extra indulgent!

I hope you love this one as much as we do.

Happy Rosh Hashanah to those who celebrate, and happy fall baking to everyone. ❤️

Hugs,

Hayley