Delicate rum batter surrounds delicious apple pieces in this delicious french apple cake.
French Apple Cake
I recently ran across this recipe for French Apple Cake on David Lebovitz’s blog the other day and it intrigued me. I liked the idea of the cake batter wrapped around the tasty apple pieces. I started to add cinnamon because I always add cinnamon to apple recipes as I love that combination so much as most Americans do. Instead I let the rum be the star of this recipe and it really shines.
I waited until the next day to cut it because I made it late at night so the flavors could meld together. The only thing I wish I had done was to bake it a little longer, the tester came out clean so I assumed it was done and it was slightly underbaked. I also used Splenda in place of the sugar and it worked just fine. Serve with a little sweetened whipped cream on the side. Yum!
- 3/4 cup (110g) flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- pinch of salt
- 4 large apples (a mix of varieties)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150g) sugar
- 3 tablespoons dark rum
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 8 tablespoons (115g) butter, salted or unsalted, melted and cooled to room temperature
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC) and adjust the oven rack to the center of the oven.
- Heavily butter an 8- or 9-inch (20-23cm) springform pan and place it on a baking sheet.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Peel and core the apples, then dice them into 1-inch (3cm) pieces.
- In a large bowl, beat the eggs until foamy then whisk in the sugar, then rum and vanilla. Whisk in half of the flour mixture, then gently stir in half of the melted butter
- Stir in the remaining flour mixture, then the rest of the butter.
- Fold in the apple cubes until they’re well-coated with the batter and scrape them into the prepared cake pan and smooth the top a little with a spatula.
- Bake the cake for 50 minute to 1 hour, or until a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edge to loosen the cake from the pan and carefully remove the sides of the cake pan, making sure no apples are stuck to it.
- Serving: Serve wedges of the cake just by itself, or with crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream.
- Storage: The cake will keep for up to three days covered. Since the top is very moist, it’s best to store it under a cake dome or overturned bowl.
- Adapted from Around My French Table by Dorie Greenspan and David Lebovitz
Maybe you’d like to try our recipe for?
Spiced Apple Ooey Gooey Butter Cake
Apple Fritter Bread
Caramel Apple Dumplings
this sounds delicious! Can you omit the rum?
Hi Diane, yes you could but it really is an intricate part of the flavor of this cake.
Tried this. Amazing!!!!
I agree, I love apples and cinnamon together but I think I would like the rum even more!! Gorgeous cake!!
Thanks Tara, the rum is perfect in this cake. This isn’t the typical bundt cake we usually see around this time.
Looks really yummy. I love apples in fall.
Thanks Racheal! Me too…
IF I had four apples on hand, THIS cake would be in my oven right this very minute! lol
LOL Renee…. hope you try it soon.
I am like you and tend to put cinnamon in everything when baking with apples. I have never tried rum in an apple cake, but what an interesting idea. Good to know it turned out nicely. I will have to give it a try for sure. Don LOVES apple cake and it’s been a while since I’ve made one! Thanks for sharing, Mary Ellen!
Apples and cinnamon go hand in hand in my house. I love this cake just as it is now that I have made it. It is perfect with the rum. Thanks for stopping by. I will have to make my moms apple cake, it is totally different from this one soon and share it.
Oh I am with everyone else, love the rum in this cake! Looks and sounds amazing!
What could I use in the place of rum. We are am alcohol free home…
sounds yummy!!!!
Hi Jen, maybe some reduced apple cider? What would you normally use? They also sell small bottles of rum flavoring that would be alcohol free. Cake decorating stores would have them and you can find them online.