French Apple Cake

The best classic French apple cake recipe! Simplicity in this traditional dessert so quick and easy to make, with a soft texture and melted apples pieces.

A traditional cake that we like to prepare for the children's after-school snack or for any other occasion it is a classic loved by all.

Craving a homemade cake soft and comforting? This is a quick and easy recipe to make with apples for a snack ! You will love the softness of this cake with these melting and tasty apples !

Classic French apple cake

This is a classic dessert of grandmothers, the French apple cake! Ultra soft and full of apple chunks, this cake has a perfect texture, melting and light in the mouth.

It is the easiest and quickest recipe to make with simple ingredients for a cake that can be prepared at any time of the day and for any occasion!

It is eaten warm or cold and served with a sugar glaze, a drizzle of salted caramel sauce or a whipped cream and, for those with a sweet tooth, add a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Useful tools to make this cake

• Cake pan 8 inch / 20 cm diameter  or springform pan for easy removal from the pan.
• Whisk or a wooden spoon to mix the dough.

Ingredient notes

Eggs

Use eggs at room temperature, they will incorporate better with the other ingredients. Take them out of the fridge 1 hour before and to go faster you can pass them without a trickle of hot water.

Sugar

Use granulated powdered sugar or cane sugar or other unrefined sugar to make this recipe. The quantity is rightly proportioned but you can adapt it to your taste by lowering or increasing it.

I also sprinkle a little cane sugar on top of the cake just before baking. This adds an extra layer of crispness.

Vegetable oil

For the fat I use preferably a neutral vegetable oil, like rapeseed oil or grape seed oil. But you will also find many apple cake recipes with unsalted and melted butter.

The oil brings a more moist texture but you can smell it a little bit when the cake comes out of the oven, but when the cake cools you don't notice the smell anymore. You can try replacing the oil with butter, which brings a delicious smell to the cake.

Yogurt

Yogurt adds a more moist texture to the cake for a less dry and more flavorful cake. Use plain unflavored yogurt with no added sugar. You can easily replace it with buttermilk or Greek yogurt.

Vanilla extract

Use pure, liquid vanilla extract to flavor this cake recipe. Or you can replace it with a packet of vanilla sugar.

Flour

Use a wheat flour, which is gently incorporated to keep the texture soft and melt-in-your-mouth.

Tips : For a gluten-free version of apple cake if you are allergic or intolerant, replace the flour with another gluten-free flour.

Baking powder

The baking powder help to make the cake rise and obtain an airy and fluffy texture for a light cake in the mouth.

Salt

A small pinch of salt which is a flavor enhancer. Don't worry, you won't feel it at all in the cake, it brings out all the flavors.

Apples

Use large apples like granny smith or others apples, without the skin and cut into very thin slices or large pieces.

How to make the French apple cake

Start by preheating the oven to 356°F / 180°C (fan oven) and line a 8 inch / 20 cm diameter cake tin with parchment paper or grease a springform pan with butter or a cooking spray.

First mix together the liquid ingredients in a bowl with a whisk. Mix the vegetable oil with the powdered sugar and the eggs until you have a smooth and homogeneous texture.

Add the yogurt and liquid vanilla extract (or a packet of vanilla sugar) and whisk again to combine with the other ingredients.

Add the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder and a pinch of salt and mix gently with a whisk or wooden spoon until the dough is smooth.

Finish by adding the apples cut into thin strips and mix gently to incorporate them and obtain a homogeneous paste.

Then pour this cake mixture into your prepared pan and press the top so that the apples are well immersed in the batter and obtain a straight cake on top.

Sprinkle (optional) cane sugar on top of the cake. This adds a little crunch to the top of the cake.

And bake the cake in the oven at half height for about 40 minutes (see the time indicated in the recipe sheet below) until it has a golden brown color.

Check the cooking of the cake by plunging the blade of a knife in the center of the cake or a toothpick inserted (if it comes out clean, the cake is done). 

At the end of the cooking time, let the cake cool completely, then run a knife around the edges of the cake to facilitate unmolding.

You can decorate your apple cake by sprinkling a little confectioner's sugar on top.

And enjoy the soft French apple cake with a topping of salted butter caramel sauce, a scoop of ice cream or whipped cream.

How to store the French apple cake

Store the apple cake at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator if you prefer to eat it cold.

Other recipes with apples

• Apple Puff Pastry Tart
• Galette des rois with apples
• Apple Pie
• Apple Crumb Cake
• Rustic apple and pear pie

Tips for making successful French apple cake

Ingredients at room temperature

A rule to respect in the majority of the cakes recipes. Always use ingredients at room temperature, especially eggs, to obtain a homogeneous cake preparation.

Take them out in advance and if this is not possible then run them under hot water for a few moments and they will do the trick.

Gently fold in the dry ingredients

To keep the cake moist, mix the mixture gently when you add the dry ingredients. You don't want to overwork the flour just enough to get the famous spatula rubban.

Be careful when baking

To keep the texture of the cake soft and moist as much as possible, watch the cooking time, if it is overcooked it will dry out and be too dry in the mouth. Check the cooking after 35 - 40 minutes by plunging the blade of a knife.

More coffee cake recipes

• Almond coffee cake
• Strawberry coffee cake
• Flourless chocolate cake

More apple recipes

• Apple Pie
• Dutch apple pie
• Apple galette
• Classic French apple tart

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