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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This has all the flavor and delight I would expect from a French dessert … whether or not it IS a French recipe, it tastes like one! I just had my first piece and it just tastes like “MORE please!”
Whenever I make this cake I always make at least 2, sometimes 4!! I bake it with honey crisp apples. I use an 8” cake pan, perfect size and depth of cake for me. It is such an easy recipe but it’s the most delicious and satisfying cake to eat. I have one in the freezer that will be enjoyed by guests coming over tonight. This is one of my most favorite recipes that I make over and over and my family love it!
I have one teeny tiny request: When you list the ingredients at the top, can you also please put the measurements? On mobile, it can get a bit crazy to scroll for the measurements and then have to return to the directions, especially with all the ads playing. This would be so amazing! Thanks for hearing me out, and I can’t wait to try this recipe this afternoon!
Hi Cookie, I did try that with a handful of recipes and found that I made a few data entry errors (just human error!) so I’ve been reluctant to keep doing it. I will definitely keep it in mind, though, in case I decide to give it another go!
I saw this cake on a Reddit post (with link included) and my hubby and I loved it! Had to sub quite a bit, only had cake flour, used milk instead of rum and added too many apples but it was still delicious! Used 1/3 cup of date sugar and I really believe it added a lil’ depth that the rum would have given. Will make again with rum and less apples.
Please try this cake, it is definitely beginner friendly!
This is absolutely the BEST recipe. I did not have brown rum, but the white was good too. I will be making this forever. Already have promised to make this for my grandson’s upcoming wedding, with guests coming from out-of-town. Froze a couple of pieces since there are only two of us, and that worked well.
Thank you.
Dagmar in Wilmington, NC
I made this cake for a group of friends. One of them i gluten-intolerant so I substituted gluten-free flour. The texture was a bit more crumbly than expected but it was delicious and everyone enjoyed it very much. I’ll be making it again soon.
By the way, the honeycrisp apples did hold their shape and added to the enjoyment.
This cake was delicious! Perfect for enjoying after dinner on a Sunday. Could I bake this in a 9″ pie pan for ease of serving (like your strawberry cake recipe…which is also delicious!)?
Hi Margaret, Glad you liked it! As long as your pie pan is deep-dish, it will work.
This apple cake came out great, not too sweet and perfect with a cup of coffee or tea.
I love the illustrations and step by step instructions . making it more easier for us novice bakers and cooks. I will definitely be trying more of your recipes as this one is my first of yours.
will be making it today, can I use a rectangular ( 9×13) baking pan instead of springform? do I need to increase ingredients?
Yes, Suzanne, that’s fine. You’ll need to double the recipe. The bake time may be slightly longer so keep a close eye on it.
Hello, I live at high altitude (Denver), are there any adjustments I should make to the recipe?
Hi Brittany, I don’t have any personal experience baking at high altitudes, so unfortunately, don’t have any wisdom to share, but you may find the tips in this post helpful (see #14 – Make Adjustments at High Altitude). Hope you find them useful!
I absolutely loved it. I had a load of cooking apples to use and came across this recipe. It’s so simple and quick. I did sweat about the ratio of apples to mixture but it turned out perfect. I didn’t have rum but added amaretto instead which gave it the most delicious hint of almonds that complimented the apples and sponge perfectly. I have plenty of apples left over and I’m planning on baking another one for work tomorrow!
Hi Brittany,
I just made this at higher altitude than Denver. I cut the baking powder very slightly, and don’t think I needed to cut it at all. It came out great!