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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Comments
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I have made this several times. Perfect every time. The last time was last weekend, and I replaced the rum with Amaretto. Loved the flavor Amaretto added.
This cake was absolutely perfect! Instead of the granulated sugar sprinkled on top, I added a mixture of cinnamon and light brown sugar and it turned out so well. Made it twice now and it is just delicious. It’s fluffy and buttery, can’t recommend enough
Perfection. So quick & easy to make and yet so classic. I have made this at least three times in the last 2 months, it’s great! Thank you!
I have made this Apple French Cake a few times. I adapted the recipe to be gluten free. This is hands down the best cake I have ever made. It is incredibly moist and full of apple goodness. This cake also keeps well even after 2 days. The bonus is that it is super is easy to make. Thank you so much for the recipe.
Pls share brand of GF flour blend, or did you use a homemade recipe (like America’s Test Kitchen). Also pls share other changes/adjustments.
This was really easy and so good! It was light and spongy with the perfect crisp on the edges and not overly sweet. Thanks for the awesome recipe!
This is one of the easiest, tastiest, and best cakes I have ever made and eaten! Thank you for sharing, Jenn! I will make this cake (and your Fresh Strawberry Cake) forever! Love your recipes!!
Amazing apple cake, and you taste the rum throughout the cake.
Jack
Absolutely SUPERB – an easy to make apple cake that you will love!:)
Thank you.
Juan
Great recipe! Have made it twice with apples, and it turned out really delicious. Easy to follow, and execute. Also, my fiancé loved it, both times.
Today, I had some blueberries and strawberries that needed some attention, so I’m baking a version of this with those fruits.
I’ve been remiss in sharing that I made this last summer for my neighbor’s 90th birthday and it was a huge hit. So much lighter and fresher than the standard American cakes. Thank you!
I made this yesterday and it turned out to be maybe the most delicious cake I’ve ever made. It was so easy and turned out exactly as pictured! Took me 15 minutes to put together, (including chopping 2 apples), I used a springform pan 9 inch, didn’t need any adjustments to the recipe and it was perfect. You will feel like you’re in Paris eating this. If you can, I would say bake this and serve after just a little cooling. The outside edges are crispy then, and just a little warm, with powdered sugar and a plop of whip cream it is out of this world. I will make this for the rest of my life!! Thank you for sharing this treasure!!
Hi Jenn,
Do you think I could substitute pears for the apples? I have a pear tree that produces sweet pears. Thanks.
Hi Diane, I haven’t tried it with pears but I think it should work. I’d use ones that are just slightly ripened as they will soften a bit when baked. Please LMK how it turns out if you try it!
I have made this with pears from our tre a dozen times……delish! Also used almond flour occasionally.
I loved this recipe I made it for school because I do a culinary program and my family had some of it and they all loved it. They said it was moist, not too sweet, and not too much. That is really good for complements on a cake my chef will try it soon I’ll keep you guys updated on what he says but I had 3 pieces through the past couple days it was delicious. The rum is a good addition but it can be left out I used the rum but there are alternatives. There are always alternatives but it doesn’t always have the same taste as the original. If I could do something different this time I think I would put more apples in the cake just because I like apples a lot and I would enjoy more but there is apple in almost every bite so this is not trrrible.
This recipe was soooo good. Thank you!
I did replace plain with sponge cake four + baking powder. Did not have rum, so replaced with aquavita. Kept strictly to the quantities. I ended up with a cloud of a cake. Delicious!
Absolutely beautiful & delicious. A delicate cake, well balanced sweetness, not too much sugar, just enough to the apples and the juice they make, the delicate egg in the batter. I originally tried the recipe with rum, I personally wasn’t crazy about it, but I knew the cake itself was well worth making again trying a different flavoring profile; this time I used whole milk in place of the rum, three-quarter teaspoon of vanilla and a quarter teaspoon of almond extract. Additionally, I used a springform pan, and it rose about an inch and a half at its highest.
It is absolutely a lovely cake, follow the instructions as she goes through them, dont over mix, and you will have a very nice cake.
no measurments shown
Hi Joyce, It sounds like you are just looking at the portion of the page that has the pictures with some instructions underneath. If you scroll down a bit to under the pictures, you’ll find the full recipe. Alternatively, at the very top of the page, to the right of the recipe name, you’ll see an orange/red button that says Jump to Recipe – if you click on that, it will take you directly to the recipe. Hope that clarifies!
Wish I had taken a pic of the cake , can’t now cause it got eaten up in 2 days
Did leave the rum out and was great – delicious
What non alcoholic alternatives can I use to sub for the rum?
Hi Stephanie, you can replace the rum with apple juice, apple cider, or milk. 🙂
My bf cannot consume alcohol. What can I substitute the rum with? Thanks 😊
Hi Steph, you can replace the rum with apple juice, apple cider, or milk. 🙂
A perfect recipe! One Granny Smith, two Honey Crisps, all assembled to the recipe and baked in an 11-in French tinned tart pan with a removable insert. Two pieces of parchment paper placed in it crosswise. Baked the cake for 35 minutes in a countertop oven. And once cooled, just pull it out of the pan! So simple. Oh my goodness. This cake is truly wonderful. Everyone went back for seconds!
Hi , Can I substitute the rum with brandy ?
Sure – enjoy!
Soooo delicious. Made it many times already.
I’ve made this many many times and it’s the best apple cake recipe ever! Thank you so much! Can I ask if I can substitute apples with peaches? Just for a change up?
Glad you like the cake! I do think it would work nicely with peaches. Please LMK how it turns out. 🙂
Came out beautifully using honey rum and baked in a loaf tin 👍👍👍
This is an Amazing fluffy cake which is ready in no time. The ONLY thing I did was I mixed cinnamon and sugar together and sprinkle to the top ,
Also add some cinnamon in the mixture itself. Apple + cinnamon are just so go together.
5 star
Made this at least four times…so so good..apple crisp apples are the best. Will keep this recipe forever!!
Incredible, my partner begged for me to make it again
Made this while boating with a basic oven and trusty oven thermometer.. Simple ingredients resulting in a cake that’s so flavorful and moist. Only the French can do this.
Too sweet, too salty, not enough butter
It amazes me that you can get a cake that is too sweet and too salty at the same time.
Amazing recipe. Perfect as it is but also great as the basis for other fruits (whatever I have that is going over). So versatile..I love it xx
So good!!! I used 5 Granny Smith apples though. I couldn’t figure out how 2 apples could come up to 3 -4 cups chopped but 5 was perfect! I made a boo-boo with the baking powder (used half a tbsp instead of 1 tsp) but the result was still delicious, so this recipe is forgiving and oh-so-good. It’s made it to my top fav list of recipes for cake (and I love cakes). Thank you for this!
I have made this cake at least 10 times and my family love it simple and delicious
I made this cake tonight using Red Prince apples because that was what we had. It was absolutely delicious and so easy and straightforward to make. I will try another kind of apple with the next one just to compare the flavours. The Red Prince apple pieces stayed to form without being mushy. This is definitely a recipe to keep!
Do Not pass this recipe up.Make it. So unique & Taste Great.. I cut up apples in smaller chunks & used 3 cups my preference. Thanks for sharing, it was gone as soon as it cooled!
Delicious! Substituted apple juice for rum. Our guests loved it! Another fabulous recipe. Thank you!
I loved this cake. I added a little cinnamon didn’t have rum. So light and really could taste apples. I especially liked it requires very little flour. Thanks!
The cake was super easy to make. Baked as per instructions but even after 40 minutes of baking and testing that the cake is “done” it still has a soggy texture to it. Very tasty but not positive it is actually “done”…
Will come back to the recipe – maybe use less apples (smaller), but definitely on my list to repeat!
It is such a delicious cake. So light. All was gone as soon as I put on the table. Thank you for another great recipe Jen!!
wow for being such a basic recipe, it sure was good, perfect, there is nothing i would change in this recipe.
Just fantastic! Made for the first time tonight. My husband said he expects one every week from now on😂
Definitely a hit, not to sweet and very moist. Everyone loves it ❤️
Hi Jenn,
quick question: would it help if I bring the eggs to room temperature? I know w/some recipes it helps to do that..
Thanks!
Lisa
Hi Lisa, it won’t hurt, but it’s not necessary to bring the eggs to room temperature.
Where is the ingredients list?
I can see the pic of what is required to make cake but no amounts?
Hi Valerie, It sounds like you are just looking at the portion of the page that has the pictures with some instructions underneath. If you scroll down a bit to under the pictures, you’ll find the full recipe. Alternatively, at the very top of the page, to the right of the recipe name, you’ll see an orange/red button that says Jump to Recipe – if you click on that, it will take you directly to the recipe. Hope that clarifies!
Delicious, soft, just sweet enough.
Thank you so much for this recipe! It is simple, yet the results are always impressive, and the taste is perfection. I feel it’s also on the healthier side for a dessert, since the apple-to-cake ratio is quite high (and on that note, don’t be afraid if the batter looks particularly chunky with apples; the cake really fills in while baking). I do use Calvados in lieu of rum, but that’s just a personal preference. Thanks again, it’s fantastic!
i’m excited to try making your cake. I wonder about the possibility of substituting applesauce for some of the butter, maybe 25% of the butter. Do you think this would be feasible, and still result in a nice texture for the cake?
thank you.
Hi Carolyn, it will make the cake a bit wetter, but you can get away with replacing 25% of the butter with applesauce. I’d love to hear how it turns out!
Jenn, I live on a remote island. Ingredients are limited here. So I had to pray that what I had would work. It did ! Cake was moist and delicious .
I had to double the recipe. The only flour available here was “normal flour” from Fiji. Wheat flour. I only had 2 medium apples. But I had those 4 ounce applesauce cups. No rum. I used almond extract 1/2 teaspoon. And I don’t have a hand mixer. Lol I used my rubber spatula to mix all the ingredients. Lol
2 cups flour , salt, baking powder, sugar, 2 sticks butter, vanilla extract, almond extract, 2 cubed apples and one 4 oz cup of applesauce. 10 inch spring pan. Baked gas stove at 350 for 50-55 minutes. I did the toothpick test and it worked. Loved this cake. It lasted 10 minutes out of the oven. Lol
Excellent recipe! The rum flavor in the batter is delicious – I will make this often from now on!
Thank you! 🙂
How many grams is 1 stick of butter?
Hi Debbie, it’s 113 grams. The great majority of my recipes (including this one) include conversions to metric/weight measurements. To view them, scroll down to the recipe, and immediately under the recipe title on the right side, you’ll see a little toggle. If you move it from “cup measures” to metric, you’ll see measurements that will work for you. Hope that helps!
Best ever 🥰
I had some old apples sitting in the fridge and literally bits of flour from leftover bakes. Used 3 apples, mixture of plain flour + self raising flour, a couple of too small eggs, subbed rum with orange juice and added mixed spice. The end result was a fabulously light cake filled with apples. Forgiving recipes like this one is a real keeper!
Can I make this in a loaf pan? I don’t have cake tins.
Hi Chantelle, you could try it but I’m concerned that it may be a little gummy in the center. If you want an apple bread/cake in a loaf pan, I’d suggest this — it’s also delish. Hope you enjoy if you make it!
Just made this today and it was a big success. I didn’t have any rum so I used 1 teaspoon of vanilla and 1/4 teaspoon of almond extract. I also completely forgot to replace the rum with milk, like I had planned to, but cake was perfect anyway. I also sprinkled a little brown sugar and slivered almonds on top before baking. It’s was amazing. It has such a depth of flavor. This recipe is definitely a keeper.
If I’m serving this in 2 days, can I just put it in the refrigerator ?
Thank you !
Hi Kay, It keeps nicely on the counter covered with foil for a few days so you don’t really need to put it in the fridge. That said, it won’t hurt if you want to refrigerate it; just bring it to room temperature before serving.
This recipe is amazing!
Every time I make apple cake I try a different recipe.
This one is a keeper 😋
It’s light and airy, with a little crunch on the edges. Great flavor too
Thank you 💓
Just wow! That cake is delicious. I made it exactly as described with the exception of reducing the sugar in the cake to 2/3 cup and replacing the rum with Grand Marnier (because I didn’t have any rum). The cake was tender, the apples perfect. I don’t believe I have ever written a review online before but this was so good that I felt I had to recommend it!!!