Parisian Apple Cake

The Parisian Apple Cake (or Gâteau Parisien aux Pommes) is a world away from the dense, spice-heavy apple cakes common in North America. It’s the epitome of French simplicity and elegance, celebrating the pure, sweet-tart flavor of the apple itself.

Here’s a detailed look at this classic dessert.

What is Parisian Apple Cake?

Imagine a dessert that sits somewhere between a moist, dense cake and a baked apple custard. That’s the Parisian Apple Cake. Its defining characteristics are:

• Lots of Apples: The ratio of cake to apple is heavily skewed towards the fruit. The batter is just enough to hold together a massive amount of chopped apples.

• A Minimalist Batter: The batter is simple, often made with just flour, sugar, eggs, butter, a leavener, and a generous dash of rum or vanilla.

• Rustic Appearance: It’s not a tall, frosted layer cake. It’s a single, shallow cake with a craggy, golden-brown top bursting with apple pieces.

• Sophisticated Flavor: The flavor is clean and focused on the apple, enhanced by butter and rum/vanilla, rather than being dominated by spices like cinnamon.

Why It’s So Beloved

1. Incredibly Easy: It’s a “throw everything in a bowl” kind of recipe. No special skills are required.

2. The Ultimate Apple Experience: If you have fantastic, flavorful apples, this cake is the perfect way to showcase them.

3. Elegant yet Rustic: It’s equally at home at a casual family coffee break as it is at a fancy dinner party, served with a dollop of crème fraîche.

4. Moist and Dense: The high apple content ensures every bite is incredibly moist.

Classic Parisian Apple Cake Recipe

This recipe is adapted from the famous version by the late French food writer Dorie Greenspan, who learned it from a Parisian pastry chef.

Yields: One 9-inch springform cake (8-10 servings)
Prep time: 20 minutes
Bake time: 50-70 minutes

Ingredients

• 3-4 large apples (about 1 ½ lbs / 675g total). The best varieties are firm, tart apples that hold their shape when baked, such as:

  • Granny Smith (for tartness)

  • Honeycrisp or Braeburn (for sweet-tart balance)

  • Pink Lady

• ¾ cup (95g) all-purpose flour

• ¾ teaspoon baking powder

• Pinch of salt

• 2 large eggs, at room temperature

• ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar

• 3 tablespoons dark rum (or 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, or 1 tablespoon Calvados apple brandy)

• ½ cup (1 stick / 113g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly

• Optional for serving: Powdered sugar for dusting, crème fraîche, or whipped cream.

Instructions

1. Prepare the Pan and Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Generously butter a 9-inch springform pan and place it on a baking sheet (this catches any potential drips).

2. Prepare the Apples: Peel the apples. Cut them in half, core them, and then cut them into 1-inch (2.5 cm) chunks. It’s important to keep the pieces large for the right texture.

3. Make the Batter: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. In a larger bowl, whisk the eggs until foamy. Gradually whisk in the sugar until the mixture is thick and pale. Whisk in the rum (or vanilla), followed by the melted butter.

4. Combine Wet and Dry: Switch to a spatula. Gently fold the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.

5. Add the Apples: Fold the large apple chunks into the batter. The batter will be very thick and seem scant—this is correct! It’s just enough to coat the apples.

6. Bake: Scrape the apple-batter mixture into the prepared pan and use the spatula to press it into an even layer, smoothing the top. Bake for 50 to 70 minutes, or until the top is golden brown, the edges are pulling away from the pan, and a knife inserted into the cake part (not an apple) comes out clean.

7. Cool: Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for at least 30 minutes. Then, carefully run a knife around the edge and release the springform ring. Allow it to cool until just warm or at room temperature.

8. Serve: Dust the top generously with powdered sugar right before serving. It’s delicious on its own, but even better with a side of crème fraîche or lightly sweetened whipped cream.

Key Tips for Success

• Apple Choice is Crucial: This is the #1 tip. Use good, flavorful apples that won’t turn to mush.

• Big Apple Chunks: Don’t dice the apples finely. The large chunks provide lovely pockets of soft, concentrated apple flavor.

• Don’t Overmix: A few streaks of flour are fine. Overmixing develops gluten and can make the cake tough.

• Don’t Underbake: The cake might look done on top, but the center can be wet from the apples. Bake until a deep golden brown and a tester comes out clean from the batter. If the top browns too quickly, tent it loosely with aluminum foil.

• Let it Cool: This cake needs time to set. Cutting into it while it’s piping hot will make it fall apart.

Enjoy a slice of Parisian simplicity