French Apple Cake
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With chunks of sweet apples nestled in a tender and buttery rum cake, this French apple cake is the essence of simplicity.
The summer after my junior year in college, what seems like eons ago, I worked as an au pair in Paris for a family with three little boys. My host mother, Valérie, loved to cook and would frequently enlist my help in the kitchen once the kids were in bed. Her French apple cake, with chunks of tart apples nestled in a tender, buttery rum cake, is a longtime favorite of mine. Similar to many homemade French desserts, like clafoutis, madeleines, or crepes, it is the essence of simplicity.
What you’ll need to make French Apple Cake
When this baking this cake or any any dessert with apples, such as apple crisp, apple pie, or apple cobbler, 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.
How To Make French Apple Cake
Begin by combining the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. No need to sift; just whisk well.
Set aside. Then, in the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs one at a time.
Beat in the vanilla extract and rum.
It will look a little grainy at this point; that’s okay.
Add the dry ingredients.
Mix until just combined.
Add the chopped apples.
Use a rubber spatula to fold the apples into the batter.
Have a 9-inch springform pan greased or a 9-inch cake pan greased, lined with parchment, and greased again.
Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and even the top.
Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar.
Bake the cake for about 40 minutes, until golden and crisp on top.
Serve warm or room temperature, plain or with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
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Video Tutorial
French Apple Cake
With chunks of sweet apples nestled in a tender and buttery rum cake, this French apple cake is the essence of simplicity.
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 stick (½ cup) 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 baking apples, peeled, cored and cut into ½-inch cubes (I like Honeycrisp, Fuji or Granny Smith) (3½ - 4 cups chopped)
- Confectioners' sugar (optional), for decorating cake
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease a 9-inch 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 grainy 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.
- Freezer Friendly Instructions: The cake can 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
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- Per serving (8 servings)
- Calories: 279
- Fat: 13g
- Saturated fat: 8g
- Carbohydrates: 35g
- Sugar: 22g
- Fiber: 2g
- Protein: 3g
- Sodium: 66mg
- Cholesterol: 77mg
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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All I have to say is, Make This Now! It’s a big hit every time I make it. Both kids and adults love it and there’s never leftovers. Thank you for this amazing recipe.
This is by far one of my favorite desserts. Looks complicated as if you spent hours in the kitchen when you did not. The recipe is easy and the cake is light and moist!
Great recipe! Loved it, not overly sweet, good choice for brunch!!! Thank you!
The French Apple Cake is such a delectable and lovely dessert. It is so simple to make and tastes especially wonderful with vanilla whipped cream. Another winner!
This is by far one of my favorite desserts. Looks complicated as if you spent hours in the kitchen when you did not. The recipe is easy and the cake is light and moist!
I made this recipe for the first time today & it won’t be the last time. Not sure if my husband & I enjoyed it more or the neighbors we shared it with. Thank you for an excellent cake.
This is one of the best cakes ever. Incredibly moist, and so quick and easy. I added some rum to the whipped cream too. Don’t worry about the amount of apples being too many (you’ll know what I mean when you make it), it turns out beautifully. You could probably add a little cinnamon to the batter but really it’s great just like it is. I’ve made it 3 times and it came out perfect each time.
Quick and easy to make, and super delicious! One of the recipes where the flavors of basic ingredients shines through.
Easy to make. Delicious. The dark rum really gives it nice depth of flavor. A favorite and a recipe I’ve shared and shared.
This French Apple Cake recipe is absolutely delicious! The recipe itself is quite simple, not too many ingredients are needed, but the end result is superb. I made this for my Dad’s birthday and my parents could not stop raving about how delicious it was – not too sweet, lots of apples, and perfect for their taste. Thank you for sharing this recipe! I have bookmarked it and will be making this many, many times in the near future!
Absolutely delicious! Easy and delicious!
This dessert was just the perfect size. It was not too rich, yet satisfied that craving for something sweet after dinner. It would also be perfect for a brunch side dish as well. I found mini bottles of dark rum at my local liquor store, so there wasn’t a huge investment in buying a big bottle of rum.
Every fall after picking apples, my husband asks “When are you going to make that apple cake?” This cake is so easy, so moist, so delicious! Sometimes I had a hint of Vermont maple syrup into the whipped cream.
This cake is fantastic and the hint of rum makes it even more delish!! A family favorite at our house.
This is an amazing cake to make when you have fresh apples. We have baked a lot of Jen’s recipes and this is one of my family’s favorites. Perfect with some fresh whipped cream.
This cake has the nicest flavor, the rum really makes it and it gets better after a couple of days.
This was one of the first few recipes I tried from Once Upon A Chef, it is the easiest cake to make and tastes so light & refreshing. It also looks very elegant for a special occasion or a quick dessert to make. Thank you Jen for sharing this & many other delicious recipes worth keeping & going back to!
Another home run. This is so flavorful, moist and easy to put together. With a dusting of icing sugar it looks like I bought it from a french patisserie. This is a make again!
Thanks jenn.
Deep in the winter of these Pandemic days, it is comforting to have dessert after dinner, a practice foregone in the recent past. I LOVE the simplicity of this apple cake. As it evokes a memory of Paris for Jen, this will evoke the memory of time with my family around the dinner table, the highlight of these days. I love Jen’s illustration of ingredients as it helps in scanning that everything is available in the cupboard. The description of how things should look and feel while progressing with the recipe is genius. Too often one is left guessing about how things should be. The advice about using an assortment of apple varietals is spot- on. Savoring the leftovers with coffee in the morning. Ooo la la.
You guys! I made this apple cake two times in one week. It is so simple and comforting. I love the sweet juicy apples in each bite. Don’t change a thing!
I’ve never had French apple cake until I found this one a couple of years ago when I was looking for an apple dessert recipe other than apple pie. Wow, it’s hands down good. I’ve made this so many times for my family and as recent as this past Christmas. My kids love to eat them throughout the day, especially for breakfast. I skip the tablespoon of sugar on top before baking and instead, substitute turbinado sugar on top immediately AFTER baking so that it melts a bit but yet still got the crunch. My 12 yo daughter has learned to make it herself now. 🙂
Made it twice — the first time with just one TB of dark rum with additional 2TB water. Delicious!!!
The second time was with 3TB water and 1/4 tsp rum extract flavoring. Also very good, but I think I’ll use real rum instead next time. Both cakes are not too sweet with lots of apple flavor. Used whipped cream for a topping.
My favorite cake ever. This was the first recipe I ever tried of Jennifer’s. It turned out so perfect. We paired it with a little bit of vanilla ice cream and everyone loved it. Highly recommend.
This is one of our favorite desserts, light and delicious. Always turns out perfectly! Looks elegant just the right amount of dessert at the end of a meal. Once of these days I may try it with pears, or mangoes….but the apple is so good I haven’t been willing to try it yet!
This cake is delicious! So easy to make and looks great when served. It will definitely become part of my dessert repertoire.
French Apple Cake: Outstanding, so easy to make and get lots of compliments every time I serve it. Have had many requests for the recipe and happily I share and mention that I got it
from Once upon a chef!!
I made this for family in the fall when apples were at their best. It is a delicious dessert and I served it with a little vanilla ice cream…..this was a hit with family and once Covid is over, this dessert will be on my list for entertaining friends! I made it exactly as the recipe is written, no substitutions and it came out perfect! Thank you, Jen!
This is the first recipe I ever tried from this website and I love it. This cake is much less sweet than a typical apple cake and wonderful for someone that does not want a sugary cake. The texture and crumb on this cake is great.
I made this cake with tequila the second time that I made it and I highly recommend either alcohol. I used a very floral and citrusy tequila and mixed a bit of salt in with the sugar sprinkled on top. It is a great birthday cake for an adult.
I have made this recipes so many times for our office birthday celebrations. Everyone ask for it. It is winner.
Wow – I’ve had to make this recipe twice in one week because my parents requested another before they even finished the first one! This simple recipe truly highlights the apple flavor, as there is less batter than other apple cake recipes I’ve tried before. To balance out tartness of the Granny Smith I used, I threw in a small pear. Thank you!
I’ve made this twice for dinner parties and it’s been a hit both times. Very easy recipe! I used Honeycrisp apples and Puerto Rican dark rum (Ron del Barrilito.). On the second cake I reduced the apples to 3 cups – just personal preference and so the cake would slice better. The recipe is excellent as written, though. I served it with whipped cream.
We love this cake so much, it is our family’s go to dessert for normal weeknight. Some days I made it after dinner without planning ahead. It’s fast & easy to make and it turns out well every time. Not too sweet, I made no adjustment. The rum is an added bonus. We love desserts with rum.
I don’t normally care for anything apple, but this cake is absolutely delicious and so easy to make. My 15 year old daughter and I love Jen’s cookbook. There are so many awesome recipes. One of our favorites is the fish tacos and now this apple cake.
I’m SO thankful I found this recipe. It’s not the typical apple dessert containing cinnamon, which suggests breakfasttime and also turns things brown. Instead we taste and see pure apple in a “bright” cake. The rum makes it fancy — an adults-only coffee cake or after dinner party dessert. I have made no changes, however if I were to not have any rum on hand, so many other liquors would work well: brandy, cream sherry, amaretto.
This is the most delicious apple cake I have made so far! Many apple cake recipes are too dry, but not this one. Moist and full of apple flavor, I know which apple cake to make every fall!
I love this cake! This cake is now a classic in my family and one of our favourites!
I made this dessert to accompany the French Beef stew. The light and fresh flavors were a perfect compliment to the hearty stew. The cake was airy. The top crust was so flavorful, and the sweetness of the apples was just enough. The simplicity let’s the ingredients shine. This could also be served as a breakfast coffee cake. I did drizzle a little salted caramel sauce over top instead of powdered sugar. I will make this again, for sure.
I have made this recipe many times, and it ALWAYS turns out great! The recipe itself is very easy to follow, but the finished cake is so elegant, as if it took much longer to prepare. A simple dusting of powdered sugar is the perfect topping for me.
Easy recipe to make. It is my husband’s favorite, and the rum is a must add and lifts the flavor. We make this at least once a month.
Absolutely delicious! It’s a very light, sweet cake. Quite simple to make and is, in my opinion, a delicate take on apple pie.
Easy to make and delicious. Mine turned out exactly like the photo. I substituted apple juice for the rum as I’m not a fan of that flavor. It was wonderful.
I LOVE this cake- I make it every year for Rosh Hashanah. I prefer it without the rum.
If you are looking for a simple, delicious and elegant dessert recipe that requires little effort… look no further! This recipe does not disappoint! Friends ask me for this recipe often… I even include it when I make it as a gift.
Made this with spiced rum for my son’s birthday dinner. Outstanding and so easy to make.
Hello. This cake was fantastic!!! I followed the recipe exactly but my cake came out a bit more moist then the picture, it was difficult to cut. What could be the problem. Too many apples?
Hi Isabella, the cake is definitely moist due to the apples, but if you used the amount of apples specified in the recipe and thought it was a little too wet, it may have been a touch underbaked.
is it possible to skip the rum or substitute it with some other ingredient? Please respond Thank you
Yes, you can replace the rum with apple juice, apple cider, or milk. Hope you enjoy!
It was delicious!!! Added some toasted slivered almonds on top and served with whipped cream
This cake was delicious! It was easy to make but it looks so pretty and rustic. It’s not overly sweet even with the sugar on top. I’ll definitely be making this again.
This is my go to dessert when I have extra apples. I don’t use the rum, but have used apple juice or milk in place and it still comes out delicious! Not overly sweet and super light which makes it a perfect dessert or snack. 😉
This has become a special-occasion staple in our household. We’ve made both the full-size cake and cupcakes at different times. Just scrumptious.
Needed a nice dessert for my family dinner and came across the French Apple Cake in the Once Upon a Chef site. I had some apples so this was it. The cake turned out wonderful. Great presentation and so yummy. The kids (old and young) loved it and wanted more! I will bake two next time. Thanks!!
This is the best apple cake ever! I’ve made it a couple of times and it turns out great each time, a sure winner.
I didn’t make many changes to the original recipe except reduce the sugar. It still tastes delicious.