This delicious French apple cake recipe is one of the most classic apple desserts, made with simple ingredients, dark rum, and chunks of apples!
Best Apple Cake
A French apple cake really is quite simple and yet the flavors are anything but. You’ve got a moist, tender, buttery cake infused with dark rum and chunks of tender, crisp apple nestled throughout. Once it’s baked, it’s released from the springform cake pan, dusted with powdered sugar.
I loved combination of both white and brown sugar. It goes perfectly with the apples, and the rum elevates the flavor even more. It’s a perfect cake to serve for everything from dinner parties to the holidays, potlucks, and more.
If you love apple desserts, be sure to make these beautiful apple rose puff pastries, this simple apple dump cake and these scrumptious apple pie cupcakes.
WANT TO SAVE THIS RECIPE?
Enter your email below and we’ll send you this recipe so you can come back to it any time! (as well as our new recipes weekly!)
Ingredients You’ll Need
Below is a list of the ingredients you’ll need to gather to make this recipe. Scroll down to the full recipe card with amounts.
- Baking staples: You’ll need all-purpose flour, baking powder, salt, vanilla extract, and eggs.
- Butter: I use salted even though we’re adding salt as a stand-alone ingredient because it needs it. Bring it out to room temperature so it is ready to whip.
- Sugars: Both white granulated sugar and brown sugar are a fantastic combination in this French apple cake. The brown sugar gives a hint of caramel flavor, which is great during the fall and winter months. You can use all white sugar if preferred.
- Dark rum: When added to the cake, it not only delivers a depth of flavor but also makes for a very moist cake.
- Apples: Cored and diced. Use fresh apples, which are great for baking. Examples would be Pink Lady apples, Macintosh, Corland, Granny Smith apples, Jonagold, Braeburn, Fuji apples, Honey Crisp, etc.
- Powdered sugar: A dusting at the end for extra sweetness and presentation.
How to Make This French Apple Cake Recipe
This recipe will come together in a few steps with just some kitchen staples and your favorite rum!
Step 1: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. Set that aside.
Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and sugars with an electric mixer on medium speed until creamy. Scrape down the sides as you go. Then, blend in the eggs, then the rum and vanilla.
Step 3: Gradually add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and blend until just barely combined. Do not over mix; otherwise, the cake will be too dense.
Step 4: Use a rubber spatula or wooden spoon to gently fold in the apple chunks.
Step 5: Transfer the cake batter into the prepared springform pan lined with parchment paper. Spread the mixture out evenly.
Step 6: Bake for 40 minutes in a 350°F oven until the top is golden brown and the inside is fully baked. You will know it is ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 7: Let the cake cool on a wire rack for about 10 minutes, and then transfer it to a cake plate.
Run a knife around the edge of the cake pan and then remove the sides of the pan and sprinkle with powdered sugar over top of the cake. It’s also great with a scoop of vanilla ice cream!
Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. Bring the eggs to room temperature with the butter about 30 minutes ahead of time. This helps ensure everything is evenly blended and that it bakes evenly.
- It is very important to measure your flour accurately. Use a kitchen scale or the spoon-and-level method.
- Choose baking apples that will hold their shape nicely, like any of the ones listed above. You can use just one kind or a combination for different flavors.
How to Store Leftovers?
Refrigerate: This cake can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days. You can also put it in the fridge for a few extra days.
Freeze: To avoid freezer burn, make sure to wrap any leftover cake in plastic wrap and then a layer of foil and place it in a freezer bag. Keep it frozen for up to 2 months.
If you like this recipe, please leave us a comment and rate it in the recipe card. We would love for you to join us and over 300,000 followers on Facebook as well as on Pinterest and Instagram too!
Easy French Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 10 tablespoons salted butter room temperature
- ½ cup granulated white sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup dark rum
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
- 2 baking apples peeled, cored and diced
- Powdered sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350° F and line the bottom of a 9” springform pan with parchment paper and spray with non-stick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking powder and salt and set aside.1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, add the butter, white and brown sugar and beat with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 2 minutes until creamy, scraping down the sides as you go (you can also use the the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment)10 tablespoons salted butter, ½ cup granulated white sugar, ¼ cup brown sugar
- Add in both eggs and blend until combined.2 large eggs
- Add the rum and vanilla extract and beat until combined.¼ cup dark rum, 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Gradually add in the flour mixture and blend until just barely combined.
- Then add in the diced apples and gently fold them in with a spatula. Be careful not to over mix the batter or the cake will be more dense.2 baking apples
- Pour the mixture into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
- Bake for 40 minutes until the top is golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and place on a wire cooling rack to cool for about 10 minutes Then place on a platter or cake plate to unmold.
- Sprinkle with powdered sugar just before serving if desiredPowdered sugar for topping
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclosure
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an approximation.
Leave a Reply