Healthy | Paleo | Gluten Free | Refined Sugar Free | Sugar Free Option | Dairy-Free
This Sticky Apple Pudding Cake with Caramel Sauce is pure comfort and indulgence in every bite. Soft, fluffy, and incredibly moist with a pudding-like centre, deep golden crispy edges, and a caramelised, crunchy topping of apples and walnuts that becomes beautifully crisp as it bakes. The coconut sugar melts and caramelises in the oven, creating irresistible crunchy bites around the fruit and nuts, while the warm spices fill your kitchen with the most delicious aroma. Finished with a generous drizzle of rich coconut caramel sauce, this cake is indulgent, satisfying, and honestly hard to stop at just one slice.
What makes this apple pudding cake even better is that it’s made with wholesome, nourishing ingredients you can feel good about. Naturally sweetened with no refined sugar (and it can easily be made sugar-free), made with almond flour, and completely gluten-free, dairy-free, and Paleo-friendly, it delivers that classic sticky pudding cake texture, and you can truly taste the real ingredients in every bite. The flavour is rich, comforting, and far more satisfying than desserts made with artificial sweetness.
It’s the perfect dessert for special occasions, or when you’re craving something cozy yet nourishing. You can enjoy this cake warm, when it’s extra soft and sticky like a pudding, or chill it in the fridge to let it set into a perfect pudding-cake slice, just like you see in the photos. It’s a beautiful make-ahead dessert for Christmas and the holiday season, and it’s also ideal for meal prep, as the texture and flavour get even better after a few hours (or overnight) in the fridge.
Ingredients Needed to Make This Sticky Apple Pudding Cake with Caramel Sauce
For the Cake
- Eggs
- Coconut sugar
- Coconut oil or olive oil
- Lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- Vanilla
Dry Ingredients
- Almond flour
- Arrowroot starch or tapioca starch
- Cinnamon
- Ground cloves
- Ground ginger
- Nutmeg
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
Topping
- Walnuts
- Apple
- Coconut sugar
- Cinnamon
Caramel Sauce
- Full-fat coconut cream
- Coconut sugar
- Reserved apple juice
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft, sticky pudding texture with deep golden crispy edges
- Caramelised apple + walnut topping with irresistible crunch
- Warm spices and rich flavour you can truly taste
- Naturally sweetened with no refined sugar with sugar-free option
- Gluten-free, dairy-free, and Paleo-friendly
- Delicious warm or chilled (two textures in one recipe)
- Perfect make-ahead dessert for Christmas and the holidays
- Great for meal prep, the texture gets even better after chilling
How to Adapt This Recipe to Your Diet
- To make it completely sugar-free:
Replace the coconut sugar with a brown monk fruit sweetener, also it is sweeter than coconut sugar. - Paleo-friendly:
This recipe isalready Paleo as written. - Gluten-free:
This recipe isnaturally gluten-free. - Dairy-free:
This recipe iscompletely dairy-free. - Lower-carb option:
Use brown monk fruit sweetener instead of coconut sugar to significantly reduce sugar and carbohydrate content.
How This Sticky Apple Pudding Cake Comes Together
You start by whisking the eggs, coconut sugar, oil, lemon juice, and vanilla until the mixture looks smooth and slightly fluffy.
The dry ingredients are mixed separately, then sifted directly over the wet mixture so everything stays light and evenly combined.
Once the batter comes together, grated apples are folded in. The apples are gently pressed to release a little juice, but they stay moist so the cake keeps its soft pudding texture.
Half of the batter goes into the pan first, followed by a sprinkle of cinnamon and coconut sugar to create a warm, spiced layer inside the cake.
The remaining batter is added, then the apple and walnut topping is scattered over the top. As it bakes, the topping caramelises and the edges turn beautifully golden.
The cake can be served warm for a sticky pudding-style dessert, or chilled to set into clean slices with a rich, satisfying texture.
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Paleo Apple Pudding Cake with Caramel Sauce
Ingredients
For the Cake:
Wet Ingredients
- 3 large eggs
- 1 egg white
- 1 1/4 cup coconut sugar (see sugar-free option note) 250 g
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon melted coconut oil 120 g
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice or apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean powder or vanilla extract
- 1 cup peeled and grated apples Kanzi, Jazz, or Pink Lady, about 2 medium (120 g)
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups blanched almond flour 200 g
- ½ cup arrowroot starch or tapioca starch 60 g
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- Pinch of salt
Cinnamon Sugar Layer
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3 tablespoons coconut sugar 36 g
Topping:
- 1 cup chopped walnuts 130 g
- 1 apple peeled, cored, and diced into 1 × 1 cm pieces
- ¼ cup coconut sugar 50 g
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Caramel Sauce
- ¾ can full-fat coconut cream 250 g
- ½ cup coconut sugar 100 g
- 2 –3 tablespoons reserved apple juice
- Pinch of salt 1 g
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the OvenPreheat a fan-forced oven to 170°C (340°F) or a conventional oven to 180°C (350°F).Grease or line a 20 cm (9-inch) round springform pan with parchment paper.
- Prepare the ToppingIn a bowl, mix the chopped walnuts, diced apple, coconut sugar, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Mix the Wet IngredientsIn a large mixing bowl, beat the eggs and egg white with the coconut sugar and vanilla using an electric mixer until the mixture is fluffy and the sugar is dissolved.Add the melted coconut oil and lemon juice (or apple cider vinegar). Mix just to incorporate.
- Combine the Dry IngredientsPlace a sifter over the wet ingredients bowl. Add the almond flour, arrowroot starch, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, nutmeg, baking soda, baking powder, and salt, then sift into the bowl.Beat on medium speed for about 20 seconds, until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Add the ApplesPeel and grate the apples, then press them gently with a spoon to release some excess juice. The apples should stay slightly moist, not dry.Reserve the apple juice for the caramel sauce.Measure 1 cup (120 g) grated apple and fold into the batter using a spatula or wooden spoon.
- Prepare the Cinnamon Sugar LayerIn a small bowl, mix 3 tablespoons coconut sugar with ½ teaspoon cinnamon.
- Assemble and BakePour half of the batter into the prepared pan.Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar mixture evenly over the batter.Pour over the remaining batter, then evenly sprinkle the walnut and apple topping on top.Bake for 35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean and the edges are deep golden brown.
- Prepare the Caramel SauceIn a saucepan, melt the coconut sugar over medium heat, stirring frequently to prevent burning.Add the coconut cream, reserved apple juice, and salt. Stir well.Once boiling, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until thickened.Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla extract, and allow to cool slightly. The sauce will thicken further as it cools.
- Serving NoteServe warm for a soft, sticky pudding texture, or refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight for a firmer pudding-cake slice. Drizzle generously with caramel sauce before serving and enjoy!
