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FRENCH APPLE CAKE

1 week ago 770

What Is French Apple Cake
French Apple Cake is really a lot of apple with a little bit of batter joining the apples together, baked till tender then a sugary, butter topping finishes off the cake. It’s more of a crustless tart than a cake, and perfect for serving after a hearty meal.

This French Apple Cake recipe is from Patricia Wells, an American cookbook author and teacher, who has lived in Paris for years. The story goes that Wells asked a Parisienne stall holder selling apples from her family orchard for a recipe.

This is her resulting French apple cake recipe. It’s a homely recipe, typical of French provincial home cooking. Delicious served cold with some Quick No Churn Vanilla Bean Ice cream, or hot with a Super Simple Creme Anglaise (custard).

At a Glance This Is What You Need To Make French Apple Cake

French Apple Cake ingredients

We grew up surrounded by apple orchards so consequently apples featured heavily in our dessert repertoire. Although this particular cake recipe wasn’t about in the day, it would have been snaffled up, had it been.

All In One Apple Cake
This French Apple Cake is a little winner. You’re simply making a batter and coating the apple slices with the batter and baking for 30 minutes then pouring a little topping made with egg, sugar and butter that bakes till its golden and a little crunchy on top. Super easy and delish! 😄

What Apples Are Best For Apple Cake
We used Granny Smith apples that are moderately sweet with crisp flesh, fresh from the orchard of our friend Carol. You can use whatever apples you like, but some apples contain more moisture than others, so the cooking time won’t be a constant.

When it comes to baking, the best baking apple varieties maintain their structure. The slices hold their shape and don’t go all mushy.

There are lots of other varieties that you can use such as:

Fuji – sweet and juicy
Pink Lady – balance between tart and sweet
Golden Delicious – firm, with a mild sweet flavour
Jazz – crisp and sweet
Honeycrisp – honey-sweet and tart flavour
Jonagold – tangy sweet flavour
Hot Tip # 1

Using a mandolin makes short work to slice the apples, but a sharp knife will do the job. Try to get the apple slices as thin as possible.

French apple cake slice served off a white plate

The Batter

Hot Tip # 2

The batter for French Apple Cake is quite thin and the best way to make sure each slice of apple is coated is to use your hands to rub the apple slices ensuring that each slice is covered in the batter.

The Topping
The topping of melted butter, sugar and an egg mixed together sets to a thin crunchy golden topping that really finishes off the cake beautifully.

     

How To Store French Apple Cake
French Apple Cake is best stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Before serving remove cake from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature for an hour or so.

Can I Freeze French Apple Cake
French Apple Cake can be frozen. Wrap the cooled cake in plastic film then wrap in alfoil. Freeze for 6-8 weeks. Take cake from freezer and remove alfoil and place on a plate in the refrigerator still covered to thaw overnight. Bring the cake to room temperature for an hour or so, removing plastic wrapping just before serving.

If you’d like to serve it warm unwrap the cake and preheat oven to 160c (320f) and pop the cake on a baking sheet for around twenty minutes. You’re not looking for the cake to be piping hot just simply to warm the cake if you don’t want it cold.

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French Apple Cake
prep time: 30 MINUTES
cook time: 50 MINUTES
total time: 1 HOUR 20 MINUTES
French apple cake is really a lot of apple with a little bit of batter joining the apples together, baked till tender then a sugary, butter topping finishes off the cake. It’s more of a crustless tart than a cake, and perfect for serving after a hearty soup or stew.

Ingredients

Cake
lightly butter a 22cm (9 inch) cake tin and line base with baking paper
1/2 cup plain (all purpose) flour
1/2 cup caster sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/8 teaspoon fine salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 large eggs, beaten lightly
1/3 cup full cream milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
4 large apples (about 1 kg / 2 pounds) cored, peeled and cut into thin slices – see notes
icing sugar to dust – optional
Topping
1/3 cup caster sugar
1 large egg, beaten lightly
3 tablespoons butter, melted

Instructions
Cake
preheat oven to 200c (400f) bake not fan
in a large bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt
add the vanilla, eggs, oil and milk and mix till well combined
add the apple slices and using your hands mix the apple with the batter so as to coat each individual slice of apple
pour into the prepared pan and bake on the centre shelf for 30 minutes – pop a timer on
Topping
in a small bowl combine the egg, sugar and butter and stir to blend then set aside
when the 30 minutes for the cake is up, remove cake from oven
pour topping mix over the cake and spread the topping evenly over the apples
return to oven for 20 minutes until some of the apple slices are tinged golden
remove cake from oven onto a wire rack
run a knife around the sides of the pan and allow to cool
turn cake out onto a plate and then turn onto an airing rack so the top of the cake is once again upright
cool
dust with icing sugar
serve at room temperature
enjoy!

Notes
We used Granny Smith apples fresh from the orchard of our friend Carol. You can use whatever apples you like, but some apples contain more moisture than others, so the cooking time won’t be a constant.
Slice apples as thin as possible

Credit: Everyday Recipes