If you are looking for a simple dessert that’s easy to bake and delicious, this French Apple Cake is the perfect recipe for you.
Our french apple cake looks and tastes just like the classic french apple cake with one exception. Instead of measuring out the flour mixture and all the things that go into a moist cake, we’re using a french vanilla cake mix.
Everything else is the same, simple ingredients that includes eggs at room temperature, dark spiced rum, and delicious tart apples.
I love apple dessert recipes and we have so many recipes that use a variety of apples at Pie Lady Bakes
Tips for Making your French Apple Cake
- Line your baking pan with a circle of parchment paper
- In a medium bowl sift the cake mix. This will make the cake batter light and fluffy, and will give your cake a bakery style quality. See our boxed cake mix hacks for more tips on this!
- Always bake with eggs at room temperature. This makes the eggs fluffy, and makes for better mixing.
Ingredients You Will Need..
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1 box Duncan Hines French Vanilla Cake Mix (or other brand is fine too)
- 3 medium apples (I use whatever I have on hand, but Granny Smith or a variety of tart apples is fine)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup dark rum
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- Powdered sugar to sprinkle on the cake after it is baked.
Recipe FAQs
Sure it will and that’s what we use here in this recipe. Some french apple cake recipes call for apple brandy too.
Absolutely. It’s what I love about apple recipes in general. Use your favorite apple or whatever is on sale at your grocery store! golden delicious or granny smith apples are my faves. Just make sure they are fresh apples.
Yes you can! I recommend wrapping it in plastic wrap and then wrapping it again in aluminium foil. It should keep for about 3 months that way. Or you could slice it up in smaller sections to enjoy whenever you want.
How to make the best …
Preheat your oven to 350F
Prepare your baking pan. I use a regular layer cake pan (9”round) instead of a springform pan
Grease it well with unsalted butter and line it with a circle of parchment paper and grease the top of that (you can use butter cooking spray too)
Peel, core and slice up your apples and set them aside.
Melt the unsalted butter in a small bowl.
Sift the cake mix into a medium bowl.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk, add the melted butter, dark rum, spices. You really don’t need an electric mixer for this recipe.
Stir in the dry ingredients being careful not to over mix.
Gently fold in the sliced apples.
Using a rubber spatula, spread batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top of the batter.
Place the cake on a rack in the middle position of your oven rack for 45 to 55 minutes until it is golden brown and a straw comes out clean.
Cool the cake on a wire rack.
Place a large plate on top of the cake and invert it to get it out of the pan. Then repeat this so that you get the lovely rounded top with the cooled apples poking through!
When ready to serve, sprinkle confectioners’ sugar or add a scoop of ice cream!
This delicious cake is elegant enough to grace any french table.
An apple dessert that’s perfect for brunch
This rustic cake is the best french apple cake recipe and I know it will become your favorite too! It’s one of the easiest cakes I’ve baked in a while. If you love it as much as I think you will please give it a 5 star rating and leave a comment below!
French Apple Cake Recipe
A delicious moist cake that easy to make, packes with sweet juicy apples, and flavored with rum and yummy spices.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (to be melted)
- 1 box Duncan Hines French Vanilla Cake Mix
- 3 medium apples (I use whatever I have on hand, but Granny Smith or a variety of tart apples is fine)
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup dark rum
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- Powdered sugar to sprinkle on the cake after it is baked.
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350F
Prepare your baking pan. I use a regular layer cake pan (9”round) instead of a springform pan
Grease it well with unsalted butter and line it with a circle of parchment paper and grease the top of that (you can use butter cooking spray too)
Peel, core and slice up your apples and set them aside.
Melt the unsalted butter in a small bowl.
Sift the cake mix into a medium bowl.
In a large bowl, beat the eggs with a whisk, add the melted butter, dark rum, spices. You really don’t need an electric mixer for this recipe.
Stir in the dry ingredients being careful not to over mix.
Gently fold in the sliced apples.
Using a rubber spatula, spread batter into the prepared pan, and smooth the top of the batter.
Place the cake on a rack in the middle position of your oven rack for 45 to 55 minutes until it is golden brown and a straw comes out clean.
Cool the cake on a wire rack.
Place a large plate on top of the cake and invert it to get it out of the pan. Then repeat this so that you get the lovely rounded top with the cooled apples poking through!
When ready to serve, sprinkle confectioners’ sugar or add a scoop of ice cream!
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Judy Kahansky
Judy Kahansky is an experienced baker and writer. She loves to take classic and vintage recipes and update them to fit the busy lives of her readers. When not baking, Judy and her husband Mark are passionate golfers, travelers and dog lovers, spending as much time as they can with their sweet pup Millie.
Susan Schwoebel
Thursday 26th of May 2022
No oven degrees in recipe :(
Judy Kahansky
Thursday 26th of May 2022
Hi Susan. Thanks so much for catching that! It’s 350F and I’ve updated the post.