Everyone who follows me on Instagram will know I love to bake!  Gluten free baking can be tricky though.  I think I’ve cracked it, but the main challenge is giving the gluten-eaters a slice without knowing it is in fact gluten free!

Another family birthday came up in October, but I wanted to make them a fall-inspired cake that was a bit out of the ordinary.  I scanned various websites looking for inspiration, and couldn’t find anything gluten free I wanted to make!  I just mixed up all the good bits I’d seen and came up with the below…and the best bit?  No-one knew it was gluten free!

Apple Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Prep Time: 20 minutes     Cook Time: 30 – 40 minutes     Servings: 8 – 10

Ingredients

• 1 cup pumpkin purée (I use Libby’s)
• 4 apples, cored, peeled and cut into cubes
• 2 medium eggs
• 1/2 cup soft brown sugar
• 3/4 cup regular white sugar
• 2/3 cups vegetable oil
• 2 cups gluten free plain flour (I use Dove’s Farm)
• 1/2 teaspoon xanthum gum (again, I use Dove’s Farm)
• 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon cinnamon
• 1 – 2 teaspoons of mixed spice (or a mix of ginger, nutmeg, cinnamon and clove)

To decorate

• Caramel (either home-made when I have time, or I use Carnation caramel)
• Chopped toasted pecans
• Icing sugar

Method

1. Pre heat the oven to 170 degrees
2. In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the eggs, white sugar and brown sugar until light in colour and creamy.  This will take about 5 minutes
3. Add the oil, vanilla extract, and beat together for 1-2 more minutes
4. Add in the pumpkin purée and continue beating to combine
5. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, xanthum gum, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, salt and spices
6. Add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until combined, but do not over mix.  At this point, add in the chopped apples and fold in
   N.B If at this point the mixture seems a little stiff, as it often will do when using gluten free flour and xanthum gum, add a splash of liquid to loosen it up.  I often use milk, but any milk substitute would do
7. Spray your bundt tin with baking spray or a little vegetable oil.  Carefully pour in the batter and place into the oven
8. Bake for 40 – 50 minutes, but keep checking with a tooth pick or skewer inserted into the cake until it comes out clean
9. Let the cake cool on a wire rack for about 30 minutes
10. Invert the bundt cake onto a serving plate and let it cool further
11. Drizzle the cake with the caramel, pecans and a sprinkling of icing sugar if using.  Enjoy!
12. The cake will keep covered for a few days, if it doesn’t all get eaten at once!