French Apple Cake

This French Apple Cake is fluffy and delicious with sweetness from the powdered sugar on top and crispness of the apples in every bite!

French cuisine is full of flavor, and if you’re looking for other delicious French recipes try out my French Pork with Apple Cream Sauce, Chicken Florentine, or even my French Lentil Salad with Walnuts and Goat Cheese!

Healthy Apple Cake

This French Apple Cake is jam packed with apples which is one of the things I love most about this recipe! Every bite is filled with delicious crisp and tart apples while being surrounded by a fluffy and delicious cake.

For this cake I added a layer of granulated sugar on the top of the batter before baking which gives this cake this sweet crispness on the top after it finishes baking almost like a layer of sweet crust and it really makes all the difference.

How to Make Apple Cake

Assemble your ingredients. For exact amounts see the recipe card below.

Ingredients for apple cake

Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Grease a 9 inch cake pan with butter. For the easiest cake removal, line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper and grease the top of the parchment paper with butter.

Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar together until fluffy. 

apple cake best recipe ingredients

Next, add in the eggs, beating in well.

apple cake with rum ingredients

Then add in the vanilla and rum and mix together. At this point, don’t worry if your batter looks grainy, that’s okay! 

Apple cakes ingredients

Next, add in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix on low until it’s all combined. 

Cake apples ingredients

Using a spatula, fold in the chopped apples into the batter.

cakes with apples batter

Scrape the batter into your lined and greased cake pan and even the top and sprinkle the top of the cake with some granulated sugar, about 1 Tablespoon.

recipes apple cakes

Bake for about 35 minutes or until the cake is golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

recipes for apple cake

Once the cake has cooled you can use a regular plate and flip the cake out upside down and then use a serving plate to flip it back right side up. 

Finally, using a sieve, dust the top of the cake with confectioners sugar.

Apple baking

Serve warm or room temperature and enjoy!

Recipe for apple cake

Apple Variations

Honeycrisp: For this recipe honey crisp apples are my FAVORITE! They are the perfect balance of tart and sweet and the apple that I recommend to use.

Granny Smith: If you are wanting that super tart flavor in your apple cake then I recommend Granny Smith Apples with that extra punch they give.

Red Delicious: This would be for more of a subtle apple flavor for your cake.

Storage Information

Storage

Store this cake in an airtight container on your counter for 2-3 days or in your refrigerator for 4-5 days.

Freezing

Store the cake in an airtight container in your freezer for up to 2 weeks. Be sure to allow it to thaw to room temperature before eating.

Recipes to Pair with this Apple Cake:

If you’re looking for a delicious main dish to pair with this dessert I recommend these:

French Pork with Apple Cream Sauce

Chicken Florentine

Vegan Lasagna with Vegan Bolognese Sauce

Did you try this recipe? Leave a ⭐️ rating below and share it on Instagram, Facebook and Pinterest!

This French Apple Cake is fluffy and delicious with sweetness from the powdered sugar on top and crispness of the apples in every bite!

French Apple Cake Recipe

This French Apple Cake is fluffy and delicious with sweetness from the powdered sugar on top and crispness of the apples in every bite!
4.6 from 10 votes
Pin Rate
Course: Desserts
Cuisine: French
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 55 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 245kcal
Author: Linda
Print Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick - ½ cup butter
  • cup granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 Tablespoons dark rum
  • 3 Honeycrisp Apples - 3 ½ - 4 Cups chopped
  • Confectioners sugar for decorating - optional

Instructions

  • Preheat your oven to 350° Fahrenheit. Grease a 9 inch cake pan with butter. For the easiest cake removal, line the bottom and sides of the pan with parchment paper and grease the top of the parchment paper with butter.
  • Using a handheld or stand mixer, beat the softened butter and sugar together until fluffy. 
  • Next, add in the eggs, beating in well.
  • Then add in the vanilla and rum and mix together. At this point don't worry if your batter looks grainy, that's okay! 
  • Next add in the flour, baking powder and salt and mix on low until it's all combined. 
  • Using a spatula, fold in the chopped apples into the batter.
  • Scrape the batter into your lined and greased cake pan and even the top and sprinkle the top of the cake with some granulated sugar, about 1 Tablespoon.
  • Bake for about 35 minutes or until the cake is golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
  • Once the cake has cooled you can use a regular plate and flip the cake out upside down and then use a serving plate to flip it back right side up. 
  • Finally, using a sieve, dust the top of the cake with confectioners sugar.
  • Serve warm or room temperature and enjoy!

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Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 47mg | Sodium: 146mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 39g

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About the Author

Linda

Hi, I'm Linda! Welcome to The Wanderlust Kitchen, where I share recipes and travel adventures from all around the world. Here you'll find a world of recipes you can have confidence in. These recipes celebrate authentic food heritage as well as modern techniques and ingredients. Be adventurous and try a new recipe and travel somewhere you have never been before.  Bon Appétit! Bon Voyage!  

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