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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.
- Ingredients for the caramel:
- ¾ cups sugar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 3 apples sliced thinly
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Ingredients for the cake:
- ¾ 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
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Preheat oven to 350˚F (170˚ C). Spray a 9-inch springform pan with baking spray.
-
For the caramel, heat ¾ 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 ¾ 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 350˚F ( 170˚ 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.
JC says
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!!!!
Lindsay @ The Café Sucre Farine says
So happy to hear that, JC! Thank you for your review!
Gayle says
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?
Chris Scheuer says
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.
C says
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.
Chris Scheuer says
Thanks, C, for pointing that out. I will correct the recipe to reflect the vanilla.
Martha says
Can I used stevia or monk fruit sweetener instead of sugar? Also for the APF use almond flour instead? Thank you
Chris Scheuer says
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!
Neha Derwal says
What alternatives can I use instead of cream cheese?
Chris Scheuer says
Hi Neha, I haven't tried this cake with anything except cream cheese so I can't really say.
Joanne Bewley says
can I use a whole milk plain yogurt instead of cream cheese? Would it be helpful to line bottom of pan with parchment paper?
Chris Scheuer says
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.
Lorraine leislie says
I would need to make this cake the day before. Can it be reheated or is it ok room temperature?
Chris Scheuer says
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 🙂