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Bet you didn't know when you started following The Café, you'd be traveling all around the world! ......... well at least in a culinary sense, that is. In the past 18 months, we've traveled to all sorts of fun and exotic destinations - Korea, Vietnam, Ireland, England and many more. For the next few days, we'll be having epicurean adventures straight from the heart of France. You'll love each of these delightful seasonal recipes.
Especially this delicious French Apple Cake. It's the type of simple, fabulous dessert you might enjoy in an outdoor Parisian bistro on the Rue Claire or overlooking the lovely Seine River. Maybe you'd rather enjoy your dessert on a Riviera terrace-cafe with the brilliant, turquoise Mediterranean sparkling below. Are you more of the French-Provencal type? This delicious dessert would be quite at home in a quaint country village with sweet, ripe apples harvested from the lovely local orchards.
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French Apple Cake
Ingredients
- Ingredients for the caramel:
- Âľ cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 apples, sliced thinly
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Ingredients for the cake:
- Âľ cups sugar
- 1 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 4 ounces cream cheese, room temperature
- 3 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350ËšF (170Ëš C). Spray a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray.
- For the caramel, heat Âľ cup of sugar and 2 tablespoons of water over medium-low heat. Do not stir, continue cooking, swirling the pan from frequently to keep from burning. Remove from heat when golden brown and swirl pan till bubbling stops.
- Pour caramelized mixture into the bottom of a spring form pan. Arrange apple slices on top of caramel in a circular pattern. Sprinkle with cinnamon. Set aside.
- Beat together the other Âľ cup of sugar and butter until light and fluffy. Add cream cheese and beat until smooth. Add the eggs, one by one beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Combine the flour and baking soda in a small bowl, then add to the batter gradually, beating until just moistened. Stir in the vanilla. Gently spread the batter over the apples and caramel.
- Bake at 350ËšF ( 170Ëš C) for about 40 -50 minutes or until golden and toothpick or skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove from oven and cool for 30 minutes. Invert onto a serving tray. Serve warm.
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This was divine! I made sure to use the smallest saucepan I had when making the caramel. Not overly sweet and my entire family devoured it! Will definitely make it again 🙂 Thanks for a wonderful recipe!!!!
So happy to hear that, JC! Thank you for your review!
No matter what I did, the caramel did not work out. Four lots and each crystallized white. Never even looked like changing color! Super disappointed. What did I do wrong?
Hi Gayle, So sorry this didn't turn out for you. Sugar can be tricky when you're trying to caramelize it. This is an older recipe and since publishing it, I have learned that there are some little tricks that can avoid the problem you ran into. It helps to add a bit of corn syrup to the mixture to prevent crystallization. A bit of lemon juice can do the same thing. You can also put the cover on the pot for a while, during the cooking process, which causes some condensation on the sides of the pot that washes down any sugar crystals that form and make the mixture seize.
You mention vanilla in the ingredients, but never mention where to add it, clearly it's in the cake, but when throwing into the oven, I looked up and saw the vanilla. in a rush, I mixed it into the top, but you should have it in the steps.
Thanks, C, for pointing that out. I will correct the recipe to reflect the vanilla.
Can I used stevia or monk fruit sweetener instead of sugar? Also for the APF use almond flour instead? Thank you
Hi Martha, I haven't tried this recipe with either one of those options so I can't say if this will work without further testing. If you try it, let us know!
What alternatives can I use instead of cream cheese?
Hi Neha, I haven't tried this cake with anything except cream cheese so I can't really say.
can I use a whole milk plain yogurt instead of cream cheese? Would it be helpful to line bottom of pan with parchment paper?
Hi Joanne, yogurt can be exchanged for buttermilk and/or sour cream but I think the results will be different if you sub yogurt for cream cheese.
I would need to make this cake the day before. Can it be reheated or is it ok room temperature?
Hi Lorraine, I think it would be fine to make it the day before. You could serve it either warm or at room temp although I always love apple desserts warmed just a bit 🙂
I have just made this for my son for back to school. It is so good, the cake batter on it's own would make a great base to add flavours too. . I made it in mini loaf pans and cut them in half. I aslo ate so much of the batter as I was making it, I may have made 2 batches lol. Next is the Grandma Lemon yoghurt cake. That looks great as well:)
Haha! Thanks for sharing your results, Sarah!
1 cup of butter seems like alot of butter along the the cream cheese. Is this correct or was it meant to be 1 stick of butter?
Hi Celeste, yes that does sound like a lot but it is correct, that might be why it's so good 🙂
Hi, your French apple cake look awesome. It's perfectly baked and I'm sure one slice is not enough.:)
Thanks for sharing the recipe.
Have a nice week ahead.
How fun, Chris! My guess is you're either going to be travelling there for vacation...or even to live?
I know Caitlin and have been wanting to meet you because I follow your blog and attend the Summit in Durham. I hope you are going on a cooking/photography trip to France, maybe with your sweet granddaughters.
I'm going to try Skinny Mashed Potatoes next, but I think I'd eat apple cake for dinner if I could.
French cuisine is great to celebrate any time, but my guess is that you're honoring National French Week!
Thanks for the chance to win!
Are you moving to France?
Are you moving to France?
Lovely recipe.
Your family that is living in England are moving to France is my guess.
Tracey Oblin on Facebook
The cake looks beautiful 🙂
The problem with being off-Blog for three weeks (even if it's a trip to South America) is the amount of catching up I must do at your Café when I return. Don't worry, I am up to the task! Your Curried Parsnip and Apple Soup as well as your Tuscan Chickpea Soup are perfect for dinner on these chilly Aspen nights. BUT the "must bake" are the SnickerDoodle Muffins with the Doodle Snicker Butter. My entire family will be here next week and my 9 and 11-year-old granddaughters are going to love these muffins as they did the Palmiers. The soup, probably not so much BUT their parents will. Thanks, Chris. I love your recipes and your enthusiam for food.
PS...of course, I'm already a facebook fan and follower on GFC 🙂
I've made a French apple cake but it wasn't nearly as stunning as yours! You are such an inspiration. Hmmmmm...I cannot think of one original idea...maybe a trip to Paris for your wedding anniversary?
Is your daughter and family being transferred to France?
that's a gorgeous cake! okay, just for fun..let me guess..you have a visitor from france coming in..no? you're taking part in a french cooking competition? or maybe you dreamt of julia child last nite? LOL!
What a beautiful cake...bet it was absolutely delicious. I am certain that the reason you are featuring French recipes is because I am going to be celebrating my birthday in France this year! In fact....I am leaving next week....
The cake looks amazing! I bet you are going to eat a lot of French food when you travel to France? Beautiful post!
Apple cake puts me in a fall mood. Gorgeous!
Do you have a blogiversary coming up?
Just had an Apple Cake made by my brother last weekend. A traditional style, was beautiful & delishious.
This French style I'm guessing is to recognize that Joanne Weir is currently posting from France, or you are about to travel there. Will make this next.
Very beautiful cake, love how you layered the apple slices, it's divine!
sounds absolutely delicious!!
I love this cake
You make such a gorgeous cake, and the apple + caramel topping is so beautiful! I look forward to your culinary trip!
Beautiful cake!
I'm guessing that you are going to host a french exchange student!
karenreichmann@hotmail.com
Estupenda receta me gustan las tartas de manzana,abrazos y abrazos.
wow, I really hope you are getting to go to France, that would be so awesome!! That cake looks delicious.
Oh how I'd love a years supply of Maldon! You sure they don't want to make an exception for an Aussie?!
My guess.. are you going to a French part of Canada? (just making my guess a little bit different!).
Beautiful cake and the apple slices on top look just perfect;-) I hope you're working on a cookbook;-)
Because you won an all-expenses paid business class trip to the South of France where you'll be staying in a Chateau with a private chef and attending his cooking classes. I'm so envious! (And I can't find your FB button so I'm going to look you up through my FB site and like you that way!) xx
Love your blog! Your recipes always look so amazing, and your sweet spirit makes the posts so encouraging to read. 🙂 My initial guess was that you're planning a trip to France...but since so many people have already guessed that, I'll go out on a limb and guess that your daughter and family are moving there??
By the way, I like you on FB. 🙂
I hope you are heading to France on a little holiday sponsored by Maldon Salt, or have at least partnered with them.
Are you celebrating something? A wish come true?
I love your cake! and the pictures!! I can taste the caramelized crust just looking at it:)
Love the looks of this. I will be making soon, I just got a bunch of apples.
My guess on the French theme this week is to honor the name of your blog since it's all French words.
A spectacular apple cake! I am totally tempted.
What a beautiful cake, Chris. Tell us the secret...are you going to France sometime soon? I can imagine nibbling on a piece of cake just like this in one of the lovely bistros on rue Cler. I'll be there next April and will do exactly that.
I think you're working on a cookbook too. If that's not it, you should do so. Feature this cake prominently. Wow, it's gorgeous. Such thin, perfect slices of apple. I'm in love.
Since I still have a good supply of Maldon Sea Salt, given to me by an amazing lady, even though I follow, like and connect with you, I'll let it go at this one comment. 🙂
It looks divine! Thanks for sharing this.
Can you believe that this is the third time I've read about French apple cakes this week! I made one version that had Greek yogurt in it. I'm anxious to try the cream cheese and compare the two.
My guess is that you're publishing a cookbook!
Beautiful cake, looks delicious! Will you be going to France? Or having a visitor from France? I'm looking forward to the posts!
Okay first of all that cake is simple exquisite!
I have no idea why. But let me guess. Canada is celebrating Thanksgiving today. And since France had a lot to do with Canada - they speak French right (?) they are celebrating.
Good morning.
Wish I had seen this recipe a couple of weeks ago. I will surely try this one next time. Are you traveling to France soon?
This cake looks delicious. I'm looking forward to the posts this week. I love french food.
This is actually a very very nice cake!!!!! Trip to France????? I'll definitly go there:)
The reason for posting French is because YOU are going to France!! I hope so.
That cake is so pretty!
What a great guess and what an exciting time for you Susan. I'll be anxious to hear about your adventures in France!
Beautiful cake. I know, I know, the answer to your question. The reason you are posting all French recipes this week is......because I am leaving for France on Oct 18 for 2 1/2 weeks!! Right? Your post has just gotten me more excited for our trip. Will look forward to ALL week. Susan
That cake looks amazing! I always crave a good apple cake at this time of year. I follow you by RSS feed and love reading about the delicious food you make. My guess is that YOU are traveling to France sometime soon. What fun! I'd love to go there someday.
Your cake looks beautiful!! I cheated and looked up French Holidays on google, there aren't any coming up, except for Chestnut Day! lol My guess is your going to partner up with someone in France and open "The Cafe Sucre Farine".
Beautiful cake, the caramelized apple topping is divine!