This recipe is simple, surprisingly delicious, lets the apple shine through, and yet can be done with flavorless leftover apples.

• 3 large apples
• 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar¹
  1.

  This helps brings in further apple flavor, which is particularly important if your apples are not that good. ↩︎

• 115 grams of salted butter
• 100 grams of white sugar
• 2 teaspoons of brown sugar (about 30 grams)
• 2 large eggs
• 1 large teaspoon vanilla extract²
  2.

  The traditional recipe calls for half a teaspoon of vanilla extract but adds 3 tablespoons of dark rum. ↩︎

• 120 grams flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• finely dice the apples³

  3.

  Keep the skin, it makes the recipe easier, does not degrade the final result and is probably healthier. ↩︎

• toss with the apple cider vinegar and reserve

• mix the butter⁴

  4.

  You can, very lightly, soften the butter in a microwave to make your task easier. ↩︎

  , white sugar and brown sugar in a large bowl

• beat the eggs and vanilla in

• add the flour and baking powder, fold the mixture

• fold in the apples

• pour the batter into a buttered pan

• dust a thin layer of white sugar on top⁵

  5.

  Do not omit this step, it makes a significant improvement in the flavor and brings some textural contrast to the cake. ↩︎

• cook 45 minutes in a 350F (180C) oven
• let cool down to room temperature before serving

This is my take on Chef John’s recipe (the irony of using an American recipe to bake a French cake is not lost on me).