French Apple Cake is one of those wonderfully simple desserts that makes the most of good fall apples without overwhelming them. Rustic and unfussy, it falls somewhere between a tender butter cake and an apple-filled custard cake, with just enough batter to hold everything together. The apples remain the star, becoming tender as they bake while still keeping enough texture to give each slice plenty of character.
This version is lightly scented with cinnamon, vanilla, and a touch of cardamom, with dark rum adding a subtle warmth if you choose to include it. A scattering of coarse sugar over the top creates a delicate, slightly crisp finish as the cake bakes. Tart-sweet apples that hold their shape work especially well here, and because the cake is intentionally more fruit than batter, you’ll find apple in nearly every bite.
Serve it slightly warm or at room temperature, on its own or with a softly whipped cream, crème fraîche, or a small scoop of vanilla ice cream. It’s equally at home as an afternoon cake with coffee or tea as it is served for dessert after a fall supper.
INGREDIENTS:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground cardamom, optional but lovely
2 large eggs
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
2 tablespoons whole milk
3 tablespoon dark rum, optional
2 ½ cups apples, diced into half inch pieces (about 3 medium apples)
1 tablespoon coarse sugar, for the top
METHOD:
Heat the oven to 350°F. Butter a 9-inch round cake pan and line the bottom with parchment.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom.
In a larger bowl, whisk the eggs and sugar until slightly thickened and pale. Whisk in the vanilla, melted butter, milk, and rum or brandy, if using.
Peel and core the apples. Cut them into small, thin pieces, roughly 1/4 inch thick. You want plenty of apple in every bite without pieces so large that the cake becomes difficult to slice.
Fold the dry ingredients into the egg mixture just until combined. Fold in the apples. The mixture will look very apple-heavy; that’s exactly right.
Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with coarse sugar.
Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until the top is golden and a tester inserted into a cakey section comes out clean. If the top is browning too quickly, loosely cover it with foil near the end of baking.
Cool in the pan for about 15 minutes, then turn out onto a rack. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
