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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Delicious and easy recipe, a keeper for sure! I really like that it has alot of apple, so it clearly highlights the apple, and the cake part is light and moist. Also, it’s not overly sweet, so the apple flavor clearly comes through. My husband had a bite said “Oh, yeah!!” and after his second bite, “superb!”
I used:
– Honeycrisp apples, they were perfect flavor and texture. I bought at a farmstand, and it’s fall, so what could be fresher. I feel like granny smith is too tart, and sometimes a little rubbery when cooked (but maybe that’s because they’re from the supermarket), though I have used them in pies. Whatever apple you pick is the direct flavor you’ll get in the cake.
– a little less apple, 2.5 cups, because I didn’t have confidence that there was enough batter for 3.5-4 cups of apples. While my cake is very apple-y, next time I will go with 3 or 3.5 cups because I really like that apple focus. I went back over the photos with the recipe and I can see the difference between my batter and Jenn’s. I see that I had “room” for a bit more apples. I appreciate the photos!
– brandy, not rum (didn’t have) and it’s delicious.
– a little less sugar on the topping (I prefer things lightly sweet). Don’t leave off the sugar, though, it gives a light crisp to the top which is a yummy contrast to the moist apple and cake.
Finally, I got one 6-inch springform pan + 3 muffin cups (filled nearly full) out of the full recipe (i.e., 1 cup flour, 1 stick butter, 2 eggs, etc.). The muffin cups baked about 25 mins and the 6-in. springform about 45-47 mins. My oven rack was 1 level lower than I usually use so maybe that made it take longer.
Thank you! I’ll be making this next weekend and taking it to a party!
This was divine! I had to improvise a little because I didn’t have rum or all purpose flour, so I used half a teaspoon each of cinnamon and nutmeg, as well as self-raising flour in the same quantity as the recipe. It turned out absolutely delicious and got a lot of compliments from my guests. Thank you, Jenn!
It was very easy and delicious.
Made this tonight for a dinner party. Made exactly as written. It was delicious and it is so visually beautiful. Thanks for a great recipe.
Just a wonderful recipe. Nothing to add, to change. It works and it’s loved!
Really good. Used dark rum.
Hi,
I have a 10 x 10 inch Fatt Daddio 3 inch high round springform pan a 13 x 8 inch rectangular enamel tin, a 10 x 10 inch round baking tin but not springform, a 9 x 9 inch square tin, I have all sizes and shapes but do not have a rectangular springform and cannot find an anodised aluminium 13 x 8 inch springform tin anywhere, my preferred baking tin size. I am not sure which one to use and whether to double the recipe which often I don’t like doing however I feel that I should at least use 1 1/2 ingredients for the bigger pans, or possibly double the recipe? i.e. 10 x 10 and 13 x 8. I prefer the enamel rectangular one but it’s not springform. I am hoping this cake can be eaten without a fork or spoon.
I will have to use plant based butter as one of my guests cannot have dairy. I will be baking a variety of dairy free cakes soon for a forthcoming event for 15 people. My signature cake is carott and courgette cake which I have made quite often and fingers crossed I am hoping that this one will be too.
Hi Rita, I’d go with the 10 inch springform pan and make 1.5 times the recipe. The bake time may be slightly different, so keep a close eye on it.
Can this be baked in a cast-iron pan?
Hi Michelle, I haven’t tried it, but think it should work. Enjoy!
This is an awesome recipe. I just won a local baking competition with this.
So easy, yet so tasty.
This recipe was absolutely delicious and so easy to make. I substituted the milk for rum and it came out perfectly. Will make again and again!