French Apple Cake Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour, (spooned and leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 2/3 cup granulated sugar, (plus more for the top of the cake)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons calvados apple brandy or dark rum
• 2 apples like Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Fuji or Gala (3 1/2 - 4 cups chopped), peeled, cored and chopped into about 1/2-inch pieces.
• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Instructions

1. 1

   Prep: Arrange a rack in the middle of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Coat the inside of a 9-inch springform pan with cooking spray or butter. You can also use a regular 9-inch baking cake pan lined with a parchment paper circle and greased with cooking spray or butter.

2. 2

   Mix Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl.

3. 3

   Mix Wet Ingredients: You can mix the cake batter by hand, with a handheld electric mixer or with a stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Beat the butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed for about 3 minutes or until light and fluffy.

4. 4

   Add the eggs one at a time, allowing each to incorporate before adding the next one. Scrape down the sides and the bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed. Add the vanilla and the calvados or rum and mix to combine. The batter may look grainy at this point.

5. 5

   Add Dry Ingredients to Butter Mixture: With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture and mix until just combined.

6. 6

   Add Apples: With the help of a spatula, fold in the chopped apples and mix to combine. The batter will be thick.

7. 7

   Transfer the batter to the prepared pan. You can smooth the top a bit with a spatula. Sprinkle the top with granulated sugar (about a tablespoon).

8. 8

   Bake for about 40 minutes or until a cake tester or wooden skewer inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. Transfer the cake pan to a cooling rack and cool for about 30 minutes. Run a knife around the edges of the cake and if using a springform pan, remove the sides. If using a regular baking pan, turn it out onto a cake plate or wire rack and remove the parchment paper.

9. 9

   Dust and Serve: Using a fine sieve, dust the cake with confectioners’ sugar (optional). The cake can be served warm or at room temperature.