French Apple Cake

Before you start

French apple cake is mostly apple. A small amount of rich batter, made from eggs, sugar, melted butter and a little flour, coats a large pile of thin apple chunks. In the oven the batter sets around the fruit like custard, the edges turn golden and crisp, and the apples soften without collapsing. The result is closer to a fruit-filled custard cake than to a fluffy sponge.

The apple variety matters. Use a mix of firm, sweet and tart apples that hold their shape, such as Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Braeburn or Pink Lady; very soft apples turn to mush. Cut them into thin, bite-size pieces so they cook through in the time the batter needs to set, and bake until the top is deep golden and a knife slides through the center easily.

Ingredients

• 110 g (¾ cup + 2 tbsp) all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¼ tsp fine salt
• 4 medium (about 900 g) apples — a mix of varieties, peeled, cored and cut into 2 cm (¾ in) chunks
• 2 large eggs — room temperature
• 150 g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp dark rum — or 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 115 g (½ cup) unsalted butter — melted and cooled
• 1 tbsp turbinado or granulated sugar — for the top

Method

1. Heat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Butter the springform and set it on a parchment-lined baking sheet to catch drips.
2. Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a small bowl. Prepare the apples and set them aside.
3. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs until foamy, about 1 minute. Whisk in the sugar, then the rum and vanilla, until pale and slightly thickened.
4. Whisk in half of the flour mixture, then half of the melted butter. Repeat with the rest of the flour and butter until the batter is smooth and thick.
5. Fold in the apples with a spatula until every piece is coated. The bowl will look like mostly apples.
6. Scrape into the pan and press the apples into an even layer. Sprinkle the top with the 1 tbsp sugar.
7. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the top is deep golden, the edges pull away from the pan and a knife slides through the apples in the center with no resistance and no wet batter.
8. Cool on a rack for 30 minutes, then run a knife around the edge and release the ring. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Tips for success

• Cut the apples to an even size so they cook at the same rate.
• If the top browns before the center is set, lay a sheet of foil loosely over the pan.
• Serve with lightly whipped cream, crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.

Substitutions

Dark rum

Use apple brandy (Calvados) for a deeper apple flavor, or apple juice and extra vanilla for a cake with no alcohol.

All-purpose flour

A gluten-free 1:1 blend with xanthan gum works well here because the cake has very little structure to begin with.

Apples

Firm pears work; use slightly underripe ones so they do not turn watery.

Variations

Spiced apple cake

Add ½ tsp ground cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to the flour.

Apple almond cake

Replace 30 g of the flour with almond flour and scatter 30 g sliced almonds over the top with the sugar.

Troubleshooting

Center is wet and gummy

It needed more time or the apples were very juicy. Bake until a knife comes out clean of batter, and choose firm apple varieties.

Apples are still crunchy

The pieces were too thick. Cut them into 2 cm chunks or thin slices so they soften in the baking time.

Cake stuck to the pan

The pan was not buttered enough or the cake was released while hot. Butter the pan well and let the cake cool for 30 minutes first.

Storage

Cover and keep at room temperature for 1 day, then refrigerate for up to 3 more days. The texture softens and becomes more custardy over time. Rewarm slices briefly before serving.

Safety notes

Raw batter contains raw egg and flour and should not be tasted. Most of the rum cooks off, but some alcohol can remain; use the juice option for children. Contains wheat, egg and milk.