Invisible Apple Cake

Name: Invisible Apple Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: 3 large eggs (room temperature); ½ cup milk (room temperature); 2 tablespoons coconut oil (melted); ⅓ cup honey (or agave); ½ cup brown sugar; 1 tablespoon vanilla extract; ¾ cup gluten-free flour (or all-purpose); 1 teaspoon cinnamon; 1 teaspoon baking powder; ¼ teaspoon fine kosher salt; 2 ½ pounds apples (Like Fuji, Honeycrisp or Gala); 1 small organic lemon (zest and juice)

By Rena Awada, nutritionally reviewed by Ella Davar RD

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Oct 28, 2025

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This delicious Invisible Apple Cake, also known as Gâteau Invisible, is a French dessert known for its soft, custardy texture and lightly sweet apple flavor. It’s perfect for entertaining as this impressive dessert is easy to make and can be prepped ahead of time.

A slice of Invisible Apple Cake on a beige plate with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.

Unlike most apple cakes, where the fruit just speckles the batter, this cake is mostly made up of thinly sliced apples, which have been coated in a thin layer of creamy batter. The result is a very apple-heavy dessert (perfect for anyone who is obsessed with fruity bakes!) with a melt-in-the-mouth texture.

For more apple desserts to serve a crowd, check out my Oaty Baked Apples or my Apple Crisp recipes.

Recipe Overview

Skill Level

Intermediate

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

55 mins

Ingredients Needed

Below are the ingredients you’ll need to make Invisible Apple Cake. The full quantities can be found in the recipe card further down the post.

Ingredients to make invisible apple cake.

Eggs: The eggs are key to creating the right texture for this cake. They firm up as the cake bakes, creating a custardy texture that isn’t too runny or too firm.
Milk: You can use any kind of milk here. To make the cake dairy-free, use an unsweetened, unflavored plant-based milk.
Coconut oil: I use melted coconut oil to make the cake a bit more tender. You can use melted butter or olive oil if preferred.
Honey: Use a light honey so as not to overpower the flavor of the apples. Agave syrup also works.
Brown sugar: The slight caramel flavor of brown sugar works well with the apples. You can swap it for superfine sugar if you’d like the cake to taste sweeter.
Vanilla extract and Kosher salt
Gluten-free flour: Many pre-mixed gluten-free flour blends are available in grocery stores. I like to use one that is specifically made for baking for this recipe.
Cinnamon: A touch of cinnamon is a nice addition for a warm flavor, but it can be left out if you’re not a fan.
Baking powder: This gives the batter a bit of lift so that the cake has a light texture
Apples: Varieties like Fuji, Honeycrisp, or Gala work well as they keep the cake sweet. Granny Smith apples can make the cake taste too sour.
Lemon: The lemon juice stops the apples from browning while the zest brings a citrus flavor that works nicely.

How to Make Invisible Apple Cake

First, preheat your oven to 350℉. Line a 7″ round cake pan with parchment paper.

process shot making the batter for the apple cake, and then adding flour to the bowl with the batter.

Step 1: Whisk together the eggs, milk, melted coconut oil, honey and brown sugar in a large bowl.

Step 2: In a separate bowl, combine the gluten-free flour, cinnamon, baking powder and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix to form a batter. Set aside.

process shot of slicing the apples and adding them to a bowl.

Step 3: Peel the apples and use a mandoline to thinly slice, discarding the core. Quickly squeeze over the lemon juice (to prevent the apples from browning) and toss with the lemon zest.

Step 4: Add the sliced apples to the batter and mix gently to coat each piece in batter. Use a slotted spoon to transfer them to the prepared cake pan. Pour any remaining batter on top of the apples in the cake pan.

process shot of mixing the sliced apples in batter and then baking.

Step 5: Bake for 50-55 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool completely in the pan before turning out.

Step 6: Slice and serve with vanilla ice cream, if you like.

Variations & Tips

Mix together 1 tablespoon of light brown sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon to sprinkle on top of the cake just before baking for a cinnamon-sugar crust.
Add the grated zest of 1 large, organic orange to the sliced apples for a cozy citrus flavor.
Try using pears instead of apples for a different flavor. You’ll need to use firmer pears since soft, ripe ones will break apart if sliced thinly.
Don’t worry if the batter seems thin; it’s meant to be. It bakes up into a more custardy texture than a regular cake batter.
You can also bake this cake in a 9×5-inch loaf pan for a different shape.

A sliced invisible apple cake, dusted with powdered sugar, on a marble board.

Common Questions

How do I store it?

Store the cooled cake in an airtight container in the fridge for 5 to 6 days.

How do I reheat it?

To reheat, microwave a slice of the cake on a microwave-safe plate for 20-30 seconds until warmed through. You can also serve the cake cold from the fridge or at room temperature.

Can I use all-purpose flour?

Yes, simply swap the gluten-free flour for the same quantity of all-purpose flour. This means that the cake will no longer be gluten-free.

Do I have to use a mandoline?

Using a mandoline to slice the apples will help you get really thin, even slices which is key to the texture of this cake. If you don’t have a mandoline but have a very sharp knife and are confident you can slice thinly, feel free to do it by hand.

Why is it called Invisible cake?

The cake features very thinly sliced apples and a custardy batter that meld together. When baked, the soft apples become a similar color and texture to the batter, making them seem almost ‘invisible’.