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.
Really nice balance of spices. It tastes like fall! First time I try a cashew frosting. Tasty, even my sons liked it! I had it for breakfast.Very filling but in a healthy way. I will be making this again. I doubled the icing but it would have been enough with the thin layer as the cake was very moist and good even by itself. Thank you for a very nice fall cake and to make me realized that cardamon adds a little something to the mix of spices!
You ate the frosting for breakfast? I love your style. I do the same. :D And isn’t cardamom nice?! It’s so rarely used and I have no idea why. It’s so good! I’m very happy to hear that you enjoyed the cake. Thanks so much for your comment. :)
Oh my goodness! I think I might be addicted to this cake just looking at your photos!
Thank you!
Yum. This is perfect for this time of year!
Thanks!
This cake looks gorgeous. I love maple frosting, and candied pecans are my favorite fall snack. This is definitely going on my holiday bake list!
I hope you’ll enjoy it! :)
This recipe is a keeper! We eat grain free, with 5 kids…They were thrilled with this cake! They love the cashew frosting on it. Personally, I think the cake is delicious with out the frosting… Thank you for such a great recipe!
You’re welcome! And thank you for your comment. :) I’m so happy that you and your kids enjoyed it! And awesome that you’re happy with the cake without the frosting. It just felt so naked to me without it. ;)
I am so in love with the frosting and the topping for this cake! It looks perfect!
Thanks a bunch!
This cake looks absolutely delicious and the frosting sounds dreamy!
It really is! Hope you get to try it out. :)
The perfect cake for Thanksgiving! I love using Bob’s Red Mill flours to bake with! :)
Same! They’re the best. :)
I love everything about this dessert!
Thanks!
I can’t eat apples or pears. Could I use pumpkin or sweet potato instead?
Pumpkin isn’t the same texture at all as grated apples so that wouldn’t work and I fear that sweet potato isn’t nearly as moist as apples, so I don’t think that’d work, either. I think finely grated carrots would work but I haven’t tried it!
Dear Erin, this cake looks so good! I will definitely try it soon. I hope that you are doing well and I know how hard the last few weeks can be- you just want to “finish” it all. Get some sleep in advance! ???? Crossing my fingers and wishing you all the best, Christine
P.S.: I haven’t tried Bob’s Red Mill but it sounds very good. I’ve been using the products available here- always organic- and they were okay for me.
Hi Christine! You are so right – I’m very much ready to be finished. :) And sleep… well, I think I’ll be well-prepared for what’s to come. I’ve already been sleep-deprived for 8 months. ;) That’s great that the German flours work out for you! I guess you don’t really notice a difference unless you bake the same recipe (especially cookies!) with the German flours and then Bob’s Red Mill. At the same time. Then you can really see a difference. Thanks for your comment!
What a perfect cake for fall! :) It looks perfect.
Thanks so much!
Hi Erin,
Is it possible to use mapel syrup in place of the honey.? This looks and sound so good can’t wait to make it.
Hi there! Yes but please read the paragraph after the first photo for more details. :) Hope you’ll enjoy it! I’d love to hear how it comes out.
These look really great! I can’t wait to try the frosting — mmmm!
It’s definitely a highlight! :)
I have never used a flour that is like coconut flour. Such small amounts require so many eggs. I never try a recipe with it if the eggs and liquid seem small. It takes lots of liquid.
This cake looks as moist as any cake I have seen made with wheat flour.
Thanks! And it’s weird stuff, isn’t it? I’m a big fan of mixing it with almond flour, which cuts down on the number of eggs needed, which cuts down on the weird eggy texture a lot of paleo sweets have. :)
I’m totally wow’ed by this recipe and these photos… that frosting looks so heavenly!!
Thanks a bunch!
This sounds lovely. Can you tell me how much chopped apples to add please? Can only see grated apples listed unless I’m missing it. :)
Thanks! There aren’t any chopped apples in the recipe, just grated. Sorry for the confusion! Hope you’ll like the cake. :)
I always know I’m getting a good product with Bob’s Red Mill. This cake just looks so moist and delicious!
So true! And it really is. :)
We love Bob’s coconut flour. And this recipe … perfect for FALL!
Thank you! :)
I love Bob’s Red Mill and that frosting sounds so tasty!
It really is!