French Apple Cake (Apple Rum Cake) - Olives + Thyme (2024)

French apple cake is a sweet and buttery rum cake filled with chunks of tart apples. It has a wonderfully soft and moist crumb, with a flaky golden brown crust, topped with a light dusting of powdered sugar. This traditional apple rum cake is French simplicity at it’s finest.

Why Should You Make This Recipe

Ingredients

This French apple cake recipe requires just a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge. Here’s what you’ll need.

Dry Ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, baking powder and salt.
Wet Ingredients: Gather eggs, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, dark rum or rum extract, melted butter, and tart baking apples.

Substitutions

Here are my recommended substitutions to make this tart apple cake if you need them.

• All purpose flour: To make this apple dessert cake gluten free, use a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. A gluten free oat flour would also work well in this apple cake recipe. Make sure to measure the flour by weight (120 g) rather than cups to ensure the best outcome for the apple cake.
• Baking Powder This acts as a leavener in this apple cream cake.
• Granulated Sugar: This apple rum cake calls for granulated sugar, but maple sugar would also work well to make this recipe refined sugar free.
• Eggs: This recipe has not been tested without eggs.
• Vanilla Extract: The scent of vanilla gives a warm cozy background flavor to this cake. Use vanilla bean paste as an alternative.
• Dark Rum: Any type of dark liquor such as bourbon whiskey, brandy or cognac works well in place of the traditional dark rum. Rum extract also works really well in place of the dark rum. This french apple cake with rum calls for 3 tablespoons (45 ml) dark rum. To replace the dark rum with rum extract, use 2 tablespoons (30 ml) rum extract)
• Melted Butter: Vegan butter or plant based can also be used in place of regular unsalted butter. Make sure the butter is melted and cooled to room temperature before using in this rustic french cake recipe.
• Apples: Any tart baking apple such as Granny Smith, Jonagold, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp or Fuji work beautifully in this easy French apple dessert cake.

How To Make

Learn how to make french apple cake in a few easy steps.

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F (177 C). Grease and line the bottom of a 8 inch (20 cm) or 9 inch (23 cm) springform or cake pan with parchment paper. In a small bowl, melt the butter and set aside to cool to room temperature (about 15 minutes). In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt together until well combined.
2. In a large mixing bowl whisk the eggs and sugar until smooth. Continue whisking until the eggs and sugar mixture thickens and lightens to a ribbon stage. Lift the whisk up and allow the liquid to drop down like ribbons. Whisk in the vanilla extract and rum or rum extract until smooth and well combined.
3. Alternating dry ingredients and melted butter, mix in ⅓ of the dry ingredients into the wet, followed by ½ of the melted butter. Repeat until all the ingredients are just combined. Fold in the diced apple chunks.

4. Evenly spread the apple rum cake batter into the prepared pan. Top with more sugar if you like. Bake the french apple cake for 40 - 50 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the apple cake comes out clean. Cool the cake pan in the pan for 15 - 20 minutes. Gently remove the cake from the pan and allow it to cool for 10 -15 additional minutes. Transfer the apple rum cake to a serving plate, top with powdered sugar, slice and enjoy!

How To Store, Freeze, Thaw and Serve

• Store: Place the moist apple dessert cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Then the cake should be transferred to the fridge for up to another 2 - 3 days.
• Freeze: Make sure the simple french apple rum cake is completely cooled to room temperature. Wrap the cake or cake slices in plastic wrap and place in an airtight container. Store in the freezer for up to 2 - 3 months.
• Thaw: The easiest and tastiest way to thaw your apple cake is to let it sit out at room temperature overnight. Enjoy at room temperature or microwave until it’s your preferred temperature.
• Serve: This from scratch french cake is best served as is, which is part of it’s charm. This cake is also delicious topped with freshly whipped cream or cold vanilla ice cream.

M’s Expert Tips

• Use tart apples meant for baking. Choose the apple you like that is also good for baking. I love a mix of tart and sweet. Granny Smith, Jonagold, Pink Lady, Honeycrisp or Fuji apples are all great choices for this french apple cake. Make sure to peel, core and dice the apples to your preferred size. I find that ½ inch size apple chunks make the best apple cake.
• Bring cold ingredients to room temperature. This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in soft, fluffy, moist and tender apple cake.
• Measure the flour properly. I highly recommend using a food scale to get perfectly measured ingredients every time.
• Don’t overmix the batter. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
• Use the baking times as a guide. All ovens vary and baking times should be used as a guide. As a general rule, when the apple dessert becomes very fragrant, it’s a good idea to start checking. Begin checking on the cake at the minimum baking time. A toothpick inserted into the center of the cake should come out clean. The top of the cake should be golden brown.

FAQs

Other Simple Cakes to Try

• Almond Cake
• Lemon Ricotta Cake
• Rosemary Olive Oil Cake
• Maple Pear Cake

If you try this French Apple Cake recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! - M

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