Apple Cake Recipe (A French Classic)
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With tart apples baked into a buttery cake with just a hint of rum, this might be the best apple cake you’ll ever taste. It’s simple yet so satisfying—perfect for dessert, a cozy afternoon snack, or even breakfast (yes, it’s that good!).
The summer after my junior year of college, I worked as an au pair in Paris for a family with three little boys. My host mother, Valérie, loved to cook and often enlisted my help in the kitchen. Her apple cake recipe, with chunks of tart apples nestled in a tender and buttery rum cake, quickly became one of my all-time favorite desserts. Like many French desserts—think clafoutis, madeleines, or crepes—it’s incredibly simple to prepare.
Pair it with a cup of coffee in the afternoon or serve it for dessert topped with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It’s the kind of cake that works for almost any occasion. It’s especially lovely for fall holidays, when apples are at their peak—think Rosh Hashanah, Thanksgiving, or a cozy weekend gathering. But since apples are available year-round, it’s just as fitting for Easter brunch, Mother’s Day, or anytime you need a dessert that feels special without being fussy.
“Last year I won first place in a state fair with this recipe…This year I won division champion in our county fair. It’s a total winner of a recipe!”
What You’ll Need to Make French Apple Cake
- All-purpose flour – Spooned and leveled for accuracy; provides structure without making the cake heavy.
- Baking powder & salt – The baking powder gives the cake lift, while the salt enhances the flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Unsalted butter – At room temperature for proper creaming; creates richness and a tender crumb.
- Granulated sugar – Sweetens the cake and helps create a light texture when creamed with the butter; a little extra sprinkled on top adds a delicate crackly crust.
- Eggs – Add structure, moisture, and richness; best at room temperature so they incorporate smoothly.
- Vanilla extract & dark rum – Add warmth and depth of flavor; the rum subtly enhances the apples without overpowering them.
- Baking apples – Peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch cubes; choose firm, slightly tart varieties that hold their shape in the oven, such as Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Fuji, Braeburn, or Pink Lady.
- Confectioners’ sugar (optional) – For a simple, elegant finish just before serving.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Pro Tip: Using a whisk to thoroughly combine the dry ingredients ensures the baking powder is evenly distributed and the cake rises evenly.
Step 2: Cream the butter, sugar, and eggs. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
Step 3: Add the flavoring. Beat in the vanilla extract and rum. The mixture may look a little curdled at this stage, which is fine.
Step 4. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.
Step 5: Add the apples. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the peeled and chopped apples. Folding in the apples by hand prevents the flour from over-developing gluten, ensuring a tender crumb while also helping the apple chunks stay intact.
Step 6: Fill the pan. Scrape the batter into a greased 9-inch springform pan (or a greased and lined 9-inch cake pan) and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar.
Step 6: Bake and serve. Bake on the center rack of the oven for about 40 minutes until the top is golden and crisp. Serve warm or at room temperature, plain or with lightly sweetened whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream—a dash of cinnamon would be a nice addition, too. The cake can be made up to 2 days ahead. Freeze for longer storage.
Pro Tip: Use a toothpick or cake tester for doneness. Because this cake is so apple-heavy, it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs; if you hit a piece of fruit, try a different spot to ensure the batter itself is fully set.
Video Tutorial
More Apple Recipes You May Like
French Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled off
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar, plus more for sprinkling over cake
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons dark rum
- 2 medium baking apples, peeled, cored and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 2½ cups; see note)
- Confectioners' sugar (optional), for decorating cake
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease a 9-inch (23-cm) springform or regular cake pan with butter or nonstick cooking spray. If using a regular cake pan, line the bottom of the pan with parchment paper and grease again.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Using a handheld mixer with beaters or a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well and scraping down the sides of the bowl after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and rum. Don't worry if the batter looks curdled at this point; that's okay. Add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until just combined. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the chopped apples.
- Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and even the top. Sprinkle evenly with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the cake is golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool on a rack in the pan. Once cool, run a blunt knife around the edges of the cake. If using a springform pan, remove the sides. If using a regular cake pan, carefully invert the cake onto the rack, remove the parchment paper, then gently flip the cake over and place right-side-up on a platter. Using a fine sieve, dust with confectioners' sugar (if using). Cake can be served warm or room temperature, plain or with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
Notes
- When this baking this cake, it's important to use apples suitable for baking. Baking apples hold their shape when cooked, so the chunks of fruit won't turn into applesauce in the oven. Tart-sweet varietals such as Granny Smith, Honey Crisp, Pink Lady, Braeburn, and Jonagold are all great options. Feel free to combine different varieties for a more nuanced flavor.
- Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The cake is best enjoyed fresh but for up to 2 days. Store at room temperature in a cake dome or covered with foil. It can also be frozen for up to 3 months. After it is completely cooled, wrap it tightly with aluminum foil or freezer wrap. Thaw overnight on the countertop before serving.
Nutrition Information
This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.
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One of my absolute favourites. I have made this at least a half dozen times i the past few months. The rum adds a beautiful flavour.
Oh my Word – took 1 bite and wondered – am I in HEAVEN?! Delightful, delicious, and super easy to make. Love this recipe, end result & intend to make this repeatedly. Planned to take it to work, & maybe still should, however it’s so good want to keep it all for ourselves. Yum! Thank you so much for sharing your recipe, definitely one to treasure.
Do you suggest this recipe to use peaches or the strawberry cake recipe? This has good flavorings, but I was going to try the other recipe so I could use big peach halves on the top. Can you tell what season it is in NJ?! Thoughts?? TIA!
Hi Fran, I think either of those recipes would work with peaches, but I would suggest dicing them instead of using the big halves on top of the cake. I also have this peach cobbler recipe that might appeal to you.
Great recipe! So simple and very delicious. It didn’t last long in my house. Just wondering if you’ve ever doubled it and what size pan you used
Hi Elaine, so glad you enjoyed it! Yes, I think you could definitely double it. I haven’t prepared it in any other sized pans, so I can’t say for sure how it would turn out. I think your best bet is to use two 9-inch springforms or regular cake pans.
Hi Elaine & Jenn,
I know this is a pretty late response to a question but I recently doubled this recipe and baked it in a 9 X 13 glass pan and it turned out fine. It cooked faster than I thought so I was happy I checked it early.
Good to know, Lori– thanks so much for chiming in!
Sooo easy to make, and came out great. Elegant, simple, satisfying. I dusted it with icing sugar, and paired it with some vanilla ice cream (as was suggested), and presentation was gorgeous. Excited to have another dessert I can rely on…
Well just another successfully executed recipe!!! This cake was just about the easiest thing I’ve ever prepared! With the simplest ingredients! This little cake was moist on the inside and had a lovely crispy top. Perfect flavor, perfect texture and rave reviews from my guests!! Thanks Jenn for helping me look like a great cook!!!
We loved it. Served it with whipped cream and the whole thing was gone by the end of dessert. I used silver rum rather than dark, as it was all I had in my cabinet, but it turned out lush. Even my daughter who normally dislikes apple desserts loved this, so I’m definitely going to bake it again! Thanks for a new favourite!
WOW!!! I am not easy to please, so when I say it’s good, believe me, IT’S GOOD. So simple to make and so sophisticated. Love the fact that it is a small cake. My gentleman friend, who is not a sweet eater, chose it for his birthday dinner. Thanks Jen for another winner.
Have made this a handful of times already with good results and requests for extra servings by all! We don’t keep rum on hand, but sub in a pour of milk and a little extra vanilla and that seems to work well; and I also add cinnamon into the dry mix sometimes 🙂
I was just wondering if you have tried any other fruits in this cake? I’m baking a double batch for Easter and thought I might try some blueberries in one of them (instead of, not in addition to the apple)… thoughts?
Thanks so much for sharing this; it has really helped me enjoy baking knowing a simple recipe can turn out so well!
Hi Katie, I probably wouldn’t add blueberries as they’re very tart when baked, which mean you’d need to add sugar to the recipe, which would throw things off a bit. But I bet it’d work well with pears or peaches. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out.
Oh Lord!!! Absolutely delicious! I will make this again. I didn’t have rum, so I subbed butterscotch schnapps and I poured batter into two 6 inch cake pans (25-30 min). I have made so many of your recipes and they are always winners! Thank you.