Our French Apple Cake is an authentic easy and moist French family recipe from my grandmother’s side, who hailed from Normandy.
If you like homemade apple cake recipes with fresh apples, check out the German apple cake too!
Why the French apple cake?
Can you remember the last time when you had a bit of a cake and it transported you in another time and space?
A succulent, scrumptious, tempting, delicious, mouthwatering and absolutely necessary piece of goodness, namely this French apple cake with Calvados.
You will understand what I mean after 5 minutes baking time, when the cake aroma is wrapping you around the finger, clouding your senses turning you into an utter french apple cake food-slave.
And trust me you will be willingly letting yourself go for this all-time favorite cake.
The moist apple cake recipe is, of course, a family recipe and has been frequently made in my house.
My husband loves it, everybody loves it.
I call it the best apple cake recipe in the world!
In fact, it’s one of those cakes which you can make for any celebrations or occasions.
Imagine presenting this cake to your friends for afternoon coffee/tea time or sell it at your kids school function!
Otherwise, of course, I tend to just bake the french apple cake recipe for fun, in the middle of the week and sometimes (I solemnly confess!), in the middle of the night.
What is Calvados?
Calvados is a French apple brandy, commonly available in France and partially in Europe.
You might be able to get calvados in specialized stores or hypermarkets anywhere else in the world.
The true French Normandy apple cake recipe here needs some calvados on top of the cake before being baked.
How to substitute Calvados?
If you don’t have any Calvados at hand you can also substitute with apple brandy or you can also use apple juice [
Otherwise just skip it.
I crave the french apple cake at different times, sometimes during the day as a lovely dessert with vanilla ice cream.
Because the cake is so popular with everybody, I am rather glad that this is one of those quick and easy cake recipes.
You will thank me for this recipe later, it will save you time and the delicious sweetness of the cake will convince your in laws – or your difficult neighbors – to like you (if not love you and your gorgeous baking skills!)
How to make apple cake the French way?
To prepare this apple cake is rather easy.
Just follow these easy steps.
For the full recipe with ingredients and detailed directions see recipe card further below.
Step 1
Create the dough with the flour and other ingredients.
Cut your apples small and add the apples to the dough.
Step 2
Butter your mold, fill in the apple batter.
I like to use quality silicon molds .
Step 3
Sprinkle sugar and calvados over the cake.
Bake the cake golden.
More French Cake Recipes
Dear Reader, do you have a cake recipe from your grandmother, which you treasure?
French Apple Cake Recipe
How to Video
Ingredients
For the cake batter:
- 1/2 cup All-purpose Flour sieved
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1 stick Butter melted
- 3 Eggs
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder not baking soda!!
- pinch Salt
- 1.1 pound Apples ~4 Apples
and…
- Butter soft, to grease the mold
- 2 Tablespoons Calvados or other Apple Brandy
- 2 Tablespoons Brown Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 Fahrenheit/ 180 Celsius.
- In a bowl, add and combine to a smooth batter the all-purpose sieved flour, sugar, butter, eggs, baking powder and salt.
- Peel and discard the core of the apples. Cut them into smaller pieces and mix them into the cake batter.
- Butter your mold well, pour the batter into the prepared mold and spread evenly. Pour 2 Tablespoons of Calvados over the cake batter and finish by sprinkling the brown sugar over the cake.
- Bake for about 30 minutes at 350 Fahrenheit/ 180 Celsius until golden brown on top. Test with a knife, if the cake is baked, by poking into the center. If it’s gooey keep for 5 more minutes to bake.
- Best served and enjoyed with a scoop of Vanilla ice cream or whipped cream.
Notes
- You can substitute calvados with apple brandy or apple juice. Or skip it (but you will miss some flavors)
