French Apple Cakecooks Illustrated Recipes

FRENCH APPLE CAKE(COOK'S ILLUSTRATED)

Steps:

• 1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 9-inch springform pan with vegetable oil spray. Place prepared pan on rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place apple slices into microwave-safe pie plate, cover, and microwave until apples are pliable and slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. Toss apple slices with Calvados and lemon juice and let cool for 15 minutes.
• 2. Whisk 1 cup flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt together in bowl. Whisk egg, oil, milk, and vanilla together in second bowl until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Transfer 1 cup batter to separate bowl and set aside.
• 3. Add egg yolks to remaining batter and whisk to combine. Using spatula, gently fold in cooled apples. Transfer batter to prepared pan; using offset spatula, spread batter evenly to pan edges, gently pressing on apples to create even, compact layer, and smooth surface.
• 4. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons flour into reserved batter. Pour over batter in pan and spread batter evenly to pan edges and smooth surface. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar evenly over cake.
• 5. Bake until center of cake is set, toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, and top is golden brown, about 1 1/4 hours. Transfer pan to wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of pan and let cool completely, 2 to 3 hours. Dust lightly with confectioners' sugar, cut into wedges, and serve.

CELINE'S FRENCH APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Mix the dry ingredients, reserve 1 tsp cinnamon.
• Mix the wet ingredients in a separate bowl.
• Combine.
• Spray or butter and flour a large glass pie dish.
• Pour in batter. Add diced apples on top. I didn't peel them, but I was being lazy. Celine suggested making pretty patterns on the top of the batter with the apples. I just tossed them on, then pushed them down slightly.
• Sprinkle with the reserved tsp of cinnamon.
• Bake at 375° in a preheated oven for about 35 minutes or until done.
• Eat warm or cold.

FRENCH APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Generously butter an 8-inch springform pan and put it on a baking sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or parchment paper.
• Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in small bowl.
• Peel the apples, cut them in half and remove the cores. Cut the apples into 1- to 2-inch chunks.
• In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk until they're foamy. Pour in the sugar and whisk for a minute or so to blend. Whisk in the rum, vanilla, cardamom and lemon zest. Whisk in half the flour and when it is incorporated, add half the melted butter, followed by the rest of the flour and the remaining butter, mixing gently after each addition so that you have a smooth, rather thick batter. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the apples, turning the fruit so that it's coated with batter. Scrape the mix into the pan and poke it around a little with the spatula so that it's evenish.
• Slide the pan into the oven and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until the top of the cake is golden brown and a knife inserted deep into the center comes out clean; the cake may pull away from the sides of the pan. Transfer to a cooling rack and let rest for 5 minutes.
• Carefully run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake and remove the sides of the springform pan. (Open the springform slowly, and before it's fully opened, make sure there aren't any apples stuck to it.) Allow the cake to cool until it is just slightly warm or at room temperature. If you want to remove the cake from the bottom of the springform pan, wait until the cake is almost cooled, then run a long spatula between the cake and the pan, cover the top of the cake with a piece of parchment or wax paper, and invert it onto a rack. Carefully remove the bottom of the pan and turn the cake over onto a serving dish.

FRENCH APPLE PIE CAKE

Steps:

• Melt the butter, let it cool down a bit while you peel your apples. Peel and Slice the apples thinly.
• Put your sugar, eggs, vanilla sugar, butter, salt and apple juice in a bowl and mix with a handheld electric mixer until foamy.
• Pour the flour, baking powder, and salt into the batter and mix until smooth.
• Add about 3/4 of your apples to the batter and stir until mixed. Pour the batter into a greased and floured round cake pan and smooth the top. Add the rest of the apples by arranging them on top of the batter. Bake at 375 degrees for about 50-60 minutes, checking it at about 35. If the top is getting too dark, cover with foil and contiue cooking.
• Allow the cake to cool for about 1 hour and dust with powdered sugar and serve.

FRENCH APPLE CAKE (OR THE 3/4 RECIPE)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Butter a 9-inch springform pan.
• Combine sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract in a bowl; beat with an electric mixer until smooth. Mix in rum. Mix in 1/2 of the butter.
• Combine flour, baking powder, and salt together in a separate bowl. Add 1/2 of the flour mixture to the egg mixture; mix well. Mix in remaining butter and flour. Fold in apples.
• Scrape batter into the prepared pan. Smooth the top gently.
• Bake in the preheated oven until top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 50 to 60 minutes.

BEE'S FRENCH APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325.
• Grease and line the base of deep 9" round cake pan with waxed paper.
• Put the chopped apples into the base of the cake pan.
• Put all the remaining cake ingredients, EXCEPT 1 EGG, into a bowl or food processor. Beat to a smooth batter.
• Pour batter over apples in pan. Level the top, then bake for 40-45 mins., until lightly golden.
• Meanwhile, cream topping ingredients together with remaining egg.
• Remove cake from oven and spoon the topping over cake.
• Return cake to oven for 20-25 mins., until golden brown.
• Cool cake in pan.
• Turn cake out, take off waxed paper and finish with a dusting of confectionary sugar.
• Variations:
• Try adding finely chopped pears, pineapples or raspberries instead of apples.
• Be creative. Add your favorite fruit. Make sure they are well drained.
• Serve with whipped cream or French Vanilla ice cream.

FRENCH APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Butter 9-inch-diameter cake pan with 2-inch-high sides. Coat pan with sugar; tap out excess. Melt 1/4 cup butter in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Stir in 3/4 cup sugar, water and cinnamon and bring to boil. Add apples and cook until apples are just tender, turning frequently, about 15 minutes. Remove apples, using slotted spoon, and arrange decoratively in bottom of pan. Continue boiling liquid in skillet until thick and syrupy, about 4 minutes. Pour over apples.
• Sift flour, baking powder and salt into small bowl. Whisk remaining 1 cup sugar, egg yolks, eggs, Calvados and vanilla in large bowl to blend. Gently stir in dry ingredients. Fold in 1/2 cup melted butter. Pour batter over apples in pan. Bake until toothpick inserted into center of cake comes out clean, about 45 minutes. Cool cake in pan 5 minutes. Run small sharp knife around side of pan to loosen cake. Turn cake out onto platter. Serve warm or at room temperature.