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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Love, love, love this apple cake recipe. So easy to make. Hubby who normally does not eat sweets asks for it constantly. It’s become my go to cake, make it regularly.
Made this cake and shared it with my neighbor. She loved it and asked for the recipe. Also made a nice Christmas gift. This is one of my new favorites. Thanks Jenn
First of all, I love your recipes and make them all the time. You are a cooking goddess! However, this one was a little bit of a fail for me. Followed the recipe explicitly and used a 9″ springform pan, but didn’t turn out looking anything like the picture. Kind of flat with little holes all over the top?? Perhaps I cut the apples too small? It was good, if a little bit heavy on the rum taste and got overly moist in a short time. Any thoughts on how to improve?
Hi Anne, Glad you like the recipes but sorry you had a problem with this one. This isn’t a high-rising cake. Typically it’s about 1.5 inches deep for me. Was yours flatter than that? (You can always use a slightly smaller pan if you want the cake to have more height.) And I suspect the holes on top may have been air bubbles that burst — that may be a sign that you overmixed the batter. Feel free to use apple juice, apple cider, or milk in place of some or all of the rum if you thought it tasted too strongly of it. Hope that helps!
A deliciously moist and flavorful cake. I found the recipe while looking for an option to use some apples that were a little past their prime. These older apples worked just fine.
I made this today for my family, absolutely delicious!
Could we use vinegar instead of rum?
I don’t recommend it – sorry!
So good!!
Delicious, followed recipe exactly, I made it 3 times now, everyone loved it.
This was so easy and delicious!!! Thank you!!!!
Absolutely delicious…. And easy to make!
I tend to alter recipes and this one has been fun to experiment with. I’ve made this a few times and after reading the comments, have always added pumpkin spice mix, half brown and half white sugar and twice the vanilla. Once used Cointreau instead of rum, another time used persimmon puree instead of rum which adds color and results in a less wet but still moist cake. My new favorite is to use a muffin pan and top with a powdered sugar and tangerine juice glaze after cooling. The muffins don’t rise that much so look like mini cakes vs. muffins and I find everything cooks more evenly than in a cake pan. I find a small dice works best, smaller than what is in the photo. I’ll be making this for parties since the individual cakes are easier to serve and quite attractive with the glaze.
I made the cake twice once with rum and the second with rum extract. I wanted to see if there was a difference. There is a big difference in the taste and texture of the cake. The extract made the cake dry and bland. The difference in taste was amazing. I just did not like the strong aftertaste of the alcohol. But you definitely cannot make the cake without the rum, you lose in taste.
PERFECT- Not too sweet, easy to make. I used Krakken spiced rum. I forgot to use parchment, just used Baker’s Joy and it came out no problem. Served on its own without any ice cream etc and it was perfect.
Absolutely amazing cake. I was impressed by just how easy to make too.
This is my favorite apple dessert!! I used the Granny Smith apples, the tart and sweet are wonderful mix together.
Hi everyone, I really need advice!
I’ve tried making this recipe 3 times, it’s delicious, moist, and evenly balanced with all the ingredients.
However, every time it sticks to the pan or muffin tin, I always add butter and flour, or oil even though I use silicone molds, yet it sticks each time.
What can I do ?
Thanks I’m advance.
Hi Yousra, I’m sorry you’ve had such a problem with this sticking! Are your pans really old? If so, it may be time for a new springform pan. Another option is to try using cooking spray with flour like this one. Hope that helps!
I’m not sure about the science on this, but once I started using shortening to grease pans I stopped having problems. My bread pan used to stick awfully and now it just pops right out.
I keep a batch of ‘goop’ in my refrigerator in a large mason jar. One cup each Crisco, veg oil and flour. Brush on to pans. Foolproof
Made this cake for my husband and myself. He said he liked it better then apple pie and told me to fix it once a month. I do have a question, can this be baked in a 9×13 pan? If so would you happen to know what the measurements would be?
So glad you liked it! If you’d like to bake it in a 9 x 13-inch pan, you’d need to double. The bake time may be slightly longer, but keep a close eye on it. 🙂
This was delicious but still tasted a bit eggy even though I cooked it longer. It could be my over-sensitive taste buds. It was still delicious and would recommend.
Visited my in-laws this weekend and followed the recipe to a T. It turned out both beautiful and delicious. Served it with a bottle of prosecco and had the leftover cake with tea the next day. My husband said that was the best apple cake he has ever had. Have now sent the fool-proof recipe to my sister in England! Thanks for the great recipe, Jennifer!
Hey. Can you prepare the mix and bake later in the day when ready? Or does it need to be made and baked at the same time? Thanks.
Hi B, Unfortunately, it won’t work to refrigerate the batter as the cake won’t rise well when you go to bake it. If you’d like, you can mix the dry ingredients in one bowl and the wet in another and then combine them and proceed with the recipe when you’re ready to bake it.
Thanks Jenn. Sorry one other question, could you reheat slice/s after it has been baked rather than serve cold (providing there is actually some left over!)?
Sure, B, that’s perfectly fine (and I’m happy to help)!
I don’t have rum on hand, but I do have some salted caramel moonshine. Lol think that would work? I’ve made bundt cakes with it before and they were delicious!
Sure, it will give it a slightly different flavor, but I think it will be good!
This is a delicious recipe! I have made it a few times omitting the rum and increasing the vanilla essence. Thank you.
Made this instead of pie for thanksgiving and it was wonderful!
Worst recipe ever.
Kim, all due respect, it is not fair to anyone, especially the chef/author to give such a poor rating without explanation. What was your motivation to leave this? Especially when there are 2,180 five star reviews.
Made this last night and it was so good. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
This cake came out good!
I substituted vegan salted butter since I can’t eat dairy. I used half the salt since I did so. I also substituted almond milk for the rum and with smidge more vanilla and the tiniest dash of cardamom.
It came out very lightly sweet and super moist. I was glad to find an apple recipe that focused more on the apples and had no cinnamon! I baked it at the recommended baking time & at 40 minutes my thermometer read 210 which is on the money.
This cake is super duper moist so I suggest using a probe thermometer to read for doneness if you’re not sure because the inside will be extra moist due to the apples.
I dusted it with powdered sugar once cooled but still a bit warm. The perfect treat for a fall day.
Made this cake for Thanksgiving
Turned out beautifully
I used one Granny and two pink lady apples
And 1/2 rum and 1/2 apple juice
Served with whipped cream though ice cream would be fantastic !!
I simply love love love this cake, I have made it several times and it is also very delicious on day 2 (if I’m lucky enough to have leftovers).
It was great but I thought it should have less rum
Great easy yet lovely desert
My husband and I made this lovely cake for our Saturday night date, delicious! Thanks for the apple juice tip. I love all of your recipes sweet and savory! Your cookbooks are awesome!
Thanks
❤️
I bake a lot, had all fresh ingredients, but this was an utter disaster. It came out pale and had no taste. I served it to close friends, who were polite, but I tossed the rest in the trash. Don’t know what went wrong, but I won’t try it again.
If you don’t try “troubleshooting” this recipe to see where you went wrong the first time, how will you ever learn to bake it correctly? Maybe your oven was set too low/not calibrated to temp? It’s a wonderfully delicious dessert and 2,000+ reviewers can’t be wrong can they? Don’t give up so easily 😉
DELICIOUS. SERVED FOR THANKSGIVING AND EVERYBODY LOVED IT. Wish I made more
Delicious! My go to cake because I can not bake! Perfect every time!
This recipe was so good! And so easy! It was lightly sweet and pairs perfectly with a cup of coffee. I used apple juice instead of rum and it turned out great.
This was great. I increased the recipe be fifty per-cent. Baking it in a nine inch regular cake pan (two inches deep), I made a parchment collar inside the pan making the pan effectively three inches tall. It needed 70 minutes at 350 degrees F. I loosely tented with foil the last 20 minutes.
The Honeycrisp were lovely in it, but I’ll try Granny Smiths next round for more tartness.
So easy to make and very delicious! Since I live alone, I cut it up and froze it in a class container and it lasted several months. Excellent recipe!
I had a few apples, and this recipe showed up in my feed, and it came out beautifully! I used cognac, cinnamon cardamom and nutmeg, and brown sugar on top. I will absolutely make it again! Thank you!!!!
Easy and delicious! Thanks Jenn!
Followed the recipe exactly and it turned out perfectly. I used my springform pan and it looks exactly like the photo. Delicious!
Divine!
Failed dismally with this cake. Didn’t rise at all so flat as a pancake. Followed recipe meticulously. Plain flour and one teaspoon baking powder. May I suggest SR flour and a teaspoon baking powder!!!
All up extremely disappointing.
Hi. I have made this cake 1000 times in high altitude in the past 9 years and never had an issue. Something was off with how you made it. Make sure you are using baking powder and mixing it in with the flour and salt first. Room temp butter, eggs is also a must along with rum and vanilla. In fact I even do some of those steps and it always rises. My recommendation is to check the type of flour and baking powder you are using. Hope this helps.
Perhaps your baking powder was old. I replace mine every six months. I have made this cake several times over the past two years and it always gets rave reviews from my guests
As a follower of numerous food blogs who has never reviewed a recipe, I am forced to break my own policy. This is the best apple cake I have ever made. I’ve made more than a dozen other french apple cake recipes. Your recipe is the clear winner. Thank you for sharing. I used blackstrap molasses rum and sprinkled turbinado sugar on the top for a little crunch.
Can you use Bourbon instead of rum?
Sure – enjoy!
So easy to make… light, moist and fluffy. A hit with the whole family.
I loved this easy to make apple cake! I used honey crisp apples and apple brandy instead of rum because that is what was in the cupboard, sprinkled cinnamon sugar on top before baking. Five stars from me!
I made this today for the first time and it was not only easy to make, it smells amazing, and tastes as good as it smells!!
The rum adds a great flavor but was not overpowering. I used Honeycrisp apples and they hold up really well in the cake. My husband said it’s one of the best cakes he’s ever had (especially since it’s not too sweet). Thanks, Jenn, for another wonderful recipe!
Hi, made this and it was delicious! but when I stored it in plastic tuppleware overnight the next day it was quite heavy and soggy. How would you advise storing it to avoid this?
Thanks
Hi Claire, If you found it to be soggy the second day, next time, I’d store it covered with foil, but don’t completely seal the foil around the plate so that a little air can get in.
Question: we don’t drink so no alcohol in the house – what can I use to replace the rum? Thanks in advance!
Hi Barbara, you can use apple juice, apple cider, or milk in place of the rum. Hope you enjoy!
I made it and it was sooo good! I doubled the recipe for a 9” x 13” but I clearly didn’t bake long enough – it was a little underdone in the middle. Tasted sooo good though!
I just made this cake. It turned out beautiful and the TASTE is fabulous !!! Also, very simple to make. I am so glad I found your website Jenna. I will check out your other recipes !!!!
I have made this twice now. So very country apple delicious. Simple but makes you keep going back for another piece.
Can I double this recipe for a 9 x 13 pan?
That should work. The bake time may be a bit longer so keep a close eye on it. 🙂
Although I do not always love rum flavored desserts, there were so many rave reviews, I figured I needed to try it. And I’m so glad I did! I made it with Cruzan Blackstrap Rum and it was amazing; such a delicious brown sugar quality to it. The cake was full of apples and a perfect ending to a fall dinner. I did worry that I did something wrong because I thought mine was not as high but when I looked more closely at the picture, I decided that they were pretty similar. However, from the pictures, I didn’t feel I had as much cake batter even though I had the right amount of apples. And mine did not brown as much as Jenn’s. I was surprised because I thought the sugar on top would surely have caused it to brown a lot. I baked it for 5 min. longer than suggested, hoping to get more color. It didnt help a whole lot, so even though it tested done, I put it back in for 2 more min. Still not terribly browned but good enough. Good thing it’s a moist cake! Haha. My husband loves apple desserts (and I loved the Cruzan in it!) so I definitely will be making it again!!
This was so delicious! A lightly scented rum, lick-your-plate dream.
The recipe was simple and easy to follow. I had no rum so used brandy. Couldn’t wait for it to cool to taste, so ate a piece warm. Awesome. Many thanks.
Heather
I made this cake as directed, making 1-1/2 batches to fill a 10 in. springform pan as suggested by another reviewer. I used a little more than 5 cups of apples, which was too much, a 4 tablespoons of rum. Next time I will use fewer apples and chop them finer. Some of the apples were still firm and crisp. The texture was a little dense. I felt it could have baked longer, although I did the toothpick test which showed the cake was done and pulling away from the sides of the pan. I think next time I will add more vanilla and toss the apples with cinnamon and some of the sugar as suggested by another reader. and maybe increase the baking powder slightly. I liked the cake and will tweak the recipe to suit my tastes. Love the recipes from this site. It’s my go-to site for new recipes. Thanks, Jenn.
Made this with farm fresh apples and it was awesome! I didn’t have dark rum so I used Disaronno and it tasted great. I also packed more than 4 cups of chopped green and red apples in there. It was super moist, not too sweet, and incredibly easy to make. Thank you for the recipe!