Description
Indulgent French apple cake marries classic elegance with rustic charm, showcasing delicate layers of caramelized apples and silky maple ginger custard. Sweet and spicy notes dance together, promising a memorable dessert that transports you straight to the French countryside.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1.5 pounds (680 grams) tart apples (like Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and cut into 1/8-inch slices
- 1 whole egg
- 2 egg yolks
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup vegetable oil
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, separated
- 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, separated
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
Sauce Ingredients:
- 2 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1-inch fresh ginger root, thinly sliced
- 5 egg yolks
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
Instructions
- Soften apple slices in microwave at 1-minute intervals, stirring between each interval, until pliable. This process takes approximately 3 minutes. Drizzle lemon juice over apples and allow to cool for 10 minutes.
- Heat oven to 325°F. Grease 9-inch springform pan and position on lined baking sheet to prevent potential batter leakage.
- Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in medium mixing bowl. Whisk thoroughly to integrate dry ingredients evenly.
- Whisk whole egg, milk, oil, and vanilla bean paste in large bowl. Gradually incorporate dry ingredient mixture, mixing until just combined. Maintain some small lumps for optimal texture.
- Remove and reserve 1 cup of prepared batter in separate container.
- Fold egg yolks into remaining batter, then gently incorporate cooled apple slices, ensuring even distribution.
- Transfer apple-infused batter into prepared pan, pressing gently to create uniform layer. Mix reserved batter with additional flour until smooth, then spread over apple layer. Sprinkle remaining sugar on top.
- Bake for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, monitoring until cake achieves golden brown color and center sets completely.
- Allow cake to cool entirely on wire rack before removing from pan. Finish by dusting with powdered sugar just prior to serving.
Notes
- Soften apples gently in microwave to maintain texture and prevent mushiness, ensuring even cooking and better cake consistency.
- Use room temperature ingredients to help batter blend smoothly and create a more uniform cake texture.
- Prevent overmixing batter by using a light hand when combining wet and dry ingredients, which keeps the cake tender and prevents tough results.
- Adapt recipe for dietary needs by substituting gluten-free flour, using alternative milk options, or replacing sugar with natural sweeteners like maple syrup or stevia.
- Prep Time: 13 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 8
- Calories: 360
- Sugar: 25 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 15 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 75 mg