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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This has all the flavor and delight I would expect from a French dessert … whether or not it IS a French recipe, it tastes like one! I just had my first piece and it just tastes like “MORE please!”
Whenever I make this cake I always make at least 2, sometimes 4!! I bake it with honey crisp apples. I use an 8” cake pan, perfect size and depth of cake for me. It is such an easy recipe but it’s the most delicious and satisfying cake to eat. I have one in the freezer that will be enjoyed by guests coming over tonight. This is one of my most favorite recipes that I make over and over and my family love it!
I have one teeny tiny request: When you list the ingredients at the top, can you also please put the measurements? On mobile, it can get a bit crazy to scroll for the measurements and then have to return to the directions, especially with all the ads playing. This would be so amazing! Thanks for hearing me out, and I can’t wait to try this recipe this afternoon!
Hi Cookie, I did try that with a handful of recipes and found that I made a few data entry errors (just human error!) so I’ve been reluctant to keep doing it. I will definitely keep it in mind, though, in case I decide to give it another go!
I saw this cake on a Reddit post (with link included) and my hubby and I loved it! Had to sub quite a bit, only had cake flour, used milk instead of rum and added too many apples but it was still delicious! Used 1/3 cup of date sugar and I really believe it added a lil’ depth that the rum would have given. Will make again with rum and less apples.
Please try this cake, it is definitely beginner friendly!
This is absolutely the BEST recipe. I did not have brown rum, but the white was good too. I will be making this forever. Already have promised to make this for my grandson’s upcoming wedding, with guests coming from out-of-town. Froze a couple of pieces since there are only two of us, and that worked well.
Thank you.
Dagmar in Wilmington, NC
I made this cake for a group of friends. One of them i gluten-intolerant so I substituted gluten-free flour. The texture was a bit more crumbly than expected but it was delicious and everyone enjoyed it very much. I’ll be making it again soon.
By the way, the honeycrisp apples did hold their shape and added to the enjoyment.
This cake was delicious! Perfect for enjoying after dinner on a Sunday. Could I bake this in a 9″ pie pan for ease of serving (like your strawberry cake recipe…which is also delicious!)?
Hi Margaret, Glad you liked it! As long as your pie pan is deep-dish, it will work.
This apple cake came out great, not too sweet and perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.
I love the illustrations and step by step instructions . making it more easier for us novice bakers and cooks. I will definitely be trying more of your recipes as this one is my first of yours.
will be making it today, can I use a rectangular ( 9×13) baking pan instead of springform? do I need to increase ingredients?
Yes, Suzanne, that’s fine. You’ll need to double the recipe. The bake time may be slightly longer so keep a close eye on it.
Hello, I live at high altitude (Denver), are there any adjustments I should make to the recipe?
Hi Brittany, I don’t have any personal experience baking at high altitudes, so unfortunately, don’t have any wisdom to share, but you may find the tips in this post helpful (see #14 – Make Adjustments at High Altitude). Hope you find them useful!
I absolutely loved it. I had a load of cooking apples to use and came across this recipe. It’s so simple and quick. I did sweat about the ratio of apples to mixture but it turned out perfect. I didn’t have rum but added amaretto instead which gave it the most delicious hint of almonds that complimented the apples and sponge perfectly. I have plenty of apples left over and I’m planning on baking another one for work tomorrow!
Hi Brittany,
I just made this at higher altitude than Denver. I cut the baking powder very slightly, and don’t think I needed to cut it at all. It came out great!