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Apple cake sliced on a plate from the top view.
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French Apple Cake Recipe

This French Apple Cake is a simple yet classic fall cake featuring cubed apples folded in batter that is flavored with dark rum. Made with just a few everyday ingredients, it is a French apple dessert that you can make with only 15 minutes of hands-on time.
Course Cake
Cuisine French
Diet Vegetarian
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Cooling time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 8 slices
Calories 266kcal

Ingredients

  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter plus more for greasing the pan (110gr.)
  • 4 large apples ~2 pounds, I used a mix of Honey Crisp and Granny Smith Apples
  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour 110 gr.
  • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
  • teaspoon Kosher salt
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • ¾ cup coconut sugar or brown sugar*
  • 2 tablespoons dark rum
  • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon powdered sugar optional

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (180 C). Generously butter an 8-inch** round springform pan. Line it with parchment paper, place it on a sheet pan, and set it aside.
  • Place butter in a small saucepan and heat until fully melted. Let it cool off the heat while you are working on the rest of the ingredients.
  • Core and peel apples, then cut them into 1-inch chunks. Set them aside.
  • Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl. Set it aside.
  • In a large bowl, whisk together eggs and sugar until thoroughly mixed. Whisk in the rum and vanilla.
  • Whisk half of the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, followed by half of the now-cooled melted butter.
  • Stir in the rest of the flour mixture and butter. Whisk until fully combined.
  • Fold in the apple chunks and make sure that they are fully coated with the batter.
  • Transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan and smooth the top with a spatula. Place the cake pan on a sheet pan (we do this to catch any bubbling juices.)
  • Bake for 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
  • Let it cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife through the edges to loosen the cake from the pan.
  • Transfer to a cake platter (or a wire rack) and let it cool for at least an hour before serving. If preferred, you can sprinkle it with a small amount of powdered sugar before serving.

Notes

  • Yields: This recipe makes an 8-inch cake (8 slices). The nutritional values below are per slice.
  • Sugar: You can substitute coconut sugar with an equal amount of brown sugar or granulated sugar. If you use granulated sugar, the surface of the cake will not brown as much.
  • Cake pan: A 9-inch springform pan would also work, but the cake will be thinner. If you do not own a springform, you can make this in a cake pan, but make sure to grease it well so that it will come out easily.
  • No alcohol version: If you prefer to use no alcohol or just want to skip the rum altogether, use a full tablespoon of vanilla extract in its place.
  • Storage: This cake will keep fresh for up to 3 days at room temperature, covered on the kitchen counter. Since the cake itself is very moist, it’s best to store it covered with a cake dome, overturned bowl, or with a few toothpicks inserted throughout the top of the cake and then tented with plastic wrap. Alternatively, you can cut it into slices and store in an airtight container.
  • Serving suggestions: A dollop of crème fraîche is possibly the most French way of serving it, but you can also top it off with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
  • Cubed Apples: As you can see in the pictures, this cake is a bit different than your usual batter-heavy apple cake recipe. Rather, it is cubed apples covered with cake batter. Please be aware that due to the high moisture content of the cubed apples, it doesn’t rise as much as you would expect.

Nutrition

Calories: 266kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.5g | Cholesterol: 71mg | Sodium: 124mg | Potassium: 129mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 458IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 39mg | Iron: 1mg