There are apples in this cake; you just can’t see them.
It’s fall, and because apples are the quintessential autumn fruit, today I bring you two apple recipes, both of which I’ve tried recently. I like them both, for different reasons.
The first recipe is for Invisible Apple Cake. The second is for Swedish Apple Pie.
Aside from the fact that they both feature apples, they also have in common the fact that they’re unpretentious, easy to prepare, and register high on the comfort-food level.
As far as differences, the Invisible Apple Cake is baked in a loaf pan, then chilled, and later served either cold or at room temperature. The Swedish Apple Pie is prepared in a pie plate. In both cases, vanilla ice cream or whipped cream would be a delicious enhancement. The Swedish Apple Pie can be served warm or at room temperature.
First, the Invisible Apple Cake. I don’t recall the first time a variation of an Invisible Apple Cake appeared among my Facebook cooking reels, but the more reels I watched, the more reels appeared, and the more intrigued I felt. I don’t know about you, but lately, I’ll take cooking reels over political reels any day.
I learned that “Invisible Apple Cake” is its American title. There’s a similar Russian version of the cake called apple sharlotka. But it seems at though the French are the ones most often credited for the cake’s creation, a classic French dessert known as Gâteau Invisible aux Pommes.
I hope my French Canadian ancestors will pardon me for simply referring to it as the Invisible Apple Cake.
By any title, the cake derives its name from the fact that although the cake is loaded with apples, when the cake is baked, chilled and sliced, the apples are, well, virtually invisible. During baking, the apples “disappear” into batter. However, when you take a bite of the cake, voilà, the apples will be evident, albeit in an understated way.
A mandoline is the most ideal kitchen tool to thinly slice everything from onions and carrots to potatoes, and yes, apples. I own a mandoline. I should just probably get rid of it because the blade is so sharp that the mandolin terrifies me. Despite the fact that my mandoline has a safety guard, I always imagine my finger tips sliced off. Consequently, nine times out of 10, when a recipe calls for something extremely thin, and the recipe suggests a mandoline, I forgo the mandoline and just use my sharpest knife, which is exactly what I did this week when I prepared the Invisible Apple Cake for the first time.
Fear not, it looks prettier sliced, topped with powdered sugar and vanilla ice cream.
I created a recipe that’s a combination of a few versions. A few classy bakers went through the additional trouble of making the top of the cake pretty with arranged slices. I started to arrange the slices, but they were wet and slippery, so I just piled everything in the parchment-paper-lined baking pan and called it good enough. I don’t know whether I should have used a smaller pan, because the cake was more shallow than I’d imagined, but I was still pleased with it.
I finished the dessert off with with heated apricot jam, for added shine. I chilled the cake before slicing. I did as I nearly always do with desserts, and before serving I dusted it with powdered sugar. Overall, I was pleased with the results; a firm cake, not too sweet, with a slightly custardy texture. Of course, vanilla ice cream or whipped cream could only elevate the cake to a higher taste level.
The recipe was super easy, and everything was prepared in two bowls. I like the rustic look of the cake. It’s perfect for fall, and although Granny Smith apples are often favored for apple desserts, you can pretty much use whatever apples you wish. I also like that you can bake and chill it ahead of time and it will last beautifully in the refrigerator for up to five days. Five days! That’s awesome!
This following recipe calls for about about 2-and-a-half pounds of apples, which can require five large apples, or seven to 10 small ones. The cake is pretty forgiving, so don’t stress too much about getting exactly 2.5 pounds of apples.
Before we move onto this first recipe, I thank you wonderful, generous, loyal readers whose contributions make A News Cafe possible. Now, for those who visit A News Cafe, but have never committed to helping this site, this month of Thanksgiving would be the ideal time to express your gratitude for your favorite grassroots online news magazine with a sustaining subscription. Thank you!
Invisible Apple Cake
2.5 pounds of peeled, cored, and thinly sliced apples (Granny Smith are ideal, but you can use your favorite apples)
2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
2 tablespoons melted butter
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
3 large eggs
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk (whole, 1%, 2%, whatever you’ve got)
Apricot jam or preserves
Powdered sugar for dusting
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a loaf pan. Place a piece of parchment paper into the pan going one way, and then lay another piece of parchment going the other way up the sides of the pan, so you’ve created a handy parchment paper sling for later.
Set the thinly sliced apples into a bowl with the lemon juice, and mix well to cover the slices with the juice. Set the bowl aside.
To make the batter, in a bowl whisk together the melted butter, sugar, eggs, salt and vanilla until you’ve achieved a nice, smooth, batter with a thick pancake batter consistency. Now incorporate the flour, followed by the milk. Mix until it’s a silky, thin, pourable batter.
Add the lemon-coated apple slices to the batter, and gently combine, being careful not to break the apples, but ensure that all the apples are covered.
Use a spatula and scoop the apple/batter mixture into the prepared loaf pan, using the spatula to press down on the apples to fully submerge them in the batter.
Place the loaf pan on a cookie sheet in the center of the oven. Check the cake at about 50 minutes, looking for a golden top. Do a “toothpick test ” to make sure that the toothpick glides easily through the apples. You may need another 10 — or even 15 — minutes to achieve this result. During the final minutes, heat the apricot jam or preserves in the microwave. Immediately after removing the cake from the oven brush the hot cake with the apricot glaze.
Let the cake cool in the pan on the counter before covering it with plastic wrap and placing it in the fridge. (A word of warning: If you cover the warm pan with plastic wrap, then condensation will form on the plastic and drip onto the cake.)
When ready to serve, remove the cake from the refrigerator and dust it with powdered sugar. Use the parchment paper edges to hoist the cake from the pan. While the cake is still chilled, cut slices in the desired sizes. Optional: Serve with vanilla ice cream, or whipped cream, or even a caramel sauce.
Enjoy!
Swedish Apple Pie
I don’t have a photo of the Swedish Apple Pie because I was in such a hurry to make it and serve it that I forgot to get photos. I don’t have time to secure permission for the use of others’ online photos, and I don’t feel like being threatened with a lawsuit today, so you’ll need to use your imagination for this one. Basically, it’s a crustless apple pie that has a batter that creates a topping that’s a bit like a cobbler, but more smooth.
Like the Invisible Apple Cake, this pie is simple to prepare. This time, though, the apple slices can be a normal size. No need for thin slices.
One of the biggest concerns I hear from people who are nervous about making pies is that they are afraid of making pie crust. It’s why there are so many so-called “fool-proof” or “no-fail” pie crust recipes, many of which do not live up to their descriptions.
The best part about this recipe is there’s no pie-crust anxiety involved. See this pie crust? Relax. You won’t need it for this recipe.
This Swedish Apple Pie recipe is one I scribbled down on the back of an envelope after seeing a cooking reel on my Facebook page. Seriously, I don’t remember the last time I opened a cookbook or magazine for recipe inspiration. Nearly all my recipes – except ones I need to consult in an actual cookbook — are from Facebook or YouTube. What is the world coming to?
This Swedish Apple Pie shares some common ingredients with its Invisible Apple Cake cousin: Apples, of course, as well as lemon juice (prevents the sliced apples from browning), flour, granulated sugar, egg, salt, melted butter, and vanilla. The Swedish Apple Pie’s departure comes from cinnamon, brown sugar and baking powder.
If you’re in a real hurry, the Swedish Apple Pie recipe can be thrown together more quickly than the Invisible Apple Cake. Plus, there’s no chilling time. You can pretty much serve after allowing it to rest for a few minutes out of the oven. (If you cut a pie when it’s too hot, the apples will be too runny. Lasagna and enchiladas are the same way.)
If you try both recipes, I’m curious which one you prefer. For me, it truly was a toss-up. I found the Invisible Apple Cake a tad more elegant, and it’s convenient for a make-ahead dessert. The Swedish Apple Pie is more homey and laid back, and great if you’re in a hurry. Either way, they’re both simply delicious.
Feel free to share your favorite apple recipes with us in the comments.
Swedish Apple Pie
2 pounds peeled, cored and sliced apples (1/2 inch slices)
1/2 cup granulated sugar
2 tablespoons lemon juice
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup flour
¾ cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ cup melted butter (you’ll need more to butter the pie pan)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
Butter a 9-inch pie plate.
In a large bowl, combine the apples, lemon juice, granulated sugar and cinnamon. Pour the mixture into the buttered pie plate. Set aside. (Don’t wash that bowl. Hang onto it for a minute.)
Combine the dry ingredients in different, clean bowl. Set aside. Using the same bowl that contained the apple mixture, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, egg, and vanilla until well combined. Using a spatula, introduce the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, and fold together until the batter is smooth and well blended.
Spread the batter evenly over the top of the apples. If you’d like, sprinkle the top with cinnamon sugar.
Place the pie plate on a cookie sheet. (This catches any drips, and also, it offers a layer of metal protection to prevent a cold pie plate from breaking upon contact with a pre-heated oven rack. Trust me on this part.) Bake for about 45 to 50 minutes, or until it’s golden brown. Cool slightly before serving.
