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 🐾🐾🐾
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!
Made this easy and delicious apple cake today. Used a 20cm round cake tin and adjusted cook time was 1 hour at 160 degree fan force. Thanks for sharing your mum’s recipe JB. Will definitely be making this again
Thank you Eleni 🙂 Great job on adapting the recipe to you needs!
These types of receipes are always fabulous, and this one is no exception. I am the holder the receipe for a multi ribbon winning spounge which i was given 30 years ago before the owner passed away, its my ‘precious’.
Thank you Kate 🙂
Hello. I made this cake today and it was delicious but mine turned out mushy in the middle. Maybe my oven was not hot enough or ??? What did I do wrong.
Andrea.
Hi Andrea, it could be that your oven is running cooler than the indicated temperature. Did you leave it for longer to finish cooking? Thank you for your feedback. 🙂
Lovely cake!
And forgiving recipe as my 4 year old was helping me / eating ingredients haha
Thank you Vanessa!! Lucky you to have a little helper in the kitchen 🙂
I also needed 10 more minutes in the oven but after that it was perfect. Delicious!
Thank you Joel, few people are mentioning having to add cooking time. I will update the post shortly.
This is a really lovely cake…. It did take closer to 45 mins to cook but will definitely make again. My family loved it
Thank you Jenni for the feedback!
Loved this recipe. So easy.
I used the spiced rum. I think it made it just right.
Vanilla icecream to serve. Yum.
Delicious and SO easy! I used a 23cm springform, just greased with canola spray and it worked a treat. Baked for 10 mins longer and it was perfect.
Thank you Jacqui!
Thanks Michelle! I’m glad it was also great with rum 🙂
made this today fabulous recipe. I soaked the chopped apples in apple brandy for 30 minutes. Drained and then added as per recipe. Will make again
I’m glad it was a hit, thanks!
Omgggggg sooooo good!!! Only little thing is that i did have to cook it for a fair bit longer but trust me, it is worth the wait!
Thank you for your feedback Sarah!
JB , outstanding recipe , an understatement! many thanks to your Mum and you JB ! 🥂
JB, outstanding! many thanks to your MUM and you JB for sensational easy to follow recipe and more easy to eat !😂🥂
Thank Garry, I’ll pass on the message to her 🙂
Forgot the stars.
🙂
A beautiful cake. Not complicated to make and I love the abundance of apples. Merci beaucoup!
Thanks Julie!
I love the weekly recipes but as I’m on my own often the qualities are too much, can we please have a smaller quality sometime Thank you
Margaret Clay
Hi Margaret, thank you for your kind words. For this one you could decrease the quantities and turn them into muffin size cakes 🙂
Turned out delicious and like many commented already, felt light and fluff despite the amount of apples 🍎, my son and dog enjoyed it fully with whipped cream on top. It took about 40-45 mins at said time for our cake to be ready!
Thank you Sahana!
I made the French Apple Cake recipe today. I tried a slice warm when it came out of the oven… DELICIOUS. Then after cooling dusted it with powder sugar. DELICIOUS at room temp too. Easy to make. Instructions were very clear. I will definitely make this delicious moist cake again. Beautiful flavor.
Thank you for the feedback Gail!
I sprinkled raw sugar and cinnamon on top. Gave the cake a nice bit of crunch when cooked.
Crunchy top sounds delicious! Thank you Vaia!