I Tried the ‘Invisible’ Apple Cake—And It’s Even Better Than It Looks

As a food editor, I get served all sorts of food videos—and while they often vary widely in cuisine and technique, there are occasional recipes that seem to take over my feed. “Invisible Apple Cake” is one such recipe, and with such a compelling name, I was surprised that I hadn’t heard of it before. I scrolled and I scrolled, and with every video I watched—a cascade of crisp apple slices into an eggy batter, a sharp knife slicing into a jiggly, succulent cake—I wanted to make it even more.

So with the ample apples my roommate and I have amassed on our kitchen table (it is apple season after all) and a housewarming party on the horizon, I set about baking our Allrecipes version of the recipe, 5-Ingredient Apple Cake Bars, to serve my friends—and get an honest review.

I passed out slices to taste, and my friends instantly loved it. “It’s not too sweet?” I asked, concerned—because it is sweet, like a clafoutis or a sugary crepe. Not at all, they assured me, comparing it to custard or bread pudding. While we ate with our fingers, licking our lips and gabbing, I can’t wait to serve it next time with ice cream or crème fraîche.

Invisible Apple Cake Bars

Our 5-Ingredient Invisible Apple Cake Bars are a spin-off of Invisible Apple Cake or “gateau l’invisible,” a crepe-like dessert invented by a French food blogger in 2008, originally made with both apples and pears.

In 2017, as internet recipes and videos gathered steam, it gained popularity in Japan, where versions of it often incorporate almond paste, almond meal, and even miso paste for an extra oomph of umami.

Thanks to the magic and efficiency of self-rising flour, this recipe is only five ingredients, so part of its charm is its simplicity. This recipe calls for grated apples rather than sliced, which allows for an even bake—and neat slicing—in bar form. Just be sure beat the sugar and eggs well before adding the flour for a perfectly tender and melt-in-your mouth crumb.

As for what makes it invisible? The apples do tenderly fall apart in the crumb and generally blend in with the unit—but they’re not invisible entirely. The name is a fun flourish, but I think the most “invisible” thing about this cake is that it’s easily gobbled up—and gone—in a flash.

How To Make the Invisible Apple Cake Bars

While it looks impressive, the ‘Invisible’ cake is only five ingredients: eggs, sugar, flour, half-and-half, and, of course, apples.

• Prepare the pan: Grease and coat a 9-inch baking pan with Cooking spray and parchment paper. (If you don’t have a 9×9-inch square baking pan, you can use a 9-inch cake pan—I only had cake pans on hand, and I was delighted that the batter fit perfectly within it for a more tart-like look.)
• Beat eggs and sugar. Use an electric mixer or a standing mixer to beat eggs and sugar until they are frothy and pale.
• Add half-and-half. Reducing the mixer speed to low, gradually add half-and-half until combined.
• Add flour. With mixer still on low, carefully add flour and beat until just combined, about 30 seconds.
• Peel and grate apples—then add them. Once apples are peeled and grated (a box grater works best), fold them into the egg and flour mixture. The batter will be lumpy!
• Add batter to pan and bake. Spoon the mixture into the prepared pan (a big ladle, spoon, or even measuring cup works best to allow for even distribution of the apples.)
• Bake. Bake in a 375 degree F oven until the edges are browned and the center is set, about 35 to 40 minutes.

Tips, Tricks, and Swaps

• Making do with flour you have. If you don’t have self-rising flour, you can use all purpose flour, salt, and baking powder. Allrecipes member Gretta Parsons made her own mixture of self-rising flour—as did I—without a problem. “This is very good,” says Parsons. “I made my own self rising flour because I didn’t have any by adding 1.5tsp baking powder and .5 tsp salt.”
• Experiment with types of apples. After all, the original recipe includes pears! Feel free to play with the fruit you use, incorporating different varieties of apples, pears, or similarly-fleshed fruit like quince.
• Add vanilla. Vanilla extract, vanilla paste, or even vanilla bean pulp can add both visual intrigue and enhanced flavor and aromas of vanilla throughout the crumb.
• Add flaky salt. Top with flaky salt along with powdered sugar for some extra saltiness and crunch.

Get the recipe: 5-Ingredient Invisible Apple Cake Bars