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Invisible Apple Cake

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Invisible Apple Cake

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This recipe is by the very talented Dunedin chef, food writer and author, Alison Lambert.  It appears on her website, Taste of My Life (https://www.tasteofmylife.org), along with lots of other gorgeous fresh food recipes and ideas.

  

I have made this cake many times and, each time I serve it, I’m asked for the recipe. It makes a particularly lovely choice for afternoon tea and pairs beautifully with black tea. In my experience, the recipe also adapts well for gluten-free requirements by simply substituting the flour with a gluten-free flour. Here is Alison's recipe. 

  

Invisible Apple Cake

Light, delicate and packed with apples, this French-inspired cake gets its name from the way the thin slices almost disappear into the batter as it bakes. The result is a beautifully soft cake with fine layers of tender apple held together by just enough batter. It's the perfect afternoon treat OR dessert, served warm or cold with a dollop of crème fraîche or whipped cream.

 

Serves: 12

Prep: 20 minutes

Cook: 45–50 minutes

Skill: Easy

  

Ingredients

  • 90g plain flour

  • 1 tsp baking powder

  • 100g caster sugar

  • ¼ tsp salt

  • 160ml full-fat milk

  • 3 eggs

  • 1 tsp vanilla essence

  • 45g butter, melted and slightly cooled

  • 900g–1kg apples, peeled, cored and very thinly sliced

  • 2 Tbsp raw or brown sugar, for sprinkling 

 

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 160°C fan bake. Grease and line a 23cm loaf tin with baking paper.

  2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, sugar and salt.

  3. In a separate bowl or jug, whisk together the milk, eggs, vanilla and melted butter. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until you have a smooth batter.

  4. Using a mandoline (taking extra care) or a very sharp knife, slice the apples as thinly as possible. Add the apple slices to the batter and gently fold until every slice is lightly coated.

  5. Spoon the apple mixture into the prepared loaf tin a little at a time, arranging the slices into even layers as you go. Gently press each layer down with the back of a spoon to remove any air pockets and create the cake's delicate layered texture.

  6. Sprinkle the top evenly with the raw or brown sugar.

  7. Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. The middle should feel just set.

  8. Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 15–20 minutes before carefully lifting it out. Serve warm or at room temperature.