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French apple cake is an easy elegant dessert made with simple ingredients. Every slice of this moist cake is filled with chunks of apple, making it a delicious dessert for any occasion!
Apple desserts boast a special flavor that’s so comforting. You can use apples in many different recipes including apple monkey bread, caramel apple cobbler or baked apples.
When I was in France, I was blown away but the simplicity and elegance of many French dishes. The ingredients used are simple and wholesome, and every component shines beautifully in the dish. Today I’m sharing this French apple cake recipe, a simple dessert that’s perfect for any day of the week.
Table of Contents
What You Need To Make French Apple Cake
- Flour: All purpose flour works best for this recipe. If you have the time, please sift the flour so there are no clumps.
- Baking powder: Make sure the baking powder is not expired so the cake rises well.
- Butter: You need unsalted butter for this recipe. Melt the butter and let it come to room temperature before using it in the recipe.
- Sugar: Regular granulated sugar works best for this recipe. Please don’t use any other sweetener as it would alter the flavor and texture of the cake.
- Eggs: Make sure the eggs are at room temperature for best result.
- Rum: Classic French apple cake is made with dark rum, which adds flavor to the cake. However, if you don’t have rum, you can use bourbon or simply leave the liquor out.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract adds a lot of flavor and complements the buttery cake.
- Apples: It’s best to use baking apples such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp to make apple cake since the chunks hold their shape while baking.
How To Make French Apple Cake
- Mix the flour and baking powder in a bowl and set it aside.
- In another bowl beat the eggs on medium high until foamy. Add the sugar and melted butter. Mix until well combined.
- Add in the flour and baking powder to the wet ingredients and mix to combine. Make sure not to overmix.
- Stir in the peeled and chopped apples into the batter.
- Transfer the batter into a cake pan (preferably a springform) and bake in the oven at 350 degrees F for 35 minutes.
- Let the cake cool completely, top with powdered sugar and serve.
Storage
Store the leftovers in an airtight container. You can keep it an room temperature for 2 days and in the fridge for up to 4 days.
To freeze apple cake, slice it and wrap each slice in plastic wrap. Freeze for up to 3 months. To serve, let it thaw in the fridge overnight.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can make this cake up to a day in advance. Make sure it’s completely cool and store it in a container at room temperature.
It’s best to use baking apples that keep their shape when baked such as Granny Smith, Pink Lady or Honeycrisp.
A 8-inch springform pan would work best here. However, you can use a regular 8 or 9 inch round or square pan as well. Don’t opt for glass pans as the baking time would change.
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French Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 large eggs
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter , melted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp dark rum , optional
- 3 Granny Smith apples , peeled and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 9-inch pan, preferably a springform pan with parchment paper.
- In a bowl mix the flour, baking powder and salt using a spoon. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs until foamy. Add in the sugar, cool melted butter vanilla extract and rum. Beat for 2 minutes so all is well combined.
- Add the flour and baking powder mix to the egg and butter mixture. Beat on medium low for a minute until combined. Make sure not to overmix.
- Fold in the apples into the batter using a spatula.
- Transfer the apple cake batter into the lined baking pan. Bake in the oven for 35 minutes until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean.
- Let the cake cool completely, dust with powdered sugar and serve.
Video
Notes
- Use baking apples such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp for this recipe.
- This recipe uses regular granulated sugar, please don’t use any other sweetener.
- For a gluten-free version, use 1:1 gluten-free flour.
- Store the leftovers in an airtight container. You can keep the cake at room temperature for 2 days or in the fridge for 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Really enjoyed this light French Apple Cake,turned out very well.Definately will be a staple feature for me.
Thank you so much! Glad you like this recipe!
I assume the vanilla extract and rum go in with the egg mixture.they are not mentioned in the instrunctions
Hi Mary, yes, we just fixed the recipe.