French Apple Cake(Cook's Illustrated)
"The microwaved apples should be pliable but not completely soft when cooked. To test for doneness, take one apple slice and try to bend it. If it snaps in half, it’s too firm; microwave it for an additional 30 seconds and test again. If Calvados is unavailable, 1 tablespoon of apple brandy or white rum can be substituted. I have not made this yet, but with the too oily review, I went on line and looked at others who have made this and what they said. Some of them have also had this same problem, but note some had also changed to 2% milk. This might have also affected the batter. Other say they did not have this problem. One advised this might been because he had gotten the oil to emulsified into the batter using an immersion blender. They bakers with the too oily cakes advised they will cut down the oil to 1/2 cup add 1/2 cup apple sauce if they make again. Note this is more cutard like then a normal American cake texture."
photo by lnaalba
- Ready In:
- 1hr 39mins
- Ingredients:
- 15
- Yields:
-
1 cake
- Serves:
- 8-10
ingredients
- 1 1⁄2 lbs Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, cut into 8 wedges, and sliced 1/8 inch thick crosswise
- 1 tablespoon calvados
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1 cup all-purpose flour (5 ounces)
- 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar (7 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1⁄2 teaspoon salt
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- confectioners' sugar
directions
- 1. Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat oven to 325 degrees. Spray 9-inch springform pan with vegetable oil spray. Place prepared pan on rimmed baking sheet lined with aluminum foil. Place apple slices into microwave-safe pie plate, cover, and microwave until apples are pliable and slightly translucent, about 3 minutes. Toss apple slices with Calvados and lemon juice and let cool for 15 minutes.
- 2. Whisk 1 cup flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt together in bowl. Whisk egg, oil, milk, and vanilla together in second bowl until smooth. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and whisk until just combined. Transfer 1 cup batter to separate bowl and set aside.
- 3. Add egg yolks to remaining batter and whisk to combine. Using spatula, gently fold in cooled apples. Transfer batter to prepared pan; using offset spatula, spread batter evenly to pan edges, gently pressing on apples to create even, compact layer, and smooth surface.
- 4. Whisk remaining 2 tablespoons flour into reserved batter. Pour over batter in pan and spread batter evenly to pan edges and smooth surface. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon granulated sugar evenly over cake.
- 5. Bake until center of cake is set, toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, and top is golden brown, about 1 1/4 hours. Transfer pan to wire rack; let cool for 5 minutes. Run paring knife around sides of pan and let cool completely, 2 to 3 hours. Dust lightly with confectioners’ sugar, cut into wedges, and serve.
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Reviews
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I regret not reading these reviews before I attempted the recipe on the Cooks Illustrated site. What a huge disappointment and waste of perfectly good apples. Oily, oily, oily. Shame on Cooks Illustrated. -
First let me say that when I try a new recipe I follow it to the letter, otherwise if it doesn't turn out, one has no justification to complain. I did follow this recipe exactly, including using all the specified ingredients, including Crisco Oil, which cook's rated #1. My results were as the reviewer, patandjimg, has already stated, oily, flavorless cake?. This cake is so oily that I found it nauseating; admittedly I am over sensitive to oil and grease. Quite frankly, the flavor was bland and lacked any hearty apple flavor. As my wife stated, in the length of time it took you to do this cake you could have turned out one of your wonderful apple strudels. This recipe needs a lot of work, so much so I would just toss it out and start over from scratch. Shame on Cooks I expected a lot more from them. -
Oily, flavorless cake, no discernible custard/cake layers. Only changes I made to the recipe were using Honeycrisp apples, since I have a treeful of them, and using brandy instead of whatever booze they called for.I can't imagine 1 T. of that would improve the flavor that dramatically. The Honeycrisps were fine. Followed the directions to the letter. First recipe I've ever used from Cooks Illustrated that was a flop. -
This cake will please people who don't care for dessert. It's not very sweet or very flavorful but it is super moist. (too moist). The one thing I liked was the sweet crispy crust on top. My husband liked it as is but I note he isn't a dessert person and hates most sweets. I think if I made it again I'd make it with 1/2 the amount of fat and use a combination of oil and butter for a better flavor. My cake also leaked oil. I would also add maybe an almond taste to batter you pour on top with some sliced almonds for flavor. Maybe just a teaspoon more of flour to the extra cup of batter too. -
Like many others, I must agree the cake was crazy oily. I don't tweak recipes the first time I try them but was really hesitant to use the 1 full cup of oil called for in the instructions. I have read other reviews on different sites where people accidentally left the oil out and it still was moist. I will try again but reduce oil by half. Cake was still tasty, but I dont want to serve guests a cake in a swimming pool of oil.
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Tweaks
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Such a fun recipe to make! It looked so delicious on the cooking show that I couldn't wait to try it. My first attempt turned out very moist but disappointingly bland. I found that the recipe was greatly improved by substituting 1 cup vanilla pudding for the milk, and adding 1 Tbs cinnamon to the apples along with the brandy and lemon. The cinnamon also made the cake and custard layers more distinct. An orange glaze or vanilla sauce might be other easy ways to add a splash of flavor. -
Wonderful cake. I made this cake for the first time just as the recipe called for except I added white rum instead of the calvados. I did have to cook it a little longer (15 minutes) watching it carefully. It has more of a soft center consistency than a normal crumbly cake. The apples were not overcooked as in other apple cake recipes which made it more flavorful. Make sure you cool it before releasing the springform pan. I would make this cake again and again. We loved it.
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I have made this cake 3 times, it is delicious. It does take a long time to make and one has to follow the recipe very carefully. Letting it cool down, I found 3+ hours is needed. Also I lined the bottom and sides of the cake pan with parchment paper, made getting it out of the pan a breeze. Also used rum instead of calvados.
RECIPE SUBMITTED BY
Coppercloud
United States
