This simple yet delicious French apple cake is made with a rum-based, buttery batter, and filled with chunks of tart apples. This cake is perfect when apple season hits!
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🍎An easy cake for apple season.
This cake is so simple but it tastes phenomenal! There is a hint of rum taste in this cake, which pairs so well with the apples. I used two different types of apples in this recipe, (and in this one and this one too!) It creates a more complex flavour. But use one variety if you choose.
Many of my recipes have a long list of ingredients, like my apple crisp cupcakes, but this French apple cake has one of the shortest list of ingredients and recipe steps on my website!
To finish, this cake only needs a dusting of powdered sugar on top. Enjoy with a cup of coffee or tea!
🥘Ingredients
Ingredient notes
- Rum - You can use rum extract instead if you prefer.
- Unsalted butter - This can be replaced with salted butter. Omit the extra salt in the recipe.
- Apples - I used a combination of McIntosh and Granny Smith apples in this recipe. Use one kind of apple if your prefer.
🔪Instructions
To make this cake, start by whisking flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add eggs and mix until fully incorporated. Then add rum and vanilla and mix.
Add dry ingredients and mix until almost combined. Add apples and mix in by hand. Mix until everything is combined. Don't overmix. Transfer batter to a greased and lined 8 or 9-inch baking pan. Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
Let cool in it's pan for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the outside the cake so it doesn't stick to the pan. Leave cake in it's pan until fully cooled, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
Dust the top with powdered sugar when ready to serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
✔️Expert Tips
- The alcohol from the rum gets baked out and just the taste of the rum is left. If you don't want to use rum, you can use a rum extract. I don't recommend leaving out the rum taste though. It really enhances the apple flavour in this recipe.
- I used a 9-inch baking pan for this recipe. You can use an 8-inch pan, but the baking time will be a bit longer.
- You can use a combination of 2 types of apples if you like, or just use one kind. I used Granny Smith and McIntosh in this recipe.
💭FAQs
It's a very simple cake recipe that starts with a rum-based batter. It's loaded with a lot of sweet, tart apple chunks.
You can make this cake the day before serving. Store at room temperature in an airtight container.
Yes! Wrap the cake tightly with plastic wrap, and then with a layer of aluminum foil. Store it in an airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature overnight.
🔖Related Recipes
📋 Recipe
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French Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ⅔ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup rum
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 apples
- ¼ cup powdered sugar for dusting the top of the cake
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line the bottom of a 8 or 9-inch round baking pan, and grease the sides.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl. Set aside.
- Beat butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
- Add eggs and mix until fully incorporated. Add rum and vanilla and mix.
- Add dry ingredients and mix until almost combined. Add apples and mix in by hand. Mix until everything is combined. Don't overmix.
- Transfer batter to prepared baking pan. Bake for 35-40 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of the cake comes out clean.
- Let cool in it's pan for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the outside the cake so it doesn't stick to the pan. Leave cake in it's pan until fully cooled, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
- Dust the top with powdered sugar when ready to serve. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Notes
- The alcohol from the rum gets baked out and just the taste of the rum is left. If you don't want to use rum, you can use a rum extract. I don't recommend leaving out the rum taste though. It really enhances the apple flavour in this recipe.
- I used a 9-inch baking pan for this recipe. You can use an 8-inch pan, but the baking time will be a bit longer.
- You can use a combination of 2 types of apples if you like, or just use one kind. I used Granny Smith and McIntosh in this recipe.
Did you try this recipe? Comment below to let me know ☺️