Winter Spice Maple Dream (Print Version)

A spiced cake blending maple syrup and winter flavors in a gluten-free, comforting treat.

# List of Ingredients:

→ Dry Ingredients

01 - 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
02 - 1 ½ teaspoons gluten-free baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon baking soda
04 - ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
08 - ¼ teaspoon ground ginger

→ Wet Ingredients

09 - ⅔ cup pure maple syrup
10 - ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
11 - ½ cup neutral oil (e.g., sunflower or canola)
12 - ¼ cup milk of choice (dairy or non-dairy)
13 - 2 large eggs, room temperature
14 - 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

→ Optional Topping

15 - ¼ cup maple syrup for drizzling
16 - ½ cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts

# Step-by-step Instructions:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch square baking pan and line it with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger in a large bowl.
03 - In a separate bowl, whisk together maple syrup, applesauce, oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
04 - Add wet mixture to dry ingredients and stir until just combined without overmixing.
05 - Pour batter into prepared pan and smooth the surface. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
06 - Let cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
07 - Drizzle additional maple syrup and sprinkle toasted nuts over the cake if using, before serving.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It's naturally forgiving and soft, like a spiced hug wrapped in cake form.
  • The maple syrup does all the heavy lifting on flavor, so you barely taste that you're eating gluten-free.
  • It comes together in under an hour and fills your whole house with the kind of smell that makes people linger in your kitchen.
02 -
  • Gluten-free flour is thirsty—it drinks up liquid differently than wheat flour does, so don't look for the same batter consistency you'd expect from a regular cake.
  • A toothpick test is everything here; gluten-free cakes can look done before they are, so actually test it and trust the toothpick.
03 -
  • Toast your own nuts in a dry skillet for two minutes while the oven preheats—it wakes them up completely and adds a dimension of flavor the raw version can't touch.
  • A pinch of cardamom added to the dry ingredients gives the cake a subtle Indian spiced quality that makes people say "what is that flavor?" in the best way possible.

Go Back