Gluten & Dairy Free French Apple Cake

One of my favorite ways to be inspired is having someone tell me they had a great desert in a restaurant, then imaging how I can reproduce the textures and tastes as they were described to me.

This was the case for my adapation of a classic french apple cake. Many of the best french recipes use only a few ingredients so that simple flavors can be showcased. While exploring recipes, I noticed some variations in how the apple is prepared: chopped, sliced and shredded. Quite a few versions included a form of alcohol; rum and apple brandy being fairly common.

My version leaves out the alcohol to allow the apple flavor to shine, with just a little amplification from apple cider vinegar, nutmeg and cinnamon.

Layering the cake batter, versus blending it with chopped or shredded apple, and alternating it with thinly sliced apples allows the cake to play as much of a role as the fruit.

Although the finished cake is absolutely satisfying on its own, try topping it with whipped cream, ice cream or crème anglaise (see my version of crème anglaise here).

Bon Appétit!

And Happy Bendy Baking!