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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I also think the apple ratio is off because no way do two apples equal 3.5-4 cups – they equal 2.5-3 cups. I ended up using 3 apples and it seemed like too many for the amount of batter. Cake flavor is yum, though, and my family gobbled it up. However, it was a tiny bit gluey on the bottom, perhaps due to too many apple chunks making it a bit too wet…I even left it in for 45 mins, so it wasn’t under-baked. I will make again with 2 apples only next time!
I had the same issue, converting cups to grams. Ended up with 400g of chopped apples. Ended up as described, was still eaten. Will do again with half that amount. Charlie
favorite apple recipe cake, this to changed it up a little for autumn vibe flavors, added less sugar to the batter, then added a little bit of almond extract to the batter, and to the chopped apples added a bit of sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves
A very delicious apple dessert & very easy recipe to follow. Also makes the kitchen smell wonderful!
The Apple ratio seems off to me. Two apples or 3 1/2 cups as there’s no way to apples equal 3 1/2 to 4 cuos.
Two regular sized apples is perfect. Just made this tonight and it’s perfect.
This was delicious! I made it with regular butter because that’s what I had and it was fine. Next time I might try substituting the rum with almond extract. I made it in a ceramic tart pan and just left it in it to serve. Otherwise, it was wonderful hot out of the oven with French vanilla ice cream for dessert then cold the next day with morning coffee! Love that you can freeze it too. I imagine it would be delicious with other fruit too. Thank you so much for such a yummy treat!
almond extract will take over and ruin this wonderful cake
Can this recipe be made with the addition of nuts and/or rum raisins without destroying it’s perfection? Thank you for this fabulous recipe!
Hi Kat, Nuts would work just fine here. Just make sure to chop them. (If the pieces are too large, it will make the cut difficult to slice.) And rum raisins should work as well — they will just give the cake a stronger rum flavor.
I substituted Almond Extract for the Vanilla and Amaretto instead of the Rum. DELICIOUS!
This is absolutely one of the best apple recipes I have made!
Easy to assemble and with just 1 cup of flour in it, it really made the apples stand out!
Delicious!
I didn’t have dark rum so I used Bourbon instead. Worked great!
Great cake! Easy to make, light and full of fruit. Thanks for sharing.
OMG! Warmed, with a scoop of vanilla ice cream, this cake was amazing. I’ve got one in the oven now. I used a 8″ round pan because i want the cake to be a bit higher. This is my new favorite. Thank you for posting.
Hi Jenn,
This looks amazing! Can this be baked eggless?
Thanks.
Hi Suvarcha, I don’t recommend it – sorry!
My family and I loved this cake! I have made it a few times now and it’s always a hit. I want to make some for my husband’s coworkers the night before but not sure what’s the best way to store it?
So glad you enjoyed it! I’d store it on the counter covered with foil. Hope his coworkers enjoy!
Turned out great.
Was easy to make. Everyone enjoyed it.
Delicious, easy to make Apple cake. Just right amount of sugar, not too sweet!. I did not have any rum, substituted with orange juice.
Made this cake twice, so easy and delicious it’s a family favourite now…
Light and balanced flavor. This will be in regular rotation.
This is a simple but exceptional cake! It’s so moist and flavorful. I used a small amount of almond extract in place of the rum since my husband doesn’t like liquor in baked goods. The almond flavor compliments the apple. I’ve made it twice now and will definitely make it often since it is so easy. It’s great served with vanilla ice cream when having friends over. I’ve tried many of your recipes and my husband and I have loved all of them! Thanks so much!
This is a truly terrific cake, I make it often and serve with custard. What can I say, I’m a Brit.
Once again another successful recipe. This was so easy I used the cosmic crisp apples they held their crispness and flavor. I didn’t have any dark rum just plain but the flavor was great definitely should not leave that out. Think I’ll try it next time with some apple rum or spiced rum. Thanks again for another great recipe.
This is one of the best cakes I have had in my life!!!! Only trouble is the size…can I double the recipe, put it in a 9”x13”? How long do you recommend the baking time to be if I double it?
So glad you liked it! Yes, you can double it and bake it in a 9 x 13-inch pan. The bake time may be slightly longer so just keep a close eye on it.
I’m excited to try this recipe. What temperature should I bake this cake?
Hi Mary, the cake should be baked at 350°F/175°C. Hope you enjoy!
I made this today and it is so moist and good. I substitute rum with milk as suggested in the other comments. Thanks, Jenn!
Coming back to once again express my gratitude for this recipe! It’s one of my top 3 favorite baking recipes and I make variations on it several times a year. I love how versatile it is, being able to swap out fruit and liqueurs/juices to experiment with flavors is very fun!
My favorite way to bake it is in a glass pie plate (baking time goes down to 25-30min). My print-out had became so messy that I needed to print it out again lol.
This time I made it exactly as written with no variations beyond extra vanilla, and sliced almonds on top. I made it for my daughter’s school staff and they adored it. I shared print-outs with everyone! Hope you get some more subscribers, you deserve it! Thanks again for this wonderful recipe!
Having company tomorrow night & never made this cake before. Do you recommend making it tomorrow or will it be equally good kept overnight. And if I make it today, what overnight storage is recommended?
Hi Debbie, It’s fine to make it today as it keeps nicely for a few days. I’d store it on the counter, covered with foil. Hope everyone enjoys!
Thank you so much! Excited. I’ll let you know.
So easy,light and delicious
Hi! I’m anxious to try this recipe. Do you think “salty caramel whiskey” would work well in place of the rum?
Sure, I think that would be yummy! (Depending on how salty the whiskey is, you may want to cut back on the salt just a touch.) Hope you enjoy. 🙂
Turned out amazing and was a huge hit. I added some cinnamon and nutmeg, delicious.
Terrific cake. I made it for the second time today and it was gobbled up in no time.
This was so easy and delicious! Thank you
Thank you! Delicious moist easy holiday cake. I followed your simple recipe, came out amazing.
Incredibly delicious and so easy. Thank you for your fabulous recipes!
made with almond milk instead of rum and it is absolutely delicious.
I love this recipe and have made it several times. Wondering if you think it would work as a cupcake?!
Glad you like it, Jean! Yes, you could turn this into cupcakes. I’d keep the oven temp the same and start checking for doneness around 20 minutes.
Does this recipe need to be adjusted in the high altitude of Denver, Colorado?
When I made it the cake was sugary and crumbly but tasty. I also use low-sodium baking powder – did that affect the texture? Would like to make this lovely cake work!
Thank you.
Hi Betty, sorry you had a bit of a problem with the cake! I don’t think the low sodium baking powder would have made a difference and suspect it’s the altitude. I don’t have experience baking at high altitudes so, unfortunately, I don’t have any wisdom to share – I’m sorry! You may find these tips helpful though.
Thank you for the recipe. I made this today and it turned out great. Incredibly easy and just sweet enough. I didn’t have rum on hand, but used salted caramel rye instead. Wow!
This was amazing! I highly suggest making it. I used honey crisp apples and a full 4 cups of chopped apples, so I had more apple to batter than the photos, but it turned out really tasty. I’m going to make it again right now!
Oh, my goodness! There are words to tell you how wonderful this cake is!!! Absolutely scrumptious! Thank you, Jenn!
I loved this cake! It was super easy to make, incredibly moist, and delicious! I only needed to bake mine for 30 minutes. It would be great for a brunch as it pairs nicely with a cup of coffee.
I baked the cake today and it is heavenly. I ate 2 slices and my neighbor raved about it. I used calvados apple liqueur instead of rum. Will make this agsin.
Amazing recipe tastes delicious, I didn’t have much plain flour so used 1/2 ground Almonds and flour ❤️
Can I use rum extract in place of the dark rum?
Hi Tiffany, If you want to use rum extract, I’d substitute 1 teaspoon of extract plus 2-1/2 tablespoons of apple juice or apple cider. Hope you enjoy!
Hi Jen. Thank you for all your marvelous, simple and delicious recipes. Can this recipe be made with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Baking Flour? Any modifications to ensure it is equally delicious?? Thank you
Hi Maria, So glad you like the recipes! Yes, it should work nicely with the gluten-free flour. Enjoy!
Hi Jenn, I’m wondering what I did wrong yesterday when I made this. I used a 9” cake pan and when I inverted it to put it on the cooling rack it completely fell apart. Mine didn’t brown very much at all either and I kept it in for 47 minutes. Do you think I let the butter come to room temp too long? Also I didn’t have much batter. It seemed like the ratio/apple was off. I measured 3-1/2 c. apples. I’m gonna try again tomorrow. Any advice would be appreciated. I make your recipes all the time and love all, never had this happen and so I know it’s something I’m doing wrong! It was a 9” inch pan, right?
Hi Donna, sorry you had a problem with the cake! I don’t think the butter would have had an impact. The batter does have a lot of apples so I suspect you didn’t do anything wrong there. I’m wondering if perhaps your oven temperature is a bit off as it sounds like maybe it was underbaked. Here’s some guidance on how to check.
V easy recipe, delicious cake
Hi Jen!
Can I use Santiago de Cuba rum (It’s light) in this cake instead of dark rum???
Thanks so much!
Yep that’s fine. Enjoy!
My husband is an alcoholic, is there a substitute for the rum?
Hi Anne, You can replace it with apple juice, apple cider, or milk – it will still be delish. 🙂
Just wondering if you can freeze this cake? I was given a heap of apples from someone’s garden and they wanted me to bake with them but there’s too many for now!
Yes, it freezes well. Enjoy!
This cake is everything it promises to be. Simple elegant and delicious. I shave made this a number of times at home and it is always finished so fast. Last night served with whipped cream with a little vanilla and a drizzle of salted caramel that I had in the fridge.
Could you make cupcakes instead of 🧁 cake
Sure, Maris. I’d keep the oven temp the same and start checking for doneness around 20 minutes.
What distinguishes this apple cake is what it doesn’t have—cinnamon.
You really taste the apples! And it could not be faster or easier to whip up. This is now my go-to fall dessert. Thank you, Jenn, for your great recipes!!
This is a really amazing recipe, they turned out so good. I will be making these again in the future. However i actually made them, as cupcakes and they still turned out amazing i loved them.
BEST BEST APPLE CAKE EVER ! thank you , it was so easy to make and absolutely delicious !
This is such a yummy cake and I have made a lot of apple cakes that follow a similar ingredient list with varying quantities of those ingredients. The rum however is an eye opener! Do not skip on the rum people, it makes the whole cake truly unique in flavor and in texture. It smells amazing, it tastes amazing and it has this slightly crumbly but buttery texture. I already have a ton of ideas about replicating it with different fruit and spice mixes as well as trying different alcohol substitutions with them. Thank you, this is a wonderful recipe, it will be made regularly in our house.
Simply Divine….
I was concerned as I only had overproof dark rum…but it was just fine, I am assuming the alcohol just cooked off?! Thank you again for a fabulous recipe!
wonderful. i used Kahlua and skipped vanilla.