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 once the kids were in bed. 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 fall desserts. Like many French classics—think clafoutis, madeleines, or crepes—it’s wonderfully simple. A slice is perfect with a cup of coffee in the afternoon or served as dessert with a dollop of whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
“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: Forms the base of the cake, keeping it light and tender.
- Baking powder: Gives the cake its lovely rise and fluffiness.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavor.
- Unsalted butter: Adds rich flavor and moisture, making the cake soft and buttery.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cake and gives it a crisp topping.
- Eggs: Help bind the ingredients and create structure.
- Dark rum & Vanilla extract: Add a hint of warmth and complexity to the cake. If you’d like to omit the rum, you can replace it with milk, apple cider, or apple juice.
- Baking apples: Tart-sweet varietals provide the perfect balance of flavor and also make the cake incredibly moist. Always use apples suitable for baking—such Granny Smith apples and Honey Crisp apples—and feel free to combine different types for a more nuanced flavor.
- Confectioners’ sugar (optional): A light dusting gives the cake a pretty finish.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients. Begin by combining the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. No need to sift—just whisk well—then set it aside.
Step 2: Cream the butter and sugar. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Step 3: Incorporate the eggs. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
Step 4: Add the flavoring. Beat in the vanilla extract and rum. It will look a little curdled at this point; that’s okay.
Step 5: Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.
Step 6: Mix in the apples. Add the peeled and chopped apples to the batter, then use a rubber spatula to fold everything together.
Step 7: Prep the pan and add 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.
Step 8: Bake the cake. Place the pan in the oven and bake for about 40 minutes, until golden and crisp on top. Serve it warm or 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 keeps well at room temperature for up to 2 days; it can also be frozen for up to 3 months.
Video Tutorial
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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 baking apples, peeled, cored and cut into ½-inch cubes (3½ to 4 cups chopped; 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 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.
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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I really love this recipe and have made it many times but have recently gone dairy-free. Do you think I could replace the butter with a vegan butter substitute like Earth balance, coconut oil or vegan shortening?
Hi Heather, glad you like the cake! I’ve only used butter here, but a few readers have commented that they’ve used coconut oil successfully. Hope you enjoy!
Awesome cake, I rolled the diced apple in cinnamon and dark cane sugar before adding and everyone loved it! Thanks for the great recipe.
Hi Jenn,
Can you make this cake ahead of time or is same day best? I suppose it would freeze okay?
Thanks!
Hi Rachel, the cake keeps well if made a day or two ahead. It also freezes nicely!
Hi Jenn, Can I use caster sugar for the creaming process, or is it best to use regular granulated sugar as specified? Many thanks.
Hi Sophie, I’d stick with the regular granulated sugar here – sorry!
Hi
I have never reviewed a recipe in my life, but, this cake….superb! I have baked it as written, but out of apples I used raisins that I soaked in dark rum for a couple of days and it was sooooo wonderful too.
Everything that I have cooked in your collection is perfect! Thank you:)
I love that idea, Paula – a rum raisin cake!
This is the best cake ever! I have made it with different apples, added apple pie spice or cinnamon. Also made without spices. Add the rum, makes a difference! The only “hard” part is peeling the apples! Will try a version leaving the peels intact. Thank you!
I added walnuts and used Apple Whiskey!
It was yummy!
We love this cake! This is so good and easy to make. We always have apple so this is my “go to cake” when we have last minute company or we need a last minute dessert.
All of our friends love this cake and that includes one friend who doesn’t eat dessert.😀
Made this for Easter (2018). Fantastic. The cake was very moist and everyone loved it. My oven took only 30 min. to bake. Thank you Jenn.
Last month, I made this twice in one week! Everyone loved it and asked for the recipe.
Am making again for Easter. It’s the perfect dessert. I use coconut rum and it’s amazing. Thanks Jenn – you’re amazing too!