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. 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 desserts. Like many French desserts—think clafoutis, madeleines, or crepes—it’s incredibly simple to prepare.
Pair it with a cup of coffee in the afternoon or serve it for dessert topped with whipped cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. It’s the kind of cake that works for almost any occasion. It’s especially lovely for fall holidays, when apples are at their peak—think Rosh Hashanah, Thanksgiving, or a cozy weekend gathering. But since apples are available year-round, it’s just as fitting for Easter brunch, Mother’s Day, or anytime you need a dessert that feels special without being fussy.
“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 – Spooned and leveled for accuracy; provides structure without making the cake heavy.
- Baking powder & salt – The baking powder gives the cake lift, while the salt enhances the flavor and balances the sweetness.
- Unsalted butter – At room temperature for proper creaming; creates richness and a tender crumb.
- Granulated sugar – Sweetens the cake and helps create a light texture when creamed with the butter; a little extra sprinkled on top adds a delicate crackly crust.
- Eggs – Add structure, moisture, and richness; best at room temperature so they incorporate smoothly.
- Vanilla extract & dark rum – Add warmth and depth of flavor; the rum subtly enhances the apples without overpowering them.
- Baking apples – Peeled, cored, and cut into ½-inch cubes; choose firm, slightly tart varieties that hold their shape in the oven, such as Honeycrisp, Granny Smith, Fuji, Braeburn, or Pink Lady.
- Confectioners’ sugar (optional) – For a simple, elegant finish just before serving.
- Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements
Step-by-Step Instructions
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
Pro Tip: Using a whisk to thoroughly combine the dry ingredients ensures the baking powder is evenly distributed and the cake rises evenly.
Step 2: Cream the butter, sugar, and eggs. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating after each addition.
Step 3: Add the flavoring. Beat in the vanilla extract and rum. The mixture may look a little curdled at this stage, which is fine.
Step 4. Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until just combined.
Step 5: Add the apples. Using a rubber spatula, fold in the peeled and chopped apples. Folding in the apples by hand prevents the flour from over-developing gluten, ensuring a tender crumb while also helping the apple chunks stay intact.
Step 6: Fill the pan. Scrape the batter into a greased 9-inch springform pan (or a greased and lined 9-inch cake pan) and sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sugar.
Step 6: Bake and serve. Bake on the center rack of the oven for about 40 minutes until the top is golden and crisp. Serve warm or at 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 can be made up to 2 days ahead. Freeze for longer storage.
Pro Tip: Use a toothpick or cake tester for doneness. Because this cake is so apple-heavy, it should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs; if you hit a piece of fruit, try a different spot to ensure the batter itself is fully set.
Video Tutorial
More Apple Recipes You May Like
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 medium baking apples, peeled, cored and cut into ½-inch cubes (about 2½ cups; 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 curdled 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 have a lot of red delicious and gala apples. Can i use them? Or just the ones listed on this recipe? Also, i dont have any rum can i substitute it for something else? Thanks!
Hi Michelle, the Galas will be fine and you can replace the rum with apple juice or apple cider. Hope you enjoy!
I replaced the rum in the cake with pineapple juice and it tasted great!
Hi,
Can I use self raising flour for this delicious recipe? 🙂
And can I add 2 tsp of cinnamon instead of the rum?
Thank you! Maria
Hi Maria, I haven’t made this with self-rising flour so I can’t say for sure, but another reader commented that she had success with it. And you can certainly add cinnamon to this but if you don’t want to use the rum, I’d suggest replacing it with either apple juice or apple cider. Hope that helps and that you enjoy!
Wow! I did a quick google search to find recipes to use apples because I have an abundance. This recipe came up and I had everything on hand. Borrowed light rum from a neighbor. I cannot believe how good this cake is and how easy it is to make! A new favorite.
Sheila
Is light rum the same as clear rum or white rum? That’s all I have, and I refuse to go to a store when the entire purpose of me making this recipe is to use up apples. LOL
Yes that’s fine, Lisa. Any type of rum — even spiced rum — will work here.
Delicious! Family loved it!!
Oh my goodness, truly this is one of my new favorite recipes. Very easy to make and the cake (and batter!) is so, so delicious. The rum and vanilla goes so well with the apples and butter. Thank you for sharing this recipe with us.
Cheryl from Alaska
That’s the best Apple Cake I have ever done! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
A truly wonderful cake, seconds were definitely called for. It brightened our day, thank you 😊
This is definitely making it to my “favourite” recipe collection!! It tastes amazing – eat it hot or cold…either way it is just yummy. Very simple to make. Little effort for big taste!! Can’t wait to make it again for my friends. The only thing that I tweaked was the sugar – I used a little less than the recipe and it tasted fantastic – I probably used 3/4 of the suggested sugar. Just the right level of sweetness.
Just put it in the oven! Since I didn’t have apples, I decided to try with my home grown rhubarbs; I added more sugar since rhubarbs are sour and added a bit of almond extract. Can’t wait to see how it turns out!
This cake is absolutely delicious and so easy to make. It’s my go-to for special occasions! Now I’m wondering if I can substitute the flour with gluten-free flour?
Glad you like it! A number of readers have commented that they’ve made this successfully with gluten-free flour.
Can i use Olive oil instead of butter in cake?
Hi Alpika, olive oil won’t work here, but if you’d like to use solidified coconut oil in place of the butter, that should work. Hope that helps!
Jenn – your website has saved us during this time. We’ve made at least 20 of your dishes and couldn’t be more pleased. It’s one of the best things we have to look forward to. Thank you! Thank you!
Could I make this in a pie plate? If so, what are the baking instructions?
So glad you’ve enjoyed the recipes and they provide some semblance of comfort during this challenging time! Yes, I do think you could bake this in a deep-dish pie plate with no adjustments to the recipe.
Hi Jenn, Made your French Apple Cake about three times. it is so yummy. i have a question about the apple chunks. Are they supposed to be tender or be a bit crisp? The other times i made it i don’t remember the apples being a little crisp. Thanks! Linda
Hi Linda, they should be pretty tender. Did you happen to use a different type of apple this time around? Also, you could try cutting them a bit smaller next time.
Hi Jenn, just chiming in for Linda about the texture of her apples. I cut mine very tiny, probably less than half-inch cubes. I considered shredding the apples but thought maybe that would be a little soggy. I’ll stick to the tiny cubes.
Camilla
This recipe was absolutely foolproof. I used exact measurements with Pink Lady apples which yielded perfectly sweet-tart tender apple chunks in a moist, light cake, with the subtlest hint of rum. Thank you! x