This is an incredibly easy French apple cake that is great served any time of day. My mum used to make it all the time – she still does. I especially love it served warm with vanilla ice cream or cream. Let’s go!
Nagi's Notes
For years I’ve been loyal to this Spiced Apple Cake. Then JB made his mum’s Apple Cake, and it completely won me over with its simplicity and the way it lets the apples truly shine. It’s unfussy, and just so damn lovely, I completely understand why it’s been a favourite in JB’s family for so long. I feel very honoured that his mother has allowed us to share it with the world. Thank you Madame Alexandre!
French Apple Cake
I have very good memories from my childhood of this Apple Cake (gâteau aux pommes). The area where I grew up was known for its apple trees, we would often come home from the local market with fresh apples just so we could bake one! You’ll find this cake all over France and everyone has their own version. This one is very close to my mum’s recipe, with a few little tweaks from me along the way (sorry, Mum!).
French Apple Cakes are all about letting the main character shine – the apples! They are less sugary and not loaded with cinnamon and other spices that dominate the flavour. Typically, the cake is not very tall, and the crumb is soft and buttery. It’s a rustic cake, simple to make and perfect to serve at an afternoon tea with family or friends.
Ingredients
We only use a few ingredients here with the apples being the stars. You can really use any apples, so this is a great recipe to make when you have a few sitting in the fruit bowl needing to be used up ☺️.
Apples – For best flavour I prefer sweet-tart apples like Pink Lady, Fuji or Jazz; Honey Crisp or Braeburn (US/UK) are also great. Personally, I don’t use Granny Smith here as I find they can be a little too tart, but they will still work if that’s what you have.
Pears will also work great here, as long as they are not overly ripe.
Butter – You need unsalted butter here, softened to room temperature.
Sugar – I use caster sugar / superfine sugar for the cake. You could use regular white sugar / granulated sugar, but I prefer the fine grains of caster sugar for baking, as they dissolve more easily.
Eggs – This cake uses “large eggs” – 50–55 g / 2 oz is the industry standard of sizes sold as “large eggs”. The eggs need to be room temperature else they will not incorporate smoothly into the batter. If your eggs are cold, you can easily bring them to room temp by placing them in a large bowl, covering them with warm (not hot) tap water and leaving for 5 minutes.
Vanilla extract – For best flavour, I like to use natural vanilla extract / pure vanilla extract.
Flour – Just plain flour / all-purpose flour.
Baking powder – Makes the batter rise and the crumb light. If your baking powder has been sitting in the pantry for a while, it’s best to check that it’s still active (it might be dead, even if it’s within use-by date!). Find out how to check it here.
Salt – Just a small amount, 1/4 teaspoon. This brings out the flavours in the cake.
How To Make French Apple Cake
This traditional French cake is easy-to-make and ideal for even beginner cooks. One thing that may surprise you is the thickness of the batter. It’s quite thick once everything is mixed together, especially after adding all the apples, but this is completely normal. As the cake bakes, the apples release moisture into the batter which creates that beautifully soft and tender texture.
Whisk dry ingredients – Whisk the flour, baking powder and salt together in a medium mixing bowl.
Cream butter and sugar – In a larger mixing bowl, using a handheld electric beaters (or in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment), beat the butter for about 1 minute on medium speed until creamy. Add the sugar and beat the mixture for another minute until fluffy and pale yellow.
Add eggs and vanilla – Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the vanilla and beat to combine.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients – Add the flour mixture to the bowl and beat on low speed for about 30 seconds or until you can no longer see any bits of dry flour, then stop beating – don’t overmix.
Add apple – Add the diced apple and stir it evenly into the mixture using a spatula. The batter will be quite thick and not pourable.
Add batter to pan – Scoop the batter into a 23cm/9” lined cake pan, then level the surface.
Bake – Bake on the middle shelf of the oven at 180°C / 350°F (160°C fan-forced) for 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
Cool and serve – The top of the cake should be a nice golden brown colour. Let the cake cool for 5 minutes in the pan before turning it out onto a wire rack. Cool for 10 minutes if serving warm or let it cool completely. Dust with icing / powdered sugar (optional) and enjoy!
How to Serve French Apple Cake
My favourite way to serve French Apple Cake is warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on the side – très bon! But you can also serve it at room temperature. It’s just as good for afternoon tea as it is as the final sweet course to follow a simple French meal like Poulet rôti or Chicken Chasseur.
This cake is very close to my heart. I can’t wait for you to try it and hear what you think. Bon appétit! – JB
FAQ – French Apple Cake
I haven’t tried a gluten free version of this cake, so I can’t say for sure how it will turn out. Because this cake has very little batter and lots of apples, I think it should work quite well with a good quality 1:1 gluten free flour blend, but the texture may be slightly different. If you try it, I’d love to hear how it goes!
You can really use any apples for this cake as they won’t get overly soft. I like to use sweet-tart apples that hold their shape when baked so you still get lovely soft chunks inside the cake. In Australia, Pink Lady, Fuji and Jazz are great. In the US, Honeycrisp and Braeburn work very well too. I personally avoid Granny Smith because they are too tart but feel free to use them.
Absolutely. Pears work beautifully in this cake. Use ripe but still a little firm pears so they don’t fall apart while baking.
Watch How To Make It
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French Apple Cake
Ingredients
- 3 red apples – I like Pink Lady , peeled and diced into 1.5cm/0.6" cubes (~ 3 1/2 cups) (Note 1 for other varieties)
- 100g(7 tbsp) unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 cup caster sugar / superfine sugar (Note 2)
- 3 large eggs , at room temperature (55g/2oz each in shell)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract , natural / pure
- 1 1/3 cups plain flour / all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp cooking salt / kosher salt
For serving:
- Icing sugar / powdered sugar , for dusting
- Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream, optional for serving
Instructions
ABBREVIATED RECIPE
- Cream butter then sugar. Beat in eggs one at a time, then vanilla. Beat in dry ingredients, stir through apple. Bake in 23cm/9″ pan at 180°C/350°F (160°C fan) for 30 minutes.
FULL RECIPE
- Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F (160°C fan-forced).
- Cake pan – Butter a 23cm/9" round cake pan and line the base with baking paper / parchment paper. No need to line the sides.
- Dry ingredients – In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
- Cream butter and sugar – Using a handheld beater or stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter for 1 minute on medium until creamed. Add the sugar and beat on medium for 1 minute until fluffy and becomes a paler yellow.
- Eggs and vanilla – Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract.
- Add the flour mixture into the bowl and beat on low until you can no longer see dry flour, then stop beating. You don't want to overmix.
- Apples – Stir through the diced apples using a spatula. The batter will be quite thick, it's not pourable.
- Bake – Spread the batter evenly into the prepared cake pan. Bake for 35 minutes, or until a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean (because the batter is quite thick and if your oven runs a bit cool, it could take up to 45 minutes). (Note 3)
- Rest and serve – Let the cake rest for 5 minutes in the pan before removing. Cool for a further 10 minutes then serve warm or let it cool completely on a wire rack. Dust with icing sugar, if desired. If serving warm, it's especially lovely with a scoop of ice cream.
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information:
In Memory Of Dozer
And finally, Dozer ☺️ These photos were taken at the RecipeTin Meals kitchen before a TV shoot while we were both getting ready. As you can see, Dozer is enjoying the full hair and make-up treatment by Kristy Orr who did an amazing job that day! Two good boys getting pampered… though I think one of us was having a really good hair day 🐾🐾🐾
Hello, I would love to know if there is a dairy free substitute I could use in place of the butter and the quantities? Thank you!!
What a fuss free, and delicious recipe! I had 3 apples in the fruit bowl and the rest of the ingredients are all pantry staples. Thank you, will make this recipe again and a great recipe to make with grandchildren
This is a keeper! Along with your banana bread recipe.
I didn’t have ice cream on hand, so I served it with home made custard. Yummmm, thanks JB.
I made this cake for my family yesterday and they absolutely loved it – it lasted only 2 days! They want me to make it a regular (at least once a month) and would also like to have me explore with other fruits. It is an easy recipe but could I use stone fruit instead of apples? I have some nice nectarines right now but not sure if they would work in lieu of apples. What do you think JB
I went ahead and substituted nectarines and it was wonderful!! I made it last night and it is almost totally gone this morning. This is a fantastic but easy recipe – highly recommend it to everyone. Thanks again JB!
I think I put in more apple than required because it took 45 minutes to cook. Was not prepared for the amazingly almost cheesecake like texture. I was going to send leftovers home with guests but my husband gently suggested that it would be a delightful breakfast for him…lol
Recipe was so easy and I loved that it didn’t require many ingredients. I ran out of butter so I used part butter part coconut oil and it was soft, buttery and delicious.
Simple and delicious! Really highlights the apple. Ambrosia apples worked very well. Thanks
Made this today for brunch and it was a hit. Easy to make and very tasty.
Made this today for brunch and it was a hit. Simple and flavorable and so pretty on the table.
Thank Kris! 🙂
Hi JB – Thanks to both you and your Mum for sharing this wonderful recipe. It is so easy and very forgiving. I’m in Colorado, USA at high altitude. Used mock Cup 4 Cup flour and a blend of regular and sugar free sugar. Otherwise followed the recipe as is. It came out great. I did have to up the cooking time to 1 hr. Hubby already already made his request for the next time I make it… using pineapple. 😊
Thanks Linda, glad to read your feedback. I’ll update the post regarding the cooking time as few people mentioned it as well.
Gosh, this was sooo easy and delicious. I’ve always struggled with cakes, but this was a breeze to make. I baked for 40 minutes and it came out perfect. Thank you!
Thank you Jing! I really appreciate your feedback!
Just made cake this morning ..used rum and vanilla !! Excellent! Added 8 more minutes bake time…
My question is: could I use fresh Blueberries? Or will they release to much moisture?
If answer is yes….. much many ?
Thanx again and keep up the excellent work!
Made this today Gluten free and it turned out perfectly. White Wings G/F Plain flour. Will definitely be making this again!!!! Please thank your mother for this recipe. My husband loves how it tastes like apple❤️
Hi Peta, glad it worked out in its gluten free version. I’ll let my mother know. Thank you!
This sounds absolutely amazing. Would it be possible to bake it in an airfryer. It’s all I have.
Hi Lizzy, I’m not sure about cooking it in an airfryer. But if you give it a go, I’ll be happy to read your feedback on it 🙂
So easy to make and one of the best cakes I’ve had for a while and even better with vanilla ice cream
Thank you for the great feedback Leah!
Hi Nagi this recipe, can it be doubled & cooked in a rectangle tin? I’m often looking for larger pan cake recipes but never sure if I can double a recipe… is there a rule to doubling recipes?
Cheers & thank you
Hi Janine, in this case, you can double and cook in a larger tin yes. Make sure to monitor the cooking as it could take less or longer time to be done.
Made this recipe to enjoy with homemade vanilla icecream- everyone loved it – so easy to make and very tasty.
Perfect and great to hear! Thank you Kim 🙂
JB.. how delicious was this?!! What a winner! Thanks to you and your Mum💖.
It was the dessert (warm, with cream😉) following on from Nagi’s Mushroom Risotto.. a totally RTE cook up😜!! Are we full..?…Absolutely, and deliciously so!!
I used a smaller pan for the cake and had an extra apple to use, so needed 15mins more, but then..perfection. Thank you so much for sharing 💖!
Hi Kez, thank you for the feedback ! 🙂
JB (and JB’s mum) – this cake came together quickly and easily and resulted in a beautiful light crumb. Like some others, I used a smaller cake tin (20 cm square) that required an extra 15 mins. Perfect level of sweetness. Thx for sharing the recipe
A fab and easy recipe to follow. 10 extra mins in the oven but perfection! This one will be on rotation x
Thank you Alina! Noted for the 10 minutes, I’ll probably update the post.
Just made this french apple teacake and it was fantastic.
I am a retired pastrycook but i still love to cook and bake at home.
This teacake did not last long and so easy to make.
Thank you.
Gary.
Thank you Gary, I’m glad you love it!
I wish I’d read comments before my 1st cook -30mins definitely not enough doughy on the middle face it an extra 10 mins still doughy so I might go with the longer cook if 1hr at 160 if I try this recipe again
Hi Cas, ovens can vary quite a bit with this one because it’s such an apple-heavy cake. If the centre still looks doughy, definitely keep baking it until set. Covering loosely with foil once golden is the right move too. Thank you for giving it a go!