Go Back
Print
Photograph of Invisible Apple Cake

Invisible Apple Cake

Loaded with layers and layers of melt in the mouth, tender, sweet slices of thin apple cooked in a simple, vanilla cake batter, this classic recipe hails from France. More apple than cake and wonderful for dessert, it is also exceptionally popular in Japan, where they include some miso either in the batter, or serve it with a miso caramel sauce. I’ve never made it the Japanese way, but it sounds wonderful.

Course afternoon tea, Dessert
Cuisine French
Keyword Apples, cake
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Servings 8

Ingredients

  • 20g unsalted butter
  • 2 eggs, at room temperature
  • 50g caster sugar
  • 40g whole milk
  • 40g double/heavy cream
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 80g plain/all-purpose flour
  • 1¼ teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon fine salt
  • 700g apples - I used Pink Lady or use your eating apple of choice

To finish:

  • 2 tablespoons demerara sugar

Instructions

  1. Collect together your equipment (see Recipe Notes below) and ingredients.

  2. Preheat oven to 180°C/350°F/Gas 4 (fan 160°C). Grease and line a 900g/2lb loaf tin or use a loaf tin liner.

  3. Melt the butter in a microwave safe bowl in the microwave, or in a saucepan on the hob. Set aside to cool.

  4. Whisk the sugar and eggs in a mixing bowl until lighter in colour and foamy.

  5. Pour in the butter, milk, cream and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.

  6. Sieve over the flour, baking powder and salt and gently mix into the batter until combined.

  7. Prepare the apples by peeling, cutting into quarters, removing the core and slicing thinly. I use a mandolin. Don't slice the apples too thinly, the apple slices need to be able to hold their shape when combined into the cake mixture

  8. Add the apples to the cake batter and mix thoroughly.

  9. Transfer half the apples to the prepared cake tin, making sure that they are lying horizontally. Press down on them to ensure they are tightly packed. Hold a few apples slices back to decorate the top and then repeat with the remainder of the mixture.

  10. Neatly add the final layer of apples, and press down again to pack them.

  11. Bake in a preheated oven for 35 minutes, remove, sprinkle with the demerara sugar and put back in the oven for a further 10 minutes, or until cooked. The top should be golden brown and the apples very soft..

  12. Set aside for 30 minutes and then remove from the tin. Serve warm or at room temperature either with a cup of tea or as a dessert with crème fraîche.

Recipe Notes

Equipment:

  • kitchen scales and measuring spoons
  • mixing bowl and balloon whisk
  • sharp knife, chopping board, mandolin
  • greased and lined 900g/2lb loaf tin, or use a loaf tin liner.
  • cooling rack

Where is this recipe from?

This recipe is from a wonderful website called Pardon your French. Set up by Audrey Le Goff, Audrey describes her site as ‘bringing French flavours to your kitchen, sharing classic recipes, lesser-known regional dishes and a few modern takes. Making French cooking easy, approachable and cliché-free is Audrey’s priority.’ I absolutely love her site and it is a go-to for me when Im looking for French recipes. See here to see the original recipe and browse Pardon your French.