Paleo Spice Cake with Maple Cream Frosting
This paleo spice cake with maple “cream cheese” frosting is an easy-to-make treat perfect for fall and Thanksgiving!
If you’ve tried and liked my paleo carrot cake cupcakes, you’re going to love this paleo spice cake! I exchanged the carrots for grated apples, added lots of autumn spices, a little coconut sugar, and 1.5x the recipe to fit an 8″x8″ pan.
The apples are in there just for moisture. I don’t recommend omitting them unless you want a dry cake (I’ve tried it, wanting to omit an extra step and ingredient). You can’t taste them at all, so use whatever type of apples you have.
At least I couldn’t taste them, but I used random sweet-tart apples I had lying around. If you use a sour apple like a Granny Smith, you might be able to taste it, but it’d fit right in! And make sure to use fresh apples and not old, mushy, dried-up apples (I’ve also tried that).
I’ve made this cake with maple syrup, but thought it was better with honey. It seemed a little sweete,r plus you couldn’t taste the maple, anyway, and it didn’t seem like the best use of an expensive ingredient.
On top, I used my paleo and vegan maple cream cheese frosting. I just want to slather this on everything from October to Thanksgiving!
I also used it last year on my paleo pumpkin cake, and Mr. T actually said he felt like I was wasting the frosting and that it needs to be eaten with a spoon rather than on top of a flavorful cake.
If you want something caramel-y, try this paleo caramel sauce from Wicked Spatula!
Well, I think that’s a nice plan and all, but it makes this paleo spice cake even more delicious! Do note that it yields a very, very thin layer of frosting. The pieces in the picture are from the very center of the cake, and I think they just had more frosting than the other pieces.
You may want to 1.5x the frosting recipe (you can get the measurements in the original recipe linked to above) or even double it and eat whatever you have left over on apples or… with a spoon. :)
You wouldn’t imagine how many questions I get asking if people can sub the coconut flour for something else. Or if they can use coconut flour instead of whatever flour I’ve used.
The answer’s always a big nope. Coconut flour is unique and absorbs significantly more liquid than any other flour.
If you google coconut flour subs, you’ll find some suggestions, but I really don’t recommend trying them. I’ve tried. I’ve tried them all. The result isn’t anything at all like the original recipe. At least in the recipes I’ve tried!
If you ever bake gluten-free, do yourself a favor and just get yourself some coconut flour.
This paleo spice cake recipe uses only 2 tablespoons of coconut flour, but it’s necessary. You can’t use anything in its place, and you just can’t omit it. I so wish it weren’t that way, because I know some people have coconut allergies. And if you don’t use it because you hate coconut, you can use it here because you absolutely can’t taste it in this recipe (and I believe the same is true for 90% of my coconut flour recipes!).
Wondering what to do with coconut flour other than make this paleo spice cake? I’ve got about 50 coconut flour dessert recipes!
Paleo Spice Cake with Maple Cream Frosting
Ingredients
For the cake:
- 1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons (188 grams) finely ground blanched almond flour
- 3 tablespoons (24 grams) coconut flour sifted if lumpy
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom
- 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 3 large eggs 50 grams each, out of shell, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (113 grams) refined coconut oil melted
- 1/2 cup (160 grams) honey
- 3 tablespoons (36 grams) coconut sugar
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (110 grams) coarsely grated peeled apples
For the frosting note that this makes a very thin layer:
- 1 cup (132 grams) raw unsalted cashews
- 1/4 cup + 1/2 teaspoon (62 ml) Grade B maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons water
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
For the topping:
- 1/3 batch candied pecans
Instructions
- To soak the cashews for the frosting, place them in a large mug, small pot, or some kind of container that's safe to pour boiling water into. Pour enough boiling water over the cashews to cover them. Let them sit 1 1/2 to 2 hours while you prepare the rest of the cake.
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Line an 8″x8″ pan with a piece of parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the dry ingredients (almond flour through allspice). Set this aside.1 3/4 cups + 2 tablespoons (188 grams) finely ground blanched almond flour, 3 tablespoons (24 grams) coconut flour, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, 3/8 teaspoon salt, 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cardamom, 3/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 3/4 teaspoon ground cloves, 3/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- In a large bowl, mix together the eggs, oil, honey, coconut sugar and vanilla.3 large eggs, 1/2 cup (113 grams) refined coconut oil, 1/2 cup (160 grams) honey, 3 tablespoons (36 grams) coconut sugar, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- Add the dry mix to the wet and mix just until combined.
- Gently fold in the grated apples.3/4 cup (110 grams) coarsely grated peeled apples
- Pour the batter into the prepared pan and bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Note that this cake is easy to over bake!
- While the cake is cooling, prepare the frosting.
For the frosting:
- Drain the cashews and place all the ingredients in a high-speed blender jar (I don’t think this would work in a food processor).1 cup (132 grams) raw unsalted cashews, 1/4 cup + 1/2 teaspoon (62 ml) Grade B maple syrup, 2 teaspoons water, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract, 1/8 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/3 batch candied pecans
- Process on high speed for about 40 seconds or until totally smooth and no chunks remain.
- Add more lemon juice, vanilla and salt, if desired.
- Spread the frosting over the totally cooled cake. Refrigerate the frosted cake for up to 3 days. Top with maple pecans immediately before serving.
Notes
- To soak the cashews, place them in a large mug, small pot, or some kind of container that’s safe to pour boiling water into. Pour enough boiling water over the cashews to cover them. Let them sit 1 1/2 to 2 hours.
- The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator. The values are without the candied pecans.
I am new to Gluten free baking and it tasted amazing. I did have to sub the eggs for 3 flax eggs due to allergies and left out the cardamom because I don’t have any. It did have a little of a gritty texture and crumbly but my very picky mil liked her birthday cake.
I’m so glad that it worked out well with the flax eggs and that your MIL liked her birthday cake! :) Thanks so much for your review and sorry for my slow reply.
I can’t eat cashews. Can you use an alternative nut for the frosting?
I haven’t found a good sub for cashews in this type of recipe. Sorry about that!
Wow. This was wonderful. Made it for the paleos at a fall birthday celebration—including the honoree—to go with the regular birthday cake for the masses… it was so pretty and looked so scrumptious the regulars were eating it—and liking it! It’s going in my personal paleo favorites. Those candied nuts make a great stand alone snack. So easy. The whole cake really was, once you get past the cashew treatment—had some already soaked and ground in the freezer so it was really easy for me!
That’s great! I’m thrilled to hear that everyone enjoyed it, and not just the paleo people. :) It’s always so nice to hear that. Thanks a ton for your feedback! And what a great idea to freeze soaked cashews. Thanks for the tip!
Hi! Can you use a vegan egg substitute instead of eggs? Thanks!
Hi there! I think I tried (I’m not positive because I made it so many times before posting) and wasn’t successful. 3 eggs is a lot to sub in a paleo recipe like this. Sorry about that. :(
Thank you for replying! I thought that might be the case. But this looks so good, I might to give it a try anyway. I’ll let you know if I have any success.
Sounds great! Thanks a bunch and good luck. :)
Hi! Just made this as cupcakes and they are delicious. Did you have any idea what the nutritional information is on the cake without the frosting?
Hi there! I’m so happy you enjoyed them. :) I don’t have that info but you can copy and paste the recipe here for the nutritional profile, if you’d like. Thanks for your feedback!
Do you add any liquid from the soaked cashews into th mixture, or do you need to drain the cashews? Looks delicious. Can’t wait to try it.
Never mind! Guess I didn’t read far enough haha.
No worries! :)
I hope you’ll enjoy the cake! I’d love to hear how it comes out.
Spice cake is so underrated. This looks amazing and hello maple cream frosting!
Hey Erin…! this is one of my favorite recipe…and your paleo spice cake looks so yummy and beautiful, Thanks for sharing…!
So happy you liked it! Thanks for your comment. :)
Would like to bake this as donuts for family this weekend. Has anybody else tried this? Any idea how long to bake?
I haven’t tried it but I’d love to hear how they come out! Donuts usually take a LOT less time. I’d probably start checking around 6 minutes just to be safe (but it depends on the size of the donut molds and how full you fill them).
This looks plain terrific. Exactly what I need as a sweet treat today. I need to get baking over the weekend.
I think you do, too! :)