French Apple Cake
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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 French 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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Comments
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I made this recipe yesterday as I had the required ingredients on hand and all I can say is, WOW!!! This cake is SO delicious — moist, sweet, and unexpectedly elegant — thank you so much!
This recipe is always a big hit and I tell everyone where it’s from, thank you!
Please consider non-alcoholic substitutes for things like this.
Hi Ann, you can replace the rum with apple juice, apple cider, or milk – it will still be delicious!
I made this cake again but sprinkled a few sliced white almonds on top, then the tbsp of sugar as suggested by a Derek Greenwood in the comments.
It’s very good and that’s the way I’ll make it from now on. I have to say I baked it for 35 minutes and not 40. That cake is a sin!!!!
Maureen Francis
This is lovely quick and easy to make. Nice texture and good flavor. I added a few sliced almonds on top before I put suggar on.
I made this cake many times and I think your idea of adding almonds on top before the sprinkle of sugar is great!
My question is, were the almonds burnt after being in the oven for 35 mins?
Thanks
I make this for dessert yesterday and it was amazing. It looked exactly like the picture when it came out and was perfect. I did not have rum, so I took advice from the comments and used 1 TB. rum extract and then two TB. milk in place of the 3 TB of rum and it was outstanding. The flavor of the rum extract with the vanilla extract….OMG, so good! I think this cake would also be great for breakfast, honestly.
If preparing this cake a day before, how would you recommend storing it for optimal freshness the next day? Thanks! Love all of your recipes!!
Hi Victoria, So glad you like the recipes! I’d cover it with foil and leave it on the countertop overnight. Hope you enjoy it!
This is a tasty dessert and I’m glad I tried it, but it wasn’t five stars for me. It’s good though. The cake to apple ratio is unique in that it’s mostly apples with just enough cake batter to hold them together. I like but don’t love apple desserts, hence my four stars, but apple pie/dessert lovers would probably rate it five stars. I would prefer less apple and more cake, but that’s just me. I thought it was easy and tasty though, and that the rum amount was just right – enough to know it’s there but not smacking you in the face.
I wanted more cake too!
Hi Jenn,
I have made this cake dozens of times with dark rum, spiced rum, bourbon, etc – all wonderful and exceptionally easy! I have lovely fresh rhubarb that I have sprinkled with sugar & allowed to soak overnight so it is now delicious to eat. Do you think I could use this in place of apples?
Thanks,
Siobhán
So glad you like the cake! I think rhubarb should work here, but it may be a little tart. (You mentioned that you sprinkled it with some sugar, so that should help). Please LMK how it comes out if you try it!
Is it possible to make this without the rum, for kids? What adjustment is needed if leaving out the rum?
Sure — just replace the rum with apple juice, apple cider, or milk. 😊
I have made this cake many times. The cake turned out amazing the first few times. They looked like your cake, Jenn! Lately, they started to be flat. They came out half an inch thick. What did I do wrong?
I’m sorry you’ve had a problem with this recently! Is your baking powder old or expired?
Can I double the recipe and still bake in a 23cm round tin and get the same texture?
I love this recipe but I need to serve more people.
Sure, Cindy, that will work — it will just take longer to bake so keep a close eye on it. (And glad you like it!)