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 energetic 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, 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 yet incredibly satisfying. 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.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and complements the apples.
- Dark rum: Adds a hint of depth 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. When this baking this cake or other desserts with apples, such as apple crisp, apple pie, or apple cobbler, it’s important to use apples suitable for baking. These apples hold their shape when cooked, so the chunks of fruit won’t turn into applesauce in the oven. Granny Smith apples and Honeycrisp apples are both great options. Feel free to combine different varieties 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
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 curdled at this point; that’s okay.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Mix until just combined.
Add the peeled and 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 a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A dash of cinnamon would be a nice addition, too.
Make-Ahead/Freezer-Friendly Instructions
The cake is best enjoyed fresh but keeps well at room temperature for up to 2 days. Store it 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.
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Video Tutorial
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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Hello!
I love and appreciate your recipes. This recipe appealed to me because of its simplicity and beauty, and I imagined the creation would have been lovely. But it was soggy. Probably, I did something wrong, but I wonder if you have suggestions for the next time I attempt this.
Thank you very much,
Scotty Ashworth
Hi Scotty! Glad you like the recipes but I’m sorry you had a problem with this one! The cake is definitely moist but shouldn’t be soggy. Did you make any adjustments to the recipe? Could it have been a bit underbaked?
Hello Jenn,
Thank you so much for your reply! I should have mentioned that when I first placed the cake in the oven, the oven started to smoke terribly. The batter was leaking through the spring form pan even though I greased and then covered the bottom of the pan with parchment paper. To alleviate the smoking, I placed a small piece of foil on a lower rack to catch the drippings, and the smoking eventually stopped. I ended up baking the cake for about 10 minutes longer than directed, and the tester came out clean. Everyone loved it, but I, the baker, might have too critical. I love the simplicity and deliciousness of your recipes. I will attempt this again. Again, thank you!
Hi Jenn, I made your French apple cake for our Christmas dessert this year, and it was a big hit !! I was not sure what to make until last minute but your sweets recipe is always delicious so I picked from your most popular dessert. My parents in law loved it and wanted to have a second piece right after first one. I served it with earl grey flavoured whipped cream. Thank you so much ! Merry Christmas from Belgium 🙂
💕
Great recipe. I try to make this for every special occasion, so I can share it with friends and family.
It’s easy and satisfying. Thanks.
Simply delicious !
Sorry to see that you neither answered nor posted my comment. Does this mean you are selective in what you allow your readers to see? Disappointing, as I have made and enjoyed many of your recipes, but this is the first time I’ve tried to post and my comments aren’t posted or responded to.
Hi Marguerite, I apologize that it took me a little while to get back to you on your prior question — with the holidays coming, the traffic on the blog has been quite high, so just trying to manage it all. Thanks for your patience!
This is a delicious cake that was super easy to make and I love that it did not require the extra step of adding frosting. I followed the recipe exactly as it was written and it turned out perfect.
Thank you, Jenn!
I made this cake the first time for a fall dinner party, and it was so well-received that I’m making it again for Christmas Day Brunch. I serve it with a small scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of creme anglais, with a rum-caramel sauce. So good! Question, though…I saw a similar recipe which tossed the apples with a bit of apple cider vinegar. Thoughts, please? BTW…I’ve lived in France off and on for the past 35 years, and never had such a lovely, rustic, and easy to make dessert!
Hi Marguerite, So glad you enjoyed it and I love the idea of the caramel sauce! I don’t recommend apple cider vinegar here; I don’t think it’s necessary and worry that it may impact how the cake rises.
I love this cake! Is it possible to double this cake to make it serve more people? What is your suggestion for that?
Glad you like it! yes, it’s possible to double it. You can use the same size pan (the cake will just be taller and take longer to bake). Another option is baking it in a 9 x 13-inch pan. The bake time may be slightly longer so just keep a close eye on it.
Amazing!
Unbelievably good and I was able to follow this recipe perfectly. Well laid out, and ingredients were balanced just right. Thank you so much.
The best cake and soooooo easy to make!