Ingredients
Cooking spray
1 1/4 c. all-purpose flour
1 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. kosher salt
2 large eggs
1/2 c. (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled
3/4 c. plus 1 tbsp. granulated sugar, divided
3 tbsp. dark rum
1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
3 medium sweet-tart apples (such as Granny Smith or Honeycrisp), peeled, cored, and chopped
Preparation
Step 1Preheat oven to 350° with a rack in the middle position; lightly coat an 8” round cake pan with cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Step 2In a large bowl, whisk eggs until foamy. Add melted butter, 3/4 cup sugar, rum, and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add dry ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until evenly incorporated. Fold in apples. Transfer batter to prepared pan. Sprinkle top with remaining 1 tablespoon sugar. Step 3Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean, about 55 minutes. Let cool 15 minutes before inverting onto a cooling rack to cool completely.
This traditional French apple dessert starts with a simple rum cake batter that’s then filled with chunks of apple, ensuring every bite will be extra flavorful and moist. It’s got an almost custard-like texture, and a sugary, crunchy top you’ll love. We’re big fans of baking with tart and sweet apples like Granny Smiths or Honeycrisps, but go with whatever you got (maybe not Red Delicious, those are always kind of a bummer). Where you will want to be more particular is with the dark rum that you choose. Its flavor will be prominent in this cake, so it’s worth it to use the good stuff here. We kept our cake very simple, as is traditional, but feel free to add some warming spices to your version. Cinnamon is always a winner, and we think nutmeg or cardamom could be nice here as well. This cake is lovely all on its own, but if you want to make it extra celebratory (and decadent), try serving with fresh whipped cream or ice cream too. Have you made this yet? Let us know how it went in the comments below!
