Best French Apple Cake Recipe With Sugared Top

French Apple Cake with a wedge sliced from the round dessert.

5 from 8 votes

Best French Apple Cake Recipe With Sugared Top

French Apple Cake is a delicious twist to traditional apple pie, consisting of softened apple slices that are infused with brandy and baked in a buttery vanilla cake batter. Serve with whipped cream, crème fraîche or ice cream.

Prep Time20

Cook Time40

Refrigerate15

Total Time1 15

Course: Apple dessert, Cake dessert

Cuisine: American-French

Servings: servings

Calories: 280kcal

Author: Marisa Franca @ All Our Way

Equipment

9-inch springform pan
12-inch Skillet
Mixing bowls
Dry measuring cups
Measuring Spoons
Silicone spatula
Apple peeler and corer

Ingredients

8 tablespoons salted butter 1 stick, plus more for pans
¼ teaspoon ground allspice
1-½ pounds Granny Smith apples peeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch slices
1 pound Braeburn or Golden Delicious apples peeled, cored and cut into ¼-inch slices
12 tablespoons white sugar 149 grams white sugar, divided
½ teaspoon kosher salt
2 tablespoons brandy or Calvados
⅔ cup all-purpose flour 95 grams, plus more for pans
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 Tablespoon confectioner's sugar optional

Instructions

Heat the oven to 375ºF with a rack in the middle position.
Coat a 9-inch springform pan with butter, dust evenly with flour, then tap out the excess.
Melt the butter in a 12-inch skillet over medium-high. Cook, swirling the pan frequently until the milk solids at the bottom are golden brown and the butter has a nutty aroma, 1 to 3 minutes.
Pour into a small heatproof bowl without scraping out the skillet. ** see notes
Stir the allspice into the butter and set aside.
Add all of the apples, 2 tablespoons of sugar, and salt to the still-hot skillet and set over medium-high.
Cook, stirring occasionally, until all moisture released by the apples has evaporated and the slices are beginning to brown for 12 to 15 minutes.
Add the brandy and cook until evaporated 30 to 60 seconds.
Transfer to a large plate, spread in an even layer and refrigerate uncovered until cool to the touch, 15 to 20 minutes.
In a small bowl, whisk together the flour and baking powder.
In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, vanilla, and 9 tablespoons of the remaining sugar.
Gradually whisk in the browned butter. Add the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula until smooth; the batter will be very thick.
Add the cooled apples and fold until evenly coated with batter.
Transfer to the prepared pan, spread in an even layer and sprinkle with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
Bake until deeply browned, 35 to 40 minutes.
Let cool completely in the pan on a wire rack for about 2 hours.
Lightly dust with Confectioners Sugar.
Run a knife around the inside of the pan and remove the sides before slicing.

Notes

**Don’t use a spatula to scrape the browned butter from the skillet—pour it into the bowl. A coat of butter in the pan is needed for cooking the apples.

Don’t slice the cake until it has fully cooled; if it is at all warm, the texture at the center will be too soft.

Nutrition