Allergy Free French Apple Cake
French Apple Cake is a rich tasting healthy cake that is wonderful for teatime, as a seasonal dessert, or perfect for celebratory brunches. I’ve whipped up a gluten-free, vegan, and top 8 allergen-free version that will knock your socks off. Allergy-Free French Apple Cake is one of my new favorites, and as apple season comes into full swing, I hope it will be one of yours’ too!
The key to this cake is precooking the apples for 3 minutes in the microwave. This ensures you’ll have tender apples without them releasing too much moisture into your cake.
Allergy-Free French Apple Cake
Serves 8 to 10
prep time: 20 minutes
bake time: 60 minutes
2 large granny smith or other large baking apples (1 lb), peeled, cored, cut into 8 wedges, and sliced 1/8th inch thick crosswise
2 teaspoons brandy (Calvados if you have it)
¾ teaspoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 cups Authentic Foods GF Classical Blend or my Basic Gluten-Free Flour Mix
½ teaspoon xanthan or guar gum
1 Tablespoon double-acting baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
¾ cup dairy-free, soy-free vegetable shortening
¾ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ cup plus 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
4 ½ teaspoons Ener-G egg replacer mixed with 6 Tablespoons rice milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
¾ cup rice milk
1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil. Grease a 9-inch springform pan, sprinkle with a little gluten-free flour mix, tapping out any extra, and place prepared pan onto baking sheet.
2. Place apple slices in a microwave-safe pie plate, cover and microwave 3 minutes until apples are slightly tender and pliable, toss with brandy and lemon juice, and set aside on a wire cooling rack to cool.
3. Whisk together flour mix, xanthan gum, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
4. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine shortening, light brown sugar, and ½ cup of the granulated sugar. Mix on medium-high speed for 1 minute, or until fluffy. Whisk egg replacer with 6 Tablespoons rice milk, till frothy.
5. Add egg replacer and vanilla extract, and mix for 20 seconds.
6. Reduce the speed to medium and beat in one-third of the flour, mixing for 15 seconds.
7. Add half the rice milk, mixing for 20 seconds.
8. Beat in half the remaining flour, then the remaining rice milk, and finally the remaining flour mixture, scraping down the sides of the bowl as necessary.
9. Scoop out 1 1/3 cups of the batter and set aside.
10. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold cooled apple slices into the remaining batter. Transfer to the prepared springform pan, smoothing batter evenly to edges of pan.
11. Top with the reserved batter, using an offset spatula or rubber spatula to smooth batter evenly to edges of pan. Sprinkle top evenly with the remaining 1 Tablespoon of granulated sugar.
12. Bake in center of oven until top is golden and pulling away slightly from the sides of the pan, and a toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean, about 1 hour. Transfer cake pan to a wire cooling rack. Let cool about 10 minutes, then run a butter or pairing knife around the sides of the pan, and let cool completely, 1 to 1 1/2 hours. Cut into wedges and serve. Store covered with a cake dome at room temperature. May be reheated at 350°F for 10 to 15 minutes the following day to freshen and be served warm.
Allergy-Free French Apple Cake © 2012 by Cybele Pascal Photos by Stephen Scott Gross
(Please note that all my recipes are completely free of all top allergens (wheat, dairy, soy, eggs, peanuts, tree nuts, sesame, fish, shellfish, and gluten), so as many people as possible can enjoy them. Additionally, all the ingredients are available atWhole Foods, and online at Amazon.com. If you have trouble finding something, let me know and I’ll help you find it.)
SAFETY NOTE: Because each person’s food sensitivity and reaction is unique, ranging from mild intolerance to life-threatening and severe food allergies, it is up to the consumer to monitor ingredients and manufacturing conditions. If manufacturing conditions, potential cross contact between foods, and ingredient derivatives pose a risk for you, please re-read all food labels and call the manufacturer to confirm potential allergen concerns before consumption. Ingredients and manufacturing practices can change overnight and without warning.