French Apple Cake - Once Upon a Chef (2024)

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With chunks of sweet apples nestled in a tender and buttery rum cake, this French apple cake is the essence of simplicity.

French Apple Cake - Once Upon a Chef (1)

The summer after my junior year in college, what seems like eons ago, I worked as an au pair in Paris for a family with three little boys. My host mother, Valérie, loved to cook and would frequently enlist my help in the kitchen once the kids were in bed. Her French apple cake, with chunks of tart apples nestled in a tender, buttery rum cake, is a longtime favorite of mine. Similar to many homemade French desserts, like clafoutis, madeleines, or crepes, it is the essence of simplicity.

What you’ll need to make French Apple Cake

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When this baking this cake or any any dessert with apples, such as apple crisp, apple pie, or apple cobbler, 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.

How To Make French Apple Cake

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Begin by combining the flour, baking powder and salt in a small bowl. No need to sift; just whisk well.

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Set aside. Then, in the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.

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Add the eggs one at a time.

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Beat in the vanilla extract and rum.

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It will look a little grainy at this point; that’s okay.

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Add the dry ingredients.

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Mix until just combined.

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Add the chopped apples.

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Use a rubber spatula to fold the apples into the batter.

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Have a 9-inch springform pan greased or a 9-inch cake pan greased, lined with parchment, and greased again.

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Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and even the top.

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Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of granulated sugar.

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Bake the cake for about 40 minutes, until golden and crisp on top.

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Serve warm or room temperature, plain or with lightly sweetened whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

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French Apple Cake

Metric Cup Measures

By Jenn Segal

With chunks of sweet apples nestled in a tender and buttery rum cake, this French apple cake is the essence of simplicity.

Servings: 6-8

Prep Time: 20 Minutes

Cook Time: 40 Minutes

Total Time: 1 Hour

Ingredients

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick (½ cup) 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 (I like Honeycrisp, Fuji or Granny Smith) (3½ - 4 cups chopped)
  • Confectioners' sugar (optional), for decorating cake

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and set an oven rack in the middle position. Grease a 9-inch 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.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. Freezer Friendly Instructions: The cake can 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

Powered by French Apple Cake - Once Upon a Chef (18)

  • Per serving (8 servings)
  • Calories: 279
  • Fat: 13g
  • Saturated fat: 8g
  • Carbohydrates: 35g
  • Sugar: 22g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 3g
  • Sodium: 66mg
  • Cholesterol: 77mg

Nutritional Data Disclaimer

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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Comments

  • Can you bake this a day ahead and leave out on counter overnight?

    • — Paula ONeal on April 18, 2024
    • Reply
    • Yep!

      • — Jenn on April 18, 2024
      • Reply
  • Hi! Can’t wait to try this . My son is having an “ around the world picnic” at school. If I made this and replaced the rum with milk, would the flavor be just as good ?

    • — Ellie on April 11, 2024
    • Reply
    • Sure, Ellie, milk would be fine. You can also use apple juice or apple cider. Hope the picnic is fun!

      • — Jenn on April 12, 2024
      • Reply
  • This was honestly one of the best desserts I have ever had. I wanted to make something different for my husband’s birthday, and I happened to come upon this recipe online. I followed it exactly except I substituted gluten free flour (Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour) for the wheat flour, since I am gluten intolerant.
    It came out so much better than I expected. I will definitely make this again and explore more of your recipes. Thank you so much for this divine dessert!!!

    • — Shelley Joachim on April 10, 2024
    • Reply
    • I substituted 1 cup plus 6 tablespoons of gf oat flour for the regular flour to make it gluten free – it was just fabulous. Just another option.

      • — Alissa Chambers on April 11, 2024
      • Reply
  • Absolutely gorgeous cake. Only had one apple so used a pear too. This recipe is a keeper.

    • — Beverley Wood on April 7, 2024
    • Reply
  • I tried your French apple cake last year & wrote the recipe down to my favourite recipes.
    Somehow, I have forgotten about it since I have been trying many many recipes all year. Today, I tried again and I thought you deserve good review. The best apple cake & I don’t even like apple cake. The only reason I made it because my hubby loves anything to do with apple. I must say, the best and now I enjoy it too. A must try, super easy to make too.

    • — explorefood715 on April 6, 2024
    • Reply
  • Can I use this recipe to make small muffins ?

    • — Sylvana on April 4, 2024
    • Reply
    • Sure, Sylvana, that will work. Enjoy!

      • — Jenn on April 4, 2024
      • Reply
  • This is such a forgiving recipe. I hadn’t paid attention to the directions in terms of mixing the dry and wet ingredients and ended up using one bowl to mix the dry and then wet ingredients. I wasn’t sure how my cake would turn out. To my surprise, it came out exactly as in the picture! The cake smelled so good while it was baking, and it came out nicely and the apple chunks were the right tenderness. I love that it is not too sweet. This is definitely a keeper and will make sure I read the directions a few times (LOL).

    • — Lou on April 2, 2024
    • Reply

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French Apple Cake - Once Upon a Chef (2024)

FAQs

What is the history of apple cake in France? ›

According to the Larousse Gastronomique, it was created by the sisters Tatin and democratized in their restaurant "Lamotte-Beuvron" in the 19th century. This apple pie is actually a derivative of an old Solognese speciality with apples or pears.

Who is the apple cake lady? ›

Angela Logan of Teaneck, NJ, inspired the nation and the world, when during the mortgage crisis; she set a goal to sell 100 apple cakes in ten days to save her home of 20 years from foreclosure.

What are the best apples for baking? ›

For the best pies, crisps, and other baked treats, apples need to be firm enough to hold their own during the cooking process. We call these apples “baking apples” and to namedrop, they include Braeburn, Cortland, Honey Gold, Jonathan, Fuji, Gala, Granny Smith, Haralson, and Newtown Pippin.

What to do with a lot of apples? ›

You could also make applesauce, apple butter or apple jelly. You could put them in muffins, crumbles and cakes. You could layer them in sandwiches. You could roast them with sausages or toss them into kale salad.

What is the oldest cake in the world? ›

Linzer Torte is the world's oldest known cake and is named after the Austrian city of Linz. It has been documented as early as 1696. Its oldest recipe is listed in a 300-year-old cookbook!

What is the original fruitcake? ›

The Roman fruitcake was a mash of barley, honey, wine and dried fruit, often pomegranate seeds. What you might recognize as a modern-style fruitcake – a moist, leavened dessert studded with fruits and nuts – was probably first baked in the early Middle Ages in Europe.

How old was the fruitcake lady when she died? ›

Marie Rudisill died in Hudson, Florida, on November 3, 2006, at the age of 95, just before the publication date of her last book, Ask the Fruitcake Lady: Everything You Would Already Know If You Had Any Sense, on November 7.

Who is the blonde actress with the daughter named Apple? ›

Paltrow and Martin have two children together: a daughter, Apple, born in 2004, and a son, Moses, born in 2006. Their son's name was inspired by a song Chris Martin wrote for Paltrow. Simon Pegg and Martin's bandmate Jonny Buckland are her daughter's godfathers.

What happened to the Apple Mortgage cake Lady? ›

Logan's Mortgage Apple Cakes is now a thriving business. Instead of planning for retirement, Logan is baking day and night in a rented commercial kitchen. Eventually, she hopes to use her profits to save the home of one stranger per month.

What apples should not be used for apple pie? ›

There are a few apples that don't make the cut. While great for snacking, Gala, Fuji and Red Delicious are the most common apples that won't hold up in the oven and will give you a watery-mushy pie, tart or cake.

What apple is closest to Granny Smith? ›

Mutsu. Also known as Crispin apples, this super-tart green apple is similar to Granny Smith apples and is the best choice for salads and slaws due to its crisp texture and tangy flavor.

Can you freeze fresh apples? ›

Yes, you can freeze fresh raw apple, however because of the high water content, you'll find that the apple will be soft when defrosted (the water inside the fruit expands when it freezes into ice and the crystals breaks the delicate cell structure). Therefore, it's best to use frozen apple for cooking or smoothies.

What do farmers do with fallen apples? ›

If apples are not picked up, they are mowed at the end of the season and help to fertilize next year's crop.

What does an apple a day do for a person? ›

Adding apples to your diet can reduce your risk of heart disease or cancer, the top two leading causes of death in the United States. In a study of nearly 40,000 people, those who ate apples were 13% to 22% less likely to develop heart disease than those who skipped the fruit. Apples may also help prevent cancer.

What is the story behind the Napoleon cake? ›

Originally named "mille-feuille", the Napoleon cake was supposedly brought to Russia by the French in the early 19th century. This cake commemorated the anniversary of the Russian victory against Napoléon Bonaparte in 1812.

What is the history of the French opera cake? ›

The origins of the Opera Cake can be traced back to the early 20th century in France, particularly to the legendary Dalloyau patisserie in Paris. It was created by the famous pastry chef Cyriaque Gavillon.

What is the history of the French fruit tart? ›

Most likely the first fruit tart to gain notoriety as an individually named dessert was created by the Tatin sisters for the restaurant in their hotel in the village of Lamotte-Beuvron, France in the late 1800s.

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