When a recipe is called the best apple cake, it has to deliver on that claim. This one does. What makes it the best is the combination of three elements that most apple cakes do not achieve simultaneously — extraordinary moistness from the oil and the apples themselves, a warmly complex spice blend, and a top that caramelises during baking into something that is genuinely worth talking about.

Mary Berry’s best apple cake uses oil rather than butter for the sponge — the same principle as the carrot cake and the courgette cake on this site. Oil stays liquid at room temperature, keeping the crumb moist for days.

The soured cream adds extra tenderness. And a generous quantity of eating apples — coarsely grated and folded through the batter — gives moisture, sweetness, and distinct apple flavour in every bite.

The top is the defining detail. Thinly sliced apple arranged over the batter before baking, scattered with demerara sugar and cinnamon, caramelises in the oven to something golden, slightly sticky, and completely extraordinary.

What Separates This From a Standard Apple Cake

Oil and soured cream in the batter. These two additions give a crumb that is noticeably more moist and more tender than a plain butter sponge. This is the cake that is equally good on day one and day three.

Grated apple in the batter. Rather than chunks of apple which can be hit or miss in their distribution, coarsely grated apple is folded through the batter and spreads apple moisture and flavour throughout every slice.

The caramelised apple top. Thinly sliced apple arranged in overlapping circles over the batter before baking, scattered with demerara sugar and cinnamon, sinks slightly into the sponge during baking while the sugar caramelises to a golden, sticky finish. It is the detail that makes this cake look and taste genuinely special.

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Ingredients for Mary Berry Best Apple Cake

For the Apple Sponge

250ml sunflower oil
300g golden caster sugar
3 large eggs, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
300g plain flour, sifted
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp mixed spice
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp fine salt
200ml soured cream
300g eating apples (Cox, Braeburn, or Russet), peeled, cored, and coarsely grated

For the Apple Top

2 eating apples, cored and thinly sliced (no need to peel)
2 tbsp demerara sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon
15g unsalted butter, melted

How to Make Mary Berry Best Apple Cake — Step by Step

Step 1 — Preheat and Prepare

Preheat your oven to 170°C / 150°C fan / Gas 3. Grease a deep 23cm round springform tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment.

Step 2 — Make the Batter

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sunflower oil, golden caster sugar, beaten eggs, and vanilla extract until well combined and slightly thickened — about two minutes.

Sift in the flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, mixed spice, ginger, and salt. Fold gently with a large spatula until just combined.

Add the soured cream and fold through. Add the coarsely grated apple — including all its juice — and fold through until evenly distributed. The batter will be quite loose and wet. This is correct.

Step 3 — Fill the Tin

Pour the batter into the prepared tin and spread evenly. The tin will be quite full — this is a deep, generous cake.

Step 4 — Arrange the Apple Top

Fan the thinly sliced apple in overlapping concentric circles over the entire surface of the batter — starting from the outside edge and working inwards. The apple slices can be pressed very gently into the batter but do not push them in — they should rest on top.

Mix the demerara sugar and cinnamon together and scatter generously over the apple slices. Drizzle the melted butter over everything.

Step 5 — Bake

Bake on the middle shelf for 55 to 65 minutes until the cake is deep golden, the apple top is caramelised, and a skewer inserted into the very centre comes out clean.

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At the forty-five-minute mark, check the top. If the apple is browning too quickly, cover loosely with a sheet of baking parchment and continue baking until the centre is done.

Step 6 — Cool and Serve

Leave to cool in the tin for twenty minutes before releasing the springform. Cool on a wire rack for at least another thirty minutes before slicing. Serve warm or at room temperature.

My Top Tips For Mary Berry Best Apple Cake

Use coarsely grated apple in the batter. Fine grating disappears into the batter. Coarse grating gives visible threads of apple throughout the sponge and a moisture level that cannot be achieved any other way. Use the large holes of a box grater.

Include all the juice from the grated apple. The juice from the apple is moisture that the batter needs. Do not drain it. Add everything — the juice carries apple flavour into every part of the sponge.

Use soured cream rather than plain yoghurt. Soured cream has a higher fat content and gives a richer, more tender crumb. Full-fat Greek yoghurt is the best substitute if soured cream is unavailable.

The apple top must be completely covered with demerara. A light scattering of sugar gives a pale top. A generous, even coverage gives the caramelised, golden, slightly sticky surface that makes this cake extraordinary.

Use a springform tin. The caramelised apple top makes this cake very difficult to remove from a regular tin. A springform tin allows you to release the sides while keeping the beautiful apple top intact.

Serving Suggestions

Warm from the oven with a spoonful of clotted cream or crème fraîche — the caramelised apple top with cold cream is genuinely exceptional. At room temperature as an afternoon tea cake. As a pudding with warm custard poured alongside. Cold the next day — this cake keeps beautifully.

How to Store Mary Berry Best Apple Cake

At room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The soured cream and oil keep it moist throughout.

In the freezer: Slice and freeze individually for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature or warm briefly in a low oven.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use Bramley apples in this recipe?

For the batter — yes, with a reduction in sugar to 250g as Bramleys are very tart. For the top — Bramleys collapse during baking and the sliced top will not hold its shape. Use eating apples for the top regardless of what you use in the batter.

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Can I make this without soured cream?

Replace with full-fat Greek yoghurt in exactly the same quantity. The result is very similar — slightly less rich but still excellent.

Why is my cake sinking in the middle?

Either the oven door was opened too early, there was too much liquid, or the baking agents were not fresh. Use a 23cm deep tin to accommodate the large quantity of wet batter, and do not open the oven before 45 minutes.

Can I make this as a traybake?

Yes — pour into a greased and lined 33x23cm traybake tin. Arrange the apple top and bake at the same temperature for 40 to 45 minutes. Cut into squares to serve.

Can I add walnuts?

Yes — 75g of roughly chopped walnuts folded into the batter with the apple gives a wonderful crunch and a slight bitterness that balances the sweetness beautifully.