French Vanilla Apple Cake Recipes

FRENCH APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease a 9-inch springform or regular cake pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray. If using a regular cake pan, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and grease again.
• In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
• Using a handheld mixer with beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and rum. Don't worry if the batter looks grainy at this point; that's okay. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the chopped apples.
• Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and even the top. Sprinkle evenly with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool on a rack in the pan. Once cool, run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake. If using a springform pan, remove the sides. If using a regular cake pan, carefully invert the cake onto the rack, remove the parchment paper, then gently flip the cake over and place right-side-up on a platter. Using a fine sieve, dust with confectioners' sugar (if using). Cake can be served warm or room temperature, plain or with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
• Freezer Friendly Instructions: The cake can be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, wrap it tightly with aluminum foil or freezer wrap. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.

FRENCH VANILLA APPLE CAKE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350; Butter& flour 2 8" round cake pans.
• Remove 3/4 cup apple slices from pie filling; reserve.
• At low speed beat cake mix, eggs, oil and remaining pie filling 30 seconds; increase speed to medium; beat 2 minutes.
• Divide batter between pans; bake 30 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean; cool 15 minutes.
• Remove from pans; cool completely on racks.
• Meanwhile spread nuts on ungreased baking sheet; bake until lightly browned, about 6 minutes; cool.
• Stire cinnamon into frosting.
• Place 1 cake layer on serving plate; spread with 3/4 cup frosting; arrange reserved apple slices from filling over frosting leaving 1" border around edge; top with remaining cake layer.
• Spread top and side of cake with remaining frosting; press nuts all around bottom of cake where you left the 1" border.
• If desired toss apples with lemon juice than pat dry; arrange on cake with walnut half.

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.

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.