This simple French Style Apple Cake is the essence of rustic elegance. Fresh, crisp apples are enrobed in lightly sweetened, rum spiked batter. Just before going into the oven, the top of the cake gets a good sprinkling of sugar and is baked until the inside of the cake is soft and buttery, and the top is browned and slightly crisp. French Style Apple Cake makes for a delicate dessert, while hardy enough to grace the brunch or breakfast table. There are endless styles of apple cake, but for me, French style apple cake is the perfect canvas to really let the glory of the apple take center stage.
France is known for its apple orchards and rich culinary history, so it’s no wonder they have perfected this fruit-forward gateau. The main characteristics of the French-style apple cake are its uncomplicated persona, the omission of spices leaving pure apple flavor, a touch of rum, and a soft buttery crumb. In this recipe, I add a few small embellishments that complement the cake without changing the fundamentals that make French-style apple cake so fantastic.
Tips for Baking French Apple Cake
- The flavor of this cake truly blooms when it has had time to rest after baking. I find the flavors meld and are at their best after sitting covered for 12-24 hours.
- Make sure to use baking apples in this recipe. Baking apples are robust enough to retain their shape and flavor when baked. Examples include Honey Crisp, Granny Smith, Braeburn, and Fuji.
- A great way to add depth of flavor to this recipe without compromising its restraint is to use more than one kind of baking apple to expand the flavor profile.
- If you are health conscious, you can reduce the saturated fat and cholesterol in this recipe by substituting plant-based butters like Earth Balance or Miyoko’s in place of conventional cow’s milk butter.
How long will a French apple cake keep?
Bake your cake and allow it to cool to room temperature. Cover the cake in cling wrap or place on a cake stand with a tight-fitting cloche or dome. The cake can sit at room temperature for up to two days or in the refrigerator for up to three days. To keep for longer, wrap the cake in tinfoil, then in cling wrap and keep in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw overnight at room temperature before serving.
Pairings for French apple cake
French Style Apple cake can be dressed up with a dollop of crème Chantilly and/or a scattering of chopped, toasted nuts of your choosing. I recommend almond, walnut or hazelnut.
For beverage pairing, I recommend simple, enchanting beverages like Chamomile-Apple Tisane (recipe included below), or a shot or two of Calvados (brandy from Normandy, France). Calvados can be served neat in a Glencairn whisky glass or in a rocks glass, over ice with a splash of tonic water.
French Style Apple Cake
- Yield: 6–8 Servings 1x
Ingredients
French Style Apple Cake
Yield 6-8 servings
- 2–4 baking apples (3–4 cups), peeled (save if making chamomile-apple tisane), cored, and cut into ½-inch dice/cubes
- Juice of ½ a lemon
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt (omit if using plant-based butter)
- 1 stick (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, room temperature (or plant-based butter)
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar, plus 1 tablespoon for sprinkling over cake
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons dark rum
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- Confectioners’ sugar for dusting (optional)
- Apple blossoms, pesticide- and herbicide-free (optional)
Almond Crème Chantilly
Yield 6-8 servings
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 2–3 tablespoons confectioner’s sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract
- Pinch of sea salt
Chamomile- Apple Tisane
Yield 1 serving
- 8oz boiling water
- 2 teaspoons dried chamomile flowers
- 3–6 apple peels, fresh or dried
- 1 teaspoon honey or agave syrup (optional)
Instructions
French Style Apple Cake
- Set oven rack in the middle position. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Grease a 9-inch springform pan or regular cake pan with butter or cooking spray. For added insurance the cake unmolds, place a round of parchment on the bottom of the pan and grease the parchment as well.
- Prepare the apples. Squeeze the juice of the lemon half over the apples. Toss to coat and set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, cream together the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and beat until fully incorporated.
- Add the eggs one at a time, scrape down the sides of the bowl in between additions and fully incorporate each egg.
- Add the rum, vanilla, and almond extract and continue to beat. Don’t worry if the batter separates. It will come together, I promise!
- With the mixer on low speed, add the flour mixture. Mix just until combined. Do not over mix or the fished cake will be dense.
- Using a rubber spatula, fold in the chopped apples.
- Pour the batter into your prepared baking pan. Smooth and evenly sprinkle the top of the cake with one tablespoon of granulated sugar.
- Bake for 35-45 minutes or until the cake is golden and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the middle of the cake comes out clean.
- Remove the cake from the oven and allow the cake to cool in the pan on a cooling rack. When the cake has fully cooled to room temperature, unmold the cake onto a serving plate, removing the parchment paper if used.
To Serve
You can serve the cake once cooled to room temperature, but I highly recommend wrapping it in cling wrap and letting it rest for at least twelve hours before serving. Just before serving, use a small fine mesh sieve to dust the cake with confectioner’s sugar.
You could stop there but if you want to make things even more decadent, serve the cake with a dollop of almond crème Chantilly, a scattering of chopped, toasted nuts, and a complimentary beverage. If you happen to make this recipe during apple season and are lucky enough to come by some fresh apple blossoms, use them to garnish any and all elements of your cake and accoutrements.
Almond Crème Chantilly
- Using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer with a whisk attachment, whisk the heavy whipping cream until it begins to thicken.
- Add the vanilla and almond extracts, confectioner’s sugar, and a pinch of salt. Beat until the cream reaches soft to medium peaks. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
Chamomile-Apple Tisane
- Bring 8oz water to a boil.
- Meanwhile, place the dried chamomile flowers and apple peel into a mesh tea infuser hung over a large mug.
- Pour the boiling water over the chamomile and apple peels. Allow to steep for 5-10 minutes.
- Add sweetener if you choose and enjoy with a slice of French Style Apple Cake.
