• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • All Recipes »
  • Most Popular »
    • 2-Banana Banana Bread
    • Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese
    • Extra Creamy Rice Pudding
    • Glazed Lemon Pound Cake Loaf
    • 15-Minute Udon Stir Fry
    • Multigrain Bread
    • Mango Salad
    • Pork Tenderloin Marsala
    • Homemade Baked Beans
    • Homemade Hamburger Buns
    • Carrot Cake Loaf
    • Classic Homemade Waffles
    • Authentic Poutine Recipe
  • SUBSCRIBE »
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
Seasons and Suppers logo
menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • All Recipes »
  • Most Popular »
    • 2-Banana Banana Bread
    • Creamy Baked Mac and Cheese
    • Creamy Rice Pudding
    • Glazed Lemon Pound Cake Loaf
    • 15-Minute Udon Stir Fry
    • Multigrain Bread
    • Mango Salad
    • Pork Tenderloin Marsala
    • Homemade Baked Beans
    • Homemade Hamburger Buns
    • Carrot Cake Loaf
    • Homemade Classic Waffles
  • Subscribe
  • About
  • Contact
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter
  • ×

    Home » Recipes » Sweet Recipes

    Invisible Apple Cake

    Dec 2, 2016 | by Jennifer | Last Updated: Sep 12, 2021

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    A quick, easy and pretty apple cake, this Invisible Apple Cake uses thinly sliced apples in a custard base. Perfect to enjoy any time of day.

    Invisible Apple Cake

    This Invisible Apple Cake is a great recipe to have in your back pocket! It is perfect to enjoy any time of day - from breakfast, to brunch, to afternoon tea, to dessert. It also comes together quickly and delivers an always delicious slice of apple goodness.

    Enjoy this lovely cake cold from the fridge, at room temperature or slightly warmed. This cake is wonderful on its own, or dress it up with a dollop of creme fraiche, whipped cream or ice cream.

    Jump to:
    • Why is it called an "invisible" apple cake?
    • Recipe Video
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Cook's Notes
    • Recipe
    • More apple cake recipes you might also like ...
    • Save or share this recipe
    • Comments, Questions and Reviews

    Why is it called an "invisible" apple cake?

    This cake is called invisible apple, due to the fact that the very thinly sliced apples appear to disappear in the cake. The best way to get really thinly sliced apple is with a mandolin. Don't be afraid to slice them super-thin (almost see-through), but if they are a little thicker, the cake will still work out, the apples just won't be so invisible :)

    If you don't have one (or are afraid of it, as I was for years :), you can certainly use your knife skills to create the thin apple slices or you may be able to (carefully!) try the wide slot side of a box grater.

    Recipe Video


     

    Ingredient Notes

    Apples - Golden Delicious apples are perfect and are generally easy to find year round. For best results, stick with Golden Delicious. If for some reason they aren't available, look for a great cooking apple, so the apples don't disintegrate while cooking. Jonagold would be a good option. Granny Smith also bakes up well, but will produce a more tart cake. (I prefer the sweeter varieties for this cake.)

    Brown Sugar - this would be light brown sugar (sometimes called "Golden"). You can replace with white granulated sugar, if you have no brown sugar on hand.

    Milk - a full-fat, whole, 3% milk will give you the best results, but 2% would also work. I wouldn't go any lower in that. I haven't tested this recipe with non-dairy milks.

    Invisible Apple Cake

    Cook's Notes

    • As I mentioned above, I was afraid of my mandolin for years. It doesn't take much imagination to realize that there is potential for injury with these things. I finally dealt with it by purchasing cut-resistant gloves, that I use in combination with the mandolin guide. It just gives me the peace of mind I needed to use my mandolin with confidence :)
    • When placing the apples on the top of the cake, try to keep them as flat as possible, as pieces sticking up tend to brown more quickly. If you feel the cake is at risk of over-browning, you can always lay a sheet of aluminum foil loosely over the top for the last few minutes of baking.
    • The batter for this cake is very thin, so if your springform pan is prone to leaking (doesn't form a nice, tight seal) or "just to be sure", wrap the outside, bottom of the springform pan tightly with aluminum foil. Baking on a baking sheet is also a good idea, just in case.
    • Enjoy this cake cold from the fridge, at room temperature or warm for dessert with ice cream or a drizzle of Creme Anglaise. A slice of a great cheddar on top is also a nice way to enjoy this.

    Invisible Apple Cake

    Recipe

    Invisible Apple Cake

    A quick, easy, delicious and pretty apple cake, that's perfect for any time of day! Thinly sliced apples combine with a custard base, for a delicious apple-filled cake. It's called Invisible because the really thinly sliced apples seem to disappear into the cake.
    Author: Jennifer
    4.8 stars from 18 ratings
    Print it Pin it + Collection Go to Collections Share by Email
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 30 mins
    Total Time 45 mins
    Course Dessert
    Servings 8 servings

    Ingredients
     

    • 6 large Golden Delicious apples, peeled *see Note 1
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1/4 cup brown sugar, or can substitute white granulated sugar if brown sugar is unavailable
    • 1 tsp vanilla , or vanilla bean paste
    • 1 1/2 Tbsp butter, salted or unsalted
    • 6 1/2 Tbsp milk, whole (3%) or 2% recommended
    • 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp all-purpose flour
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • Pinch of salt
    Prevent screen from going dark

    Instructions
     

    • Line the bottom of an 8-inch springform pan with parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Preheat oven to 400 F. (regular bake/not fan assisted) **If your springform pan is prone to leaking (they often warp and don't form a tight seal) or if you just want to make sure there is no leaking of the thin batter, wrap the outside, bottom of the pan tightly with aluminum foil.
    • Before you start the batter, melt the butter in saucepan or microwaveable bowl just until melted and set aside to cool while you start the batter.
    • In a large bowl with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the eggs with the sugar and vanilla until very light and fluffy ,about 3 minutes. (**Make sure the melted butter is not hot when added to the batter or it will cook the eggs and make a lumpy batter! If you feel the butter is still too warm, mix it with the cold milk to cool it further, then add to the batter.) Add the cooled, melted butter and the milk to the egg mixture and mix well to combine.
    • Sift or whisk together the flour and baking powder in a bowl, then sprinkle the flour mixture over the egg mixture. Mix just until combined.
    • Quarter the peeled apples and remove the core. Use a mandolin to slice each apple quarter into thin slices. Add the apple slices to the batter as you go regularly (don't wait until you've done them all or they will start to brown. Push the apples into the batter so they are covered). Reserve the last handful of apple slices to scatter on top of the batter.
    • Gently stir the apples in the batter to ensure all apples are well coated. Pour the apple mixture into the prepared springform pan and then scatter the reserved apple slices randomly over-top. *Adjust any apples that may be sticking up into a someone flat surface, as apples sticking up higher have a tendency to over-brown.
    • Place the springform pan on a baking sheet (in case of leaks) and bake in preheated oven for 30-35 minutes, or until set. If desired, you can turn on the broiler for a minute to brown up the top of the cake.
    • Remove cake from oven and leave in the pan to cool. Run knife around edges and remove outer springform pan ring. Enjoy right away, or cover and refrigerate to enjoy later. You can serve cold from the fridge or let it come to room temperature before serving. You can also re-warm slightly in the microwave, if you like.
    • Enjoy slightly warm, at room temperature or cold from the fridge dusted with icing sugar, if you like, or add a dollop of creme fraiche, whipped cream or ice cream on top.

    Notes

    1. Golden delicious apples are specified here, as they don't break down as they cook. I recommend Golden Delicious if you can get them. Alternately, use a good cooking apple that you might use for pies. Jonagold is a good option. Granny Smith may work, but might be too tart for this cake

    Nutrition

    Calories: 217kcal | Carbohydrates: 44g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 53mg | Sodium: 46mg | Potassium: 293mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 25g | Vitamin A: 247IU | Vitamin C: 8mg | Calcium: 63mg | Iron: 1mg

    Nutritional information provided for general guidance only and should not be relied upon to make personal health decisions.

    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American, Canadian
    Never miss a new recipe!SIGN UP for email updates!

     

    More apple cake recipes you might also like ...

    Italian apple cake sliced on cutting board
    Italian Apple Cake
    A delicious apple cake, full of apples, wonderfully moist and lightly sweet. One bowl easy, with no mixer required.
    Get the Recipe
    www.seasonsandsuppers.ca
    apple crisp cake sliced
    Apple Crisp Cake
    A lovely fresh apple cake, lightly sweet and topped with a classic oatmeal and brown sugar apple crisp topping.
    Get the Recipe
    www.seasonsandsuppers.ca

    Save or share this recipe

    More Sweet Recipes

    • Rustic Spiral Skilet Apple Pie
    • Fresh Cranberry Vanilla Muffins
    • Cranberry Orange Bread Pudding
    • Pear Custard Cake
    PinShareTweetShares59k

    Meet the Author:
    Hi! I'm Jennifer, a home-cook of many years and a lifelong seeker of delicious food! I'm an equal opportunity eater. I enjoy eating all the foods!

    I love to share the classic recipes that I have enjoyed for years, as well as newer discoveries, that have become fast favourites.
    More about me here ...


    Seasons and Suppers is honoured to have been featured on these great sites ...

    graphic showing sites Seasons and Suppers has been featured on

     

    Tried this Recipe?
    You can leave a Recipe Rating by simply clicking on the stars in the Recipe Card above or if you like, you can leave a Comment and Rating in the comment section below! It's always helpful for other cooks to hear feedback on a recipe from someone who has tried it!

    You don't need to use your full name or even your real name when leaving a comment. You just need to be a real person :) Your email address will never be publicly displayed or shared.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Monica says

      May 26, 2022 at 2:36 pm

      4 stars
      I just made this cake. I love anything made with apples. After it had cooled a few minutes, I cut into it. It seems that near the center the batter was not cooked. I followed the directions exactly! My oven heats to the proper temp. I then put the cooled cake back into the oven for 10 minutes in hopes of completing the baking. I believe it is now cooked through.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        May 26, 2022 at 6:59 pm

        Hi Monica, there are always more factors than oven temperature that can affect baking time with any recipe. The colour of your baking pan, the temperature of your ingredients and the thickness and moisture content of the apples. Baking times will always vary from kitchen to kitchen.

        Reply
    2. Cristina says

      February 26, 2022 at 2:41 pm

      if someone needs (for a gluten free, dairy free diet): it worked great with the same amounts of gluten free flour, coconut oil and coconut milk 😍

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        February 26, 2022 at 3:17 pm

        Good to know! Thanks Cristina :)

        Reply
    3. Sheila says

      November 13, 2021 at 6:30 pm

      Could this cake be made in a 9” square pan? Is parchment paper necessary if you want to serve from pan? Thanks!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        November 13, 2021 at 7:02 pm

        Hi Sheila and yes, it would probably work, though it might be a little thinner, so watch the baking time. And yes, I would line at least the bottom with parchment, just to make it easier to remove from the pan.

        Reply
    4. Alice says

      November 05, 2021 at 2:21 pm

      5 stars
      I have been trying to adapt this recipe for my egg-allergic, mostly lactose-intolerant husband and wanted to ask you something. You say it's a custardy batter, but I have some experience with French cooking and noticed that the batter also looks an awful lot like crepe recipes I have used before. Is the consistency somewhat like a crepe texture, or more of a custard with a bit of flour to hold it together? If that's true, perhaps an eggless crepe recipe (yes, they do exist, and they can be very good!) might be of use here. If so, I can try an adaptation and then send it to you so you can share it with your readers. :-)

      We first found your blog when my Maltese husband told me of the glory that is scaccia, and your Scaccia Lasagna Loaf recipe has delighted us ever since. Keep the good food coming!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        November 05, 2021 at 6:58 pm

        Hi Alice and so glad you are enjoying the Scaccia :) As for this dessert, I think you may be on the right track with a crepe batter. While I described it as a custard, I was really thinking of the flavour (egg/milk), rather than the thick texture of a true custard. This batter is very liquid, so that is why I think a crepe batter is worth experimenting with. If you try it, do let me know how it works out!

        Reply
    5. Dolores Pap says

      September 29, 2021 at 11:38 am

      5 stars
      Wonderful cake- easy and fast to put together. Lush taste too.. To avoid having the top of the cake look too pale, I simply sprinkled it with some cinnamon sugar.
      Using my mandoline made quick work of slicing the apples super thin.

      Reply
      • Dolores Pap says

        September 29, 2021 at 11:39 am

        5 stars
        P.S. I sprinkled the top of the cake batter before it went into the oven..

        Reply
      • Jennifer says

        September 29, 2021 at 11:42 am

        So glad you enjoyed it, Dolores and love the cinnamon sugar idea :) Thanks!

        Reply
    6. Bonnie says

      September 12, 2021 at 2:46 pm

      The batter was so thin that it leaked out of the bottom of my springform pan before I could get it in the oven. And I checked the pan, it was closed completely.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        September 12, 2021 at 2:54 pm

        Sorry to hear that, Bonnie. I have never had that issue myself. Sometimes springform pans can warp and even when completely closed, they don't form a tight seal. I have added some additional notes to the recipe to wrap the bottom of the pan with foil. Thanks for letting me know :)

        Reply
    7. Chere says

      February 09, 2021 at 7:32 am

      5 stars
      So chock full of apple goodness! Apples are the stars - not sugar!
      I love how easy it was to put together. And so beautiful to present to guests.
      This is a keeper!
      I made it exactly as posted (but forgot the salt!)
      I will play with spices next time - just for fun!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        February 09, 2021 at 8:33 am

        So glad you enjoyed it, Chere and yes, it's a wonderful recipe to play with :) Thanks!

        Reply
    8. Jo says

      November 06, 2020 at 6:11 am

      5 stars
      This was really delicious, and a big hit with my guests. Not difficult to make, but is impressive! Thank you

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        November 06, 2020 at 9:40 am

        So glad to hear, Jo! Thanks so much :)

        Reply
        • Terry says

          July 25, 2021 at 12:23 pm

          I only have a 10” pan. Think I could add 1/2 recipe to original & increase bake time?

          Reply
          • Jennifer says

            July 25, 2021 at 6:24 pm

            Hi Terry and yes, I think that would work nicely :) Enjoy!

            Reply
    9. Melissa says

      October 25, 2020 at 7:11 am

      4 stars
      I made this last night and while it tasted great I couldn’t get it to brown. I tried under the broiler briefly but that just burnt the edges of the top apples. I also couldn’t figure out if I’d left enough batter or not. Should there be a little left to pour over the top?

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        October 25, 2020 at 11:37 am

        Hi Melissa, As you can probably see from my photos, I have never had that problem. In fact, if anything, this one is prone to over-browning. So there is something that is different in your bake. If I had to guess, I'd first suggest that maybe you have a super-tall/deep springform pan. My is only maybe 2 1/2-3 inches deep. If not that, are you baking in the centre rack of the oven?

        Reply
    10. Mayce Makani says

      July 06, 2020 at 5:41 pm

      Hello- How did you get the layers to line up in your cake pan? Or does it not matter? I think my mother would love this recipe but she is a stickler for cake looking very pretty!

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        July 06, 2020 at 7:59 pm

        Hi Mayce, as long as the slices are nice and thin, they will layer themselves just nicely :)

        Reply
    11. Katharine Speak says

      May 24, 2020 at 11:53 am

      Will it freeze and reheat?

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        May 24, 2020 at 12:38 pm

        I haven't frozen this one, Katharine, my gut says it's not the best candidate for freezing.

        Reply
    12. Zeyn says

      May 14, 2020 at 4:18 pm

      I just made this cake....or should I say attempted! It looks so easy but I certainly did not have enough batter for it to rise. What did I do wrong?

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        May 14, 2020 at 7:07 pm

        Hi Zeyn, I don't think you did anything wrong. I think you maybe expected it to be a "cake", but it's really just intended to be layered apples with a bit of batter in between to hold it together. So I think it's just a case of you expecting it to be something other than it is.

        Reply
    13. Alba says

      May 08, 2020 at 6:12 pm

      5 stars
      This was so easy to make and absolutely delicious! Everyone loved it. Thank you for the recipe, will definitely be making it again.

      Reply
      • Jennifer says

        May 08, 2020 at 7:19 pm

        So glad you enjoyed it, Alba :) Thanks so much!

        Reply
    « Older Comments

    Add a Comment, Question or Review Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

    Primary Sidebar

    “One of the best Food Blogs in Canada.” - National Post

    Hi! I'm Jennifer. Are you are looking for simple, seasonal and delicious everyday recipes? Do you love classic, homey, comforting food, but with a modern, real food update? Good! Me, too!

    Learn more about me here →

    Trending Recipes

    • Simply Perfect 2-Banana Banana Bread
    • Mango Salad with Zesty Lime Vinaigrette
    • Extra Creamy Rice Pudding
    • Glazed Lemon Pound Cake Loaf
    • 15 Minute Spicy Udon Stir Fry
    • Authentic Canadian Poutine Recipe

    Spring Recipe Collections

    • Rhubarb Recipes
    • Celebrating Citrus
    • Maple Recipes
    • Spring Favourites

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    Explore

    • About
    • My Amazon Shop
    • YouTube Channel
    • My Web Stories
    • Privacy Policy

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for free email updates of new posts and seasonal favourites from the recipe archives. It's sent just once a week and your email address is never shared or sold.

    Contact

    • Contact Me

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
    This site uses Cookies to provide the best user experience. Learn more in our Privacy Policy.

    Copyright © 2022 Seasons and Suppers. All Rights Reserved.