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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Simple, delicious, and rather elegant! Thank you so very much.
Bringing it, yet again, to a picnic on the Biltmore Estate…perfect.
I have a very pretty glass pie plate with scalloped edges. Can I make this cake in that plate and simply not take it out other than to serve it piece by piece?
Sure, assuming it is a deep dish pie plate, that will work. Hope you enjoy!
I made this for the first time, it was super easy and super good, will make again , would be even better with a little warm rum sauce 👍
I’m happy that I came across this recipe! I loved the cake and the flavour took me by surprise, this was my very first attempt at trying a fruit cake. Huge thank you😊
I made this recipe today and found it delectable!
I used a mix of soft white berries, hulled barley, oat berries and rye berries freshly milled, in place of the all-purpose flour.
I reduced the sugar to less than 1/4 cup (35 g) in the batter and skipped all the other additional sugar. I used 1-1/2 green apple and 12 dried prunes soaked in hot green tea. Baked 40 minutes. It was marvelous.
I made this cake and I’m happy with the results.
I made a gluten free version and made one with all purpose flour both came out delicious.
I will be using this recipe over and over again.
Hi, what gluten free flour did u use? Would the Bob’s red mill 1 to 1 gluten free flour work?
Thanks
what type of gluten free flour and how much flour?
Hi Margaret, Maybe Kim will weigh in, but a know a lot of readers have mentioned they have good luck with King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour (and you’ll need the same amount).
I am eager to try this, but only have light rum, can I use that instead?
Sure!
I made this awesome cake and we all loved it.. Can I double the recipe and just bake a little longer? If so, how long?
So glad you liked it, Lore! Yes, you could double it and bake it longer. I’m honestly not sure how long it will take, so I’d keep a close eye on it.
Can this be made in an 8″ springform pan?
Sure – it may just take a few extra minutes in the oven so keep a close eye on it. Enjoy!
I made this last night for a family dinner and everyone loved it! Very simple, light and airy, not too heavy or sweet. I like the fact that there isn’t any cinnamon here, just pure apple goodness (used two Granny Smiths). I baked mine in a 9inch springform pan as suggested, but I would probably use a smaller one next time, as the cake was rather thin (thinner than the pictures). The texture and taste were still 10/10, just visually I would’ve wanted it slightly thicker. I served it warm with some vanilla ice cream, yum! Thanks for another super simply yet amazing recipe!
I made this last night and it came out perfect. I did not have rum so I added Calvados. I made it in a springform pan. I loved how it was so full of apples. You instructions are the best. Use a wire whisk, electric beater, rubber spatula, I followed everything to a T.
Made this tonight and I don’t typically like baking. But this was very easy and delicious. My cake wasn’t as thick as the one pictured. I used a 9 inch spring form pan so I’m not sure what I did wrong. I also had difficulty removing the parchment paper from the bottom without messing the cake up. I’m such an amateur! Help!
Hi Bridgit, You said the cake wasn’t as thick as the one in my pics. Any idea how thick it was? Also, the parchment isn’t needed when you use a springform pan — it’s really intended to make the cake release easily if you’re using a regular cake pan.