French Apple Cake

Some Braeburn apples a little past their prime were the inspiration for this cake. I wanted to make something besides an ordinary apple cake and saw David Lebovitz's recipe for French Apple Cake.  I am a bit of a francophile, so I was immediately interested.  Plus, I knew anything Lebovitz made would be delicious.  After all, he is a famous chef currently living in Paris who used to work at Chez Panisse in Berkeley, CA.  Talk about great credentials!

Nutriton Highlight: Apples

We've all heard the phrase "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." But why?

Decreased Development of Type 2 Diabetes: 

Apples' soluble fiber prevents sugar swings.

Healthier Heart: 

Apples are high in soluble fiber which binds with excess cholesterol, allowing the cholesterol to exit the body with waste.  If plaque builds up in your arteries, it's harder for blood to get to your heart.  So if you're worried about having high cholesterol, start eating more apples (or raspberries—they're soluble fiber superstars!)

Curb Cancer: 

Apples are high in flavonol antioxidants, which may reduce the risk of pancreatic cancer.  Apple peel is rich in triterpenoid antioxidants, which fight several types of cancer cells and may prevent Parkinson's.

Baking Tip: Use a springform pan for this cake.

The cake is a bit delicate, but baking it in a springform pan will give you peace of mind.  After unmolding, just leave the cake on the metal base because the less you touch the cake, the better. 

Make sure to grease the inside of the pan!

French Apple Cake
Printable Recipe
Lebovitz's recipe came from Dorie Greenspan's book, Around My French Table.  The original recipe called for 4 large apples, but 3 large Costco apples were definitely plenty.  I also used whole wheat pastry (WWP) flour for extra nutrition. WWP flour is made from soft white wheat berries, which is lower in protein than hard white wheat, allowing baked goods to be more tender than if made with regular whole wheat flour.  I often substitute all or most of the white flour in a baked goods recipe with WWP flour.

If you don't have any rum, you'll need to buy some.  This is an essential French ingredient that gives the cake a wonderful aroma and complex flavor.  Need more ideas for using that bottle of rum? Try the special cakes from Bordeaux called canelé.  They use special canelé molds which I was fortunate enough to receive as a gift from my French exchange friend, Margot (see photo below).  

• 3/4 cup whole wheat pastry flour
• 3/4 tsp baking powder
• pinch of salt
• 3 large apples (I used Braeburns), about 7.2 oz each or 21.5-22 oz total
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 3 T dark rum (do not substitute or omit)
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 8 T butter, melted and cooled to room temperature

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF (325º convect) and adjust the oven rack to the center of the oven. Spray an 8" or 9" springform pan with PAM and place it on a baking sheet.  The baking sheet will catch any leakage.

2. In a small bowl, mix flour, baking powder, and salt.  Dice the apple into 1" pieces.  Don't peel them—the peel is a great source of nutrients and fiber.

3. In a large bowl, beat the eggs until foamy then whisk in the sugar, then rum and vanilla. Whisk in half of the flour mixture, then gently stir in half of the melted butter.

4. Stir in the remaining flour mixture, then the rest of the butter.  Fold in the apple cubes until they’re well-coated with the batter and scrape them into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top a little with a spatula.

5. Bake the cake for 50-60 min if using a 9" pan or 75 min if using an 8" pan, or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. It smells absolutely wonderful during and after baking!! Let the cake cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake from the pan and carefully remove the sides of the cake pan, making sure no apples are stuck to it.  Expect the cake to be on the moister side.

6. Serve wedges of the cake by itself, or with crème fraîche or vanilla yogurt.  I recommend warming the cake briefly in the microwave.  Makes 9 servings.

Storage Note: The cake will keep for up to three days, covered, at room temperature.

Canelé have a caramelized exterior and custardy-cakey interior. This photo demonstrates perfect canelé which I haven't quite achieved from my 3 endeavors.  Beeswax is essential for making them slide out of the mold, which I found out from trial and error. PAM just doesn't work. We finally found beeswax at a farmer's market.