French Apple Cake--help please

qualityshopper · ‎12-04-2011

I just recently made this cake and wasn't too happy with the outcome. Got this recipe from America's Test Kitchen shown on a PBS station (also went to ATK's website to view the recipe). When watching the show, the host made a point to say to use 1 cup of oil and not to substitute anything for it (no butter, margarine, etc.). Well, 1 cup of oil just makes the cake so GREASY! Ick! You could taste the oil and see it on the plate.

I want to try it again, but I need to reduce the oil and use some kind of substitute (probably some applesauce). Could some of you expert cooks out there offer suggestions on how much oil I could get by with (maybe just half a cup?) and whether using some applesauce would affect the texture too much. Thanks for any help.

Harpa · ‎03-10-2010

Just reduce the oil; no need to add a single thing.

My DM has this recipe for Easy Chocolate Cupcakes, (If I get time later, I'll post on the recipe thread), which calls for oil. I always reduce the oil, adding nothing else. They come out perfect!

Whenever I bake, I reduce sugar & oil.

Kachina624 · ‎03-10-2010

I recently made a box brownie mix which was I believe was Betty Crocker. It called for a lot of oil and was so greasy, I sent them a msg. to ask if it could have been a misprint. It wasn't, and was correct but it made the product inedible in my opinion.

New Mexico☀️Land Of Enchantment

Clover29 · ‎03-09-2010

I never use oil in cake recipes. I never saw oil as a recipe ingredient back in the UK, and 40 years of making cakes without it told me I don't need it. I do use butter or margarine.

peachesncream · ‎03-13-2010

This Epicurious recipe for French Apple Cake looks good. It has a better proportion of fat to ingredients, I think. I haven’t tried it but plan to soon. I’ve had good results with epicurious recipes.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cinnamon-apple-cake-10000000222502/

Here's another idea. This apple cake by Cooking Light is one of their most popular recipes. I’ve made it and it's a winner. I use butter (not margarine) and light cream cheese. It takes a bit less time in my oven.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cinnamon-apple-cake-10000000222502/

DiamondGirly · ‎03-10-2010

On 9/28/2014 peachesncream said:
This Epicurious recipe for French Apple Cake looks good. It has a better proportion of fat to ingredients, I think. I haven’t tried it but plan to soon. I’ve had good results with epicurious recipes.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cinnamon-apple-cake-10000000222502/

Here's another idea. This apple cake by Cooking Light is one of their most popular recipes. I’ve made it and it's a winner. I use butter (not margarine) and light cream cheese. It takes a bit less time in my oven.

http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cinnamon-apple-cake-10000000222502/

Thanks, everyone, for the great recipe ideas!!

peachesncream- your two links above are the same site...I went to Epicusious, but I didn't find a French Apple Cake recipe there - Is the link below the one you were recommending? Thank you!!

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Marie-Helenes-Apple-Cake-361150

peachesncream · ‎03-13-2010

On 9/28/2014 DiamondGirly said:
On 9/28/2014 peachesncream said: This Epicurious recipe for French Apple Cake looks good. It has a better proportion of fat to ingredients, I think. I haven’t tried it but plan to soon. I’ve had good results with epicurious recipes.
 http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cinnamon-apple-cake-10000000222502/

Here's another idea. This apple cake by Cooking Light is one of their most popular recipes. I’ve made it and it's a winner. I use butter (not margarine) and light cream cheese. It takes a bit less time in my oven.
 http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cinnamon-apple-cake-10000000222502/


Thanks, everyone, for the great recipe ideas!!

peachesncream- your two links above are the same site...I went to Epicusious, but I didn't find a French Apple Cake recipe there - Is the link below the one you were recommending? Thank you!!

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Marie-Helenes-Apple-Cake-361150

Boy, I messed that up! Here is the link to French Apple Cake:

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/French-Apple-Cake-2504

That recipe you posted a link to looks good, too - and has lots of apple.

Decisions, decisions. Smile (I think there's a lot of baking in my future.)

laibish · ‎03-22-2010

Hi... I have made this cake about 6 times and each time it has come out perfect, in fact

I have the Complete America Test Kitchen Cookbook, page 804 the recipe calls for l cup

vegetable oil, to be wisked with 1 cup of milk, 1 egg, 1 tea vanilla, add the dry to wet...

it has never tasted oily to me...and just a wonderful apple cake....hope you are not using

olive oil....don't give up on this cake......regards laibish

qualityshopper · ‎12-04-2011

Thanks everyone for answering, and especially, thanks to peachesncream and DiamondGirly for the links to these other recipes.

Laibish--Yes, this is the recipe I followed. I used 1 cup of canola oil--don't know if using canola would make any difference (don't think it would), but mine was so greasy. I made it the same way as shown in the video with the same ingredients. Was so disappointed with it. Glad it came out good for you, but I'm not sure if I'm going to try it again or not. With apples being so expensive, I hesitate to waste another batch.

Dorothy11 · ‎09-14-2011

On 9/28/2014 DiamondGirly said:
On 9/28/2014 peachesncream said: This Epicurious recipe for French Apple Cake looks good. It has a better proportion of fat to ingredients, I think. I haven’t tried it but plan to soon. I’ve had good results with epicurious recipes.
 http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cinnamon-apple-cake-10000000222502/

Here's another idea. This apple cake by Cooking Light is one of their most popular recipes. I’ve made it and it's a winner. I use butter (not margarine) and light cream cheese. It takes a bit less time in my oven.
 http://www.myrecipes.com/recipe/cinnamon-apple-cake-10000000222502/


Thanks, everyone, for the great recipe ideas!!

peachesncream- your two links above are the same site...I went to Epicusious, but I didn't find a French Apple Cake recipe there - Is the link below the one you were recommending? Thank you!!

http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Marie-Helenes-Apple-Cake-361150

I have made Marie-Helene's apple cake a couple of times, and it's very good. The recipe comes from Dorie Greenspan's Baking, from My Home to Yours. I have always thought oils gave cakes a funny flavor and much prefer butter.

FYI - Dorie will be on book tour next month. If you have a chance to go see her, please do! She is such a warm and delightful person, and fantastic home baker. Her new book Baking Chez Moi is bound to be as good as all her other books.