Easy French Apple Cake Recipe

Name: Easy French Apple Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 60 min
Total time: 80 min
Ingredients: 1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 2 large eggs, room temperature; 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar; 2 tablespoons dark rum; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 10 tablespoons (141g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature; 5 to 6 medium apples (about 2 pounds), peeled, cored, and diced into 1/2-inch cubes; Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting, optional

If you’ve come home from apple picking with more apples than you know what to do with, this is an easy cake that truly lets the flavor of the apples shine. This simple cake is studded with chunks of tender apples and is ideal for baking in the fall season.

Whether you’re serving it for breakfast or dessert, this buttery, tender apple cake only requires a few pantry ingredients and comes together with very little effort.

What Apples Are Best for Baking French Apple Cake?

There are dozens of apple varieties out there, but which ones are best for baking? I like using a combination of different apples for the most flavor in each bite.

When it comes to a baking recipe like this, the texture of the apple is the most important factor to consider. Apples with a firm texture will hold up best while baking. Some varieties that work well here include Fuji, Pink Lady, Granny Smith, and Honeycrisp.

slice of Easy French Apple Cake on a dessert plate with a fork, cake on a serving board — Simply Recipes / Mark Beahm

Tips and Tricks for French Apple Cake

Although it takes a few extra minutes, it’s worth it to peel the apples for this recipe, as the skin of the apples will become chewy in the oven.
If you prefer not to use alcohol in this recipe, you can omit the dark rum and increase the vanilla extract to 2 tablespoons.
A springform pan is preferable here, as the removable sides allow for the cake to be easily served. However, this cake can also be made in a standard 9-inch cake pan and sliced directly from the pan.
This cake is delicious served with a scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream or creme fraiche.

Easy Apple Desserts

Easy French Apple Cake

Prep Time 20 mins

Cook Time 60 mins

Total Time 80 mins

Servings 10 to 12 servings

Yield 1 (9-inch) round cake

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1 cup (130g) all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon kosher salt
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons rum
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
10 tablespoons (141g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled to room temperature
5 to 6 medium apples (about 2 pounds), peeled, cored, and diced into 1/2-inch cubes
Confectioners sugar, for dusting, optional

Preheat oven to 350°F.

Grease and line the bottom of a 9-inch springform pan with parchment paper.
Make the batter:

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs, sugar, rum, and vanilla extract.

Add half of the dry ingredients to the egg mixture and whisk to combine. Add the melted butter and whisk to combine. Add the remaining dry ingredients and whisk until just a few streaks of flour remain.
Fold in the apples:

Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the apples into the batter just until combined. Spread the batter into the lined pan and smooth the top with an offset spatula.
Bake:

Bake until the top is golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of the pan comes out clean, about 1 hour. The cake will be very moist.

Transfer the pan to a wire rack. Allow to cool, then sprinkle with confectioner’s sugar, if desired.

This cake is very moist, so it will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The cake can also be wrapped and frozen for up to 3 months.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
254	Calories
11g	Fat
38g	Carbs
3g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 10 to 12
Amount per serving
Calories	254
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 11g	14%
Saturated Fat 6g	31%
Cholesterol 56mg	19%
Sodium 160mg	7%
Total Carbohydrate 38g	14%
Dietary Fiber 2g	9%
Total Sugars 26g
Protein 3g
Vitamin C 4mg	21%
Calcium 37mg	3%
Iron 1mg	5%
Potassium 125mg	3%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate. In cases where multiple ingredient alternatives are given, the first listed is calculated for nutrition. Garnishes and optional ingredients are not included.