21 Comments
User's avatar
Julie Metz's avatar

looks so yummy! I make an apple pie from a recipe that ran in the nytimes a few years ago using a similar process of slicing apples with a mandolin and then they go into a crust made with butter. Not too much sugar and lots of lemon juice and zest. It's healthy!!!;-) And wonderful.

Deborah Copaken's avatar

This one, magically, doesn't need a crust! It becomes its own crust. Try it! If you do, let me know what you think. xx

Julie Metz's avatar

It looks wonderful. Will try it during this holiday season when I have time to bake. I find pie baking meditative. It is a lovely peaceful thing to do in summer in Maine when there are fresh berries around. I have a recipe for a plum cake along the lines of your recipe: super simple, batter and cut up plums, not too much sugar and lots of lemon. One of my kid's favorites, so I have made it a lot.

Who's avatar

I’m going to try this next time I have someone coming over - thank you!

Deborah Copaken's avatar

Cool! Let me know how it goes.

Marcia Elias's avatar

I gave away my scary mandolin years ago, now looks as if I'll have to replace it. I hope they're easier and safer to use today.

This recipe may be an answer to less cleanup and still delicious .

Deborah Copaken's avatar

And you got to see me do the mandolinning! I don't think that's a verb. But it should be. Hope to feed you a slice next time you're here...

Mary EO's avatar

Drooling and wishing I was not allergic to apples.😜

Deborah Copaken's avatar

Oh, no!!! What about pears? It would definitely work with pears, too. In fact! Doh! I should try that. I'm betting it would work with peaches in the summer as well. Plums, too. Oh, wow. I have a lot of cakes yet to try and bake.

Babette Hale's avatar

This sounds a whole lot like an apple clafouti. Delicious whatever you call it!

Deborah Copaken's avatar

Indeed! But the clafoutis I used to make when I lived in France--and then also, when I came back to the States--is cooked in a shallow tart pan in which the batter is the main event, and the fruit are the visitors. In this version, the batter is barely there, while the fruit becomes the main event. Also, it's stacked much higher than a clafoutis, and it has this rich custardy taste, despite the lack of custard, accompanied by some really pleasing texture. Try it! Tell me what you think if/when you do.

Kathy Graff's avatar

I made a version of this too. My issue is not with the recipe but the name. Invisible Apple Cake suggests that the apples are invisible, when in fact it’s the cake part that is invisible. See what I’m saying?

Deborah Copaken's avatar

Yes, I thought the same thing, lol! But then I did some research. The original name of the cake, in French, is Gateau Invisible. "Invisible cake." Because the cake disappears and leaves only the apples behind. Somehow, in its English translation, it became invisible apple cake.

Lisa O's avatar

This looks fabulous! Thanks for sharing the results of your research!

Deborah Copaken's avatar

I've now made five of these cakes. Can't stop. Won't stop. :)

Deborah Copaken's avatar

Hope you like it, if you make it. Report back if you do!

Janene's avatar

Looks great. I cannot wait to try it!

susan fishman's avatar

Did some digging in his instagram. He gave a big hint as to where to find it. Here’s the original recipe. He couldn’t give the measurements because it’s not his recipe. I.e. copyright infringement.

Thanks, Deb! You pretty much nailed it.

Enjoy this complimentary ATK recipe—no login required—for the next 30 days. https://www.americastestkitchen.com/recipes/17178-gateau-invisible-with-brown-sugar-cinnamon-whipped-cream?gifted_recipe=eyJhbGciOiJIUzI1NiIsInR5cCI6IkpXVCJ9.eyJzdHJhcGlJZCI6IjE2MDM3IiwiaWF0IjoxNzY0ODIxOTA2LCJleHAiOjE3Njc0MTM5MDZ9.aj2B_RWn_lakOyEW9P71l79oH5w3SJcxL1KvOWRLiEs

Deborah Copaken's avatar

Oh wow! Thank you!

Jude Ruff's avatar

We still have loads of apples to ‘use up’ from the harvest, so I am extra grateful for this. btw- I just made a similar Bolzano Apple Cake with a recipe from the New York Times and loved it. I think with more eggs, yours will be even more custardy and yummy. (By the way, the photo with the NYTimes recipe looks nothing like the cake I made!)

Deborah Copaken's avatar

I tried more eggs and it was more custardy. But for my palate I prefer the 3 eggs. Bolanzo cake? I must try this!