French Apple Cake

5 from 1 vote

Hello apple lovers! This French Apple Cake is all about intense apple flavor, a touch of vanilla, and buttery goodness. It's super easy, with simple ingredients and under 20 minutes of prep. Perfect for cozy fall afternoons.

Prep Time20

Cook Time50

Total Time1 10

Course: Cake

Cuisine: French

Diet: Vegetarian

Servings: -8 servings

Calories: 409kcal

Author: Ninon Michels

Ingredients

600 g apples (about 3 medium apples - Gala, Honeycrisp or Pink Lady)
130 g cane sugar
3 free-range eggs
115 g unsalted butter (melted)
2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste (or vanilla extract)
¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
200 g all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Start by greasing and lining the pan.
Preheat the oven to 355°F (180°C) with the fan on.
Start by greasing an 8-inch (20 cm) springform pan with room-temperature butter.
Line the bottom of the pan with a round of parchment paper, the same size as the bottom of the pan.
Prepare the apples.
Remove the core of two apples. Using a food processor or a grater, coarsely grate the apples and set aside. You should end up with 3 and ½ cups (350 g of grated apples).
Remove two lateral sides of the third apple, then cut into ⅛-inch (3 mm) slices. These slices will be used to decorate the cake.
Make the batter.
Using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with the whisk attachment, combine sugar and eggs. Whisk until pale and foamy, about 1 minute.
Add the melted butter, vanilla paste, and salt. Mix until well combined, about 30 seconds.
Sift the flour and baking powder. Mix over low speed until just combined (do not overwork the batter).
Transfer the grated apples to the mixing bowl.
Using a rubber spatula, gently incorporate the grated apples until combined (do not overwork the batter).
Bake the cake.
Transfer the batter to the springform pan.
Place the apple slices on top of the cake: take 4 slices and create a fan shape. Line five "apple fans" around the edges and one in the center.
Bake for 50-55 minutes until risen, cooked through, and golden brown in color.
Let the cake cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then remove it from the pan.
Let it cool down completely, and serve with an optional dusting of powdered sugar. Enjoy with a nice cup of tea or coffee.

Notes

Weigh your ingredients – While I’ve included volume measurements (cups and spoons), use metric gram measurements if possible. A digital kitchen scale is more accurate than cups, ensuring precise, consistent results. Since weight is exact and volume can vary, a scale eliminates inconsistencies and will invariably give better results.

Grated apples – In France, Apple Cakes are commonly made with chopped apples, but grated apples are also used. I find that grated apples impart a stronger apple taste to the cake, so this is what I went with.

Batter consistency – The batter of this cake is pretty thick; this is normal. Grated apples will release their moisture into the cake during baking, resulting in a soft, perfectly moist cake. Don't worry about the cake being dry!

Baking time – Baking time is quite long (50-55 minutes), because of the watery apple content, which adds a lot of moisture to the cake. Make sure to check the doneness of the cake with a toothpick to ensure it is perfectly cooked through.

Nutrition