Invisible apple cake (Gâteau invisible) from Smitten Kitchen by Deb Perelman

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Ingredients

lemons
granulated sugar
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Serves : 8-10
EYB Comments

Can substitute Mutsu apples for Granny Smith apples, vanilla bean paste for vanilla extract, and apple jelly for apricot preserves.

Where’s the full recipe - why can I only see the ingredients?

Always check the publication for a full list of ingredients. An Eat Your Books index lists the main ingredients and does not include 'store-cupboard ingredients' (salt, pepper, oil, flour, etc.) - unless called for in significant quantity.

Notes about this recipe

Eat Your Books

Can substitute Mutsu apples for Granny Smith apples, vanilla bean paste for vanilla extract, and apple jelly for apricot preserves.
elysedc on March 25, 2026

used my food processor, mixed the batter and slices all together, layered the very bottom layer and the very top layer- the rest was just poured in, with the promise that the apples would sort of fill themselves into any empty spaces. and they really did! I was shocked at how well it came out! stayed in the oven for almost a full 90 mins. got raves at a dinner party!
Barb_N on November 11, 2025

I was intrigued by this recipe. The rosette arrangement of apples on top is elegant. The batter is not at all cake-like, its texture is more like a clafoutis. This is definitely apple forward but it will be ‘a once in a lifetime experience’ as we say in our house. Peeling and slicing 2 1/2 lb of apples was fine, but it was no simple thing to arrange the slices as described by Deb. My cake had batter-free spaces throughout. The rosette was not easy to make, just a frustration. Without that decorative feature, this is not an attractive dessert. Apple pie delivers the apple flavor without the stress.