Ever since I had my first bite of an apple cake, I was hooked. Naturally, I had to create my own version of this classic dessert. It’s a simple, rustic treat filled with one of my favorite baking staples—fresh, tart apples.

About This Cake

You don’t need to wait for fall to break out the apple-themed baking recipes. This French Apple Cake is great for anytime, and for any occasion.

This apple cake takes me back to my sorority days at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (go Heels!). Every Wednesday, I had dinner at the sorority house before our chapter meetings. The best part? The dessert, obviously. One day, one of the cooks brought her homemade apple cake for post-dinner dessert. I had never heard of (nor eaten) apple cake.

But who says no to a slice of cake?

Certainly not me. So, one bite five slices later and I was hooked. I still am obsessed with that cake. So naturally, I had to create my own version.

Fresh apples folded into a tender, buttery cake. This cake has a golden crust topped with a light dusting of confectioner’s sugar. Part snack. Part dessert. Entirely delicious.

The Highlights

It’s a simple, no-fuss recipe. It takes just 10 minutes to whip up the batter. Plus, no fancy equipment is required. Yep, no need to break out the stand mixer (unless you really want to, of course). All you need is (at least) one mixing bowl, a rubber spatula, and a few simple ingredients. If you’re looking for a problem child, then this cake isn’t it.

It’s versatile. So versatile that it might as well be the little black dress of cakes. Apple cake is not overly sweet, which makes it great any time of the day. This is a fabulous breakfast treat. It’s a delicious snacking cake. It’s also a quick dinner dessert.

You can dress it up or dress it down. This French Apple Cake is incredible just on its own, but don’t be afraid to give it a flavor boost. You can serve this cake with a light dusting of confectioner’s sugar, a scoop of vanilla ice cream, or slather on some cream cheese frosting. The world is your oyster. Personally, I prefer just a simple dusting of confectioner’s sugar because the apples are so flavorful on their own.

Tips & Troubleshooting

Use high-quality ingredients. Yes, it can make a difference. For this recipe, I stuck with the Bob’s Red Mill All-Purpose Flour. You’ll also want to be selective on the apples. I personally prefer to use Honeycrisp apples, but you can also make this recipe with Granny Smith apples.

Use a digital scale to weigh the flour. This will definitely make a difference. For far too long I shamefully overweighed my flour before I invested in a digital scale. Measuring by weight as opposed to volume will make for a better cake.

Dice the apples into bite-size pieces. You may thinly slice the apples instead, but I personally prefer to dice mine. Be sure to peel the apples too. Otherwise, the apple skin can become soggy as the cake is baked.

Final Thoughts

You can find the recipe for this French Apple Cake below. If you make this delicious dessert, please let me know by tagging @annanicolebakes and #annanicolebakes.

If you want more cake ideas, feel free to check out my recipe index. Happy baking!