Perfect Gluten Free Low Carb Apple Dump Cake Recipe

This Keto Low Carb Apple Dump Cake is an easy, one-bowl dessert that’s grain free, gluten free, and sugar free — now updated to be even softer and moister thanks to my latest test using sunflower seed meal and Greek yogurt. It’s the perfect fall dessert recipe made with fresh apples (or zucchini for keto) and delivers the comforting flavor of apple pie filling with only 5 g net carbs per serving (or just 1 g net carb using zucchini).

Are Apples Keto Friendly?

No foods are technically “keto.” Ketosis is a metabolic state your body enters when carbs are very low.

One small apple (149 g) has about 20 g total carbs, which could use up an entire day’s carb limit for strict keto followers.

Some people following a keto diet will only allow themselves 20 grams of carb intake for the entire day so eating one small apple would not be helpful for them and may kick them out of ketosis.

However, using a small amount of apple in a recipe that makes many servings can absolutely fit into both a low-carb and midlife-macro-balanced lifestyle.

Carbs in Regular Apple Dump Cake vs. This Low Carb Version

Traditional dump cake recipes made with boxed yellow cake mix, sugar, and canned apple pie filling can easily top 55 to 65 grams of total carbs per slice, with more than 35 grams of added sugar. 

In this updated Sugar-Free Mom version, a serving made with fresh apples has 9 grams total carbs and 6 grams net carbs, and the fully keto version made with zucchini and apple pie extract drops to just 6 total and 4 g net carb per serving — all with zero added sugar. You still get that cozy, apple-pie-style comfort, just without the carb crash that usually follows.

A Simple Fall Favorite

We moved from the city to the countryside a few years ago, and it felt fitting to post this apple recipe after finding a gorgeous apple tree in our new backyard.

Like our family’s slower pace, this recipe reminds me that the best things in life are simple — just a few basic ingredients mixed in a baking dish and baked to cozy perfection.

How to Make Low Carb Apple Cake

I love easy dump cake recipes because you literally just throw all the simple ingredients together in a baking dish and bake it! Boom! Done!

This is one of our favorites at this time of year and the easiest dessert for a family.

This apple dump cake makes me happy and peaceful just looking at it. It reminds me that life can be simple,  just like simple recipes, and it’s ok. Because as long as you have your family and some essentials you can do anything.

We use fresh apples but below you will find an adaption to lower the carbs to help you fit this into your ketogenic diet.

Ingredients

To view exact amounts, see nutrition info and print recipe, please scroll to the bottom of this post to view the printable recipe card.

Coconut flour

Sunflower seed meal — nut-free, grain-free, and keeps the cake moist

Monk Fruit Allulose granular sweetener

Ground Cinnamon

Baking powder

Large eggs

Melted Butter 

Plain lactose-free Greek yogurt – I use the FAGE 5.3 oz cup for added protein and moisture

Cinnamon liquid stevia (or vanilla stevia)

Fresh apples, peeled and chopped (or zucchini for keto)

Directions (Updated Method)

Cool 10–15 minutes covered before slicing.

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Grease a 9 × 13-inch baking dish.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together coconut flour, sunflower seed meal, sweetener, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

In another bowl, whisk eggs, melted butter, and Greek yogurt until smooth. Add stevia drops if desired.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until combined.

Fold in the apple mixture (or zucchini).

Spread evenly into the prepared dish.

Cover with aluminum foil and bake for 35 minutes.

Remove foil (leave center slightly exposed) and continue baking for 15-20 minutes at 350 °F, until edges are golden and the center is just set.

Enjoy hot out of the oven or room temperature with some sugar free whipped cream or add a scoop of ice cream!

How to Make this a Keto Dump Cake

To lower carbs even more:

Add ½ tsp apple pie extract to mimic baked apple flavor.This swap reduces total carbs from 10 g to 6 g and net carbs to 1 g per serving — all the comfort of apple pie without the sugar.

Replace the apples with peeled, sliced zucchini.

While it might not be the prettiest of cakes, it is a super easy dessert! Topped with a little sugar-free whipped cream, or keto vanilla ice cream, you’ve got comfort on a plate.

No need for fancy anything at this country home we are in, just as this cake needs nothing fancy to make it spectacular.

With minimal effort on your part, this apple dump cake is a reminder that the simple things in life always make for the best recipe.

Low-Carb Apple Desserts

Keto Sugar Free Apple Cake

Apple Pie Dutch Baby Pancake

Apple Cheesecake Bars

Apple Cider Donuts

Apple Poke Cake

Keto Apple Muffins with cream cheese

Baking Tips

• If the center jiggles too much at 35 minutes, raise temp to 350 °F and bake 10–15 min longer, tenting edges with foil if needed.
• The cake will continue to set as it cools.
• Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
• Reheat slices briefly in the microwave or oven to restore that just-baked texture.

Brenda’s Notes:

I use an apple corer-peeler tool to make prep quick and even.

If you don’t have Monk Fruit Allulose, check my Sweetener Conversion Chart to adjust another sugar-free sweetener.

The Greek yogurt keeps the cake moist and adds protein — no need for heavy cream in this version.

For a fall twist, sprinkle the top with a little sugar-free cinnamon “crumble” before baking..

UPDATED October 2025: This recipe originally used 1 cup coconut flour and 1/2 cup butter. I decided to perfect it since many commenters were saying it was dry. I added Greek yogurt to increase the protein and reduced the butter, below you have options to make it keto using zucchini instead.

Gluten Free Low Carb Apple Dump Cake