French Apple Cake

And other recipes you won't find in French restaurants or bakeries

I have a special place in my heart for what the French would call “La cuisine de grand-mère,” or grandmother’s cooking. These recipes aren’t found in French restaurants or bakeries but rather at home, perfected by women who have been making them for generations.

Recipes like Hachis Parmentier, Tomates Farcies and Endive Bechamel. These are the recipes of my husband’s childhood that he introduced me to on our first trips to France. (It’s taken me 20 years to perfect them, always learning something new each time we went back to France and I had another taste).

Another jewel in the grandmother’s crown is this delectable little morsel known simply as a French Apple Cake. It’s a buttery cake with a hint of rum, loaded with tender tart apples, topped with a crackly, sugary top—pure bliss on a cold fall day.

Serve this cake warm with vanilla ice cream or at room temperature with homemade whipped cream

Watch the Video Demo

Choosing a Tart Apple

One of the funny things about relocating to France is I’ve had to relearn all the apple varieties! They all have different names here, and some are completely new varieties to me. This also provides great opportunities for increasing my French vocabulary!

I use an apple slicer to ensure that my apple chunks are roughly the same size. That way, they’ll bake at the same rate too.

French word of the week: acidulé(e) (Acid-DU-lay) meaning tangy or tart

This new word was especially important this week as I went into my local grocery store looking for the tart apples for this recipe. Tart apples will pair better with the sweetness of the cake. They’ll also hold up to the baking time and will not become mushy.

Another Excuse to Use Your Cheesecake Pan!

I love cake recipes that use a cheesecake pan. It justifies the room it takes up in your cabinet! So when not making cheesecake, you can make this cake in it, along with a few other tasty treats like my Fabulous Fig Cake, Apple Cinnamon Cake, Classic Crumb Cake and Flourless Chocolate Cake.

Our Things Arrived! At Last!

All 35 boxes from L.A. finally arrived (during a giant rainstorm!) but after 4 months at sea we were so happy to have them! Now starts the process of where to put it all?! We’re opening just a few boxes at a time! Wish us luck!