This French-style apple cake is all about the fruit: thin slices of tart apples held together by a simple, tender batter that bakes up golden and rustic. It’s the kind of dessert that feels cozy and homey but still special enough for a dinner party or holiday table. The rum and vanilla give it just enough warmth and depth without overpowering the apples.

The maple rum custard sauce takes it over the top. It’s silky and not too sweet, with a gentle maple flavor and a hit of Meyer’s Dark Rum that makes it taste like melted ice cream for grown-ups. Serve the cake slightly warm with the custard straight from the fridge and you’ve basically got the perfect bite: soft apples, tender cake, and cool, creamy sauce.

FRENCH APPLE CAKE

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds tart apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled, cored, and sliced about 1/8-inch thick
• 1 tablespoon Meyer’s Dark Rum
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour, divided
• 1 cup + 1 tablespoon granulated sugar, divided
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 3/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 whole egg
• 2 egg yolks
• 1 cup whole milk
• 1 cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Powdered sugar, for dusting

Instructions

1. Toss the apples
   • In a large bowl, toss the sliced apples with the lemon juice and Meyer’s Dark Rum. Set aside while you make the batter.
2. Prep the pan and oven
   • Preheat the oven to 325°F.
   • Butter a 9-inch springform pan and set it on a parchment- or silicone-lined baking sheet (the batter is thin and can leak a bit).
3. Mix the dry ingredients
   • In a medium bowl, whisk together:
     • 1 cup flour
     • 1 cup sugar
     • baking powder
     • salt
4. Make the main batter
   • In a large bowl, whisk together the whole egg, milk, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract.
   • Gradually whisk in the dry ingredients until just combined.
   • Scoop out 1 cup of this batter into a separate small bowl and set aside.
5. Add yolks and apples
   • To the batter left in the large bowl, whisk in the 2 egg yolks.
   • Fold in the apple slices until they’re evenly coated in batter.
   • Pour this apple mixture into the prepared springform pan and gently press the apples down so they form an even layer.
6. Top layer and sugar
   • To the reserved 1 cup of batter, whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour until smooth.
   • Spoon this thicker batter over the apples and spread it gently to the edges.
   • Sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of sugar evenly over the top.
7. Bake and cool
   • Bake at 325°F for 1 hour to 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the top is deep golden brown and a tester comes out mostly clean.
   • Let the cake cool completely on a wire rack before releasing it from the springform pan.
   • Dust with powdered sugar just before serving.

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MAPLE RUM CUSTARD SAUCE

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 5 egg yolks
• 1 tablespoon Meyer’s Dark Rum
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Warm the milk and maple
   • In a small saucepan over medium heat, combine the milk and maple syrup.
   • Heat until the mixture just reaches a simmer (small bubbles around the edges), then reduce the heat to low.
2. Temper the egg yolks
   • In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks until smooth.
   • While whisking constantly, slowly pour in a little of the warm milk mixture to bring the yolks up to temperature.
   • Pour the yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the rest of the warm milk, whisking as you go.
3. Cook the custard
   • Cook over low to medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil.
4. Finish and chill
   • Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla extract and Meyer’s Dark Rum.
   • Pour into a heat-safe bowl and let cool at room temperature, then refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

Serve the cake slightly warm with the custard very cold.