Anna Louise A Bramley apple cake is a different thing from an apple cake made with eating apples — and the difference is intentional and significant. Bramleys are cooking apples. They are too tart and too acidic to eat raw.
Baked into a cake, they collapse completely into the surrounding sponge, releasing their juice and their sharpness and giving a cake that is more moist, more complex, and more specifically apple-flavoured than anything a Cox or Braeburn can produce.
The sharpness of the Bramley works particularly well against the soft light brown sugar and the warm spices in this recipe. The bitterness of the apple balances the sweetness of the sugar.
The spice deepens both. The result is a cake that tastes genuinely, unmistakably of apple — not simply of a sweet sponge that happens to contain fruit.
This is the apple cake for people who want proper apple flavour rather than decoration.
Ingredients for Mary Berry Bramley Apple Cake
For the Cake
- 225g unsalted butter, softened
- 225g soft light brown sugar
- 3 large eggs, at room temperature
- 250g self-raising flour, sifted
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp mixed spice
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp fine salt
- 3 tbsp whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 500g Bramley apples — peeled, cored, and roughly grated — include all juice
- Juice of ½ lemon — toss with grated apple immediately
For the Cinnamon Demerara Topping
- 3 tbsp demerara sugar
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
For the Warm Spiced Glaze (Optional)
- 3 tbsp apricot jam, warmed and sieved
- Brushed over the warm cake
How to Make Mary Berry Bramley Apple Cake
Step 1 — Preheat and Prepare
Preheat your oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease a deep 20cm round springform tin and line the base and sides with baking parchment.
Mix the demerara sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl. Set aside.
Step 2 — Grate the Bramley Apple
Peel and core the Bramley apples. Grate coarsely into a bowl — include every drop of juice the grating releases. Toss immediately with the lemon juice. The grated apple and its juice goes directly into the batter — do not drain it.
Step 3 — Make the Batter
Beat the softened butter and soft light brown sugar together for four to five minutes until pale and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add the vanilla extract.
Sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, mixed spice, ginger, and salt into the bowl. Add the milk. Fold gently until just combined.
Step 4 — Fold in the Bramley Apple
Add the grated Bramley apple and all its juice to the batter. Fold through with four to five gentle strokes until evenly distributed. The batter will be considerably wetter than a standard sponge batter — this is correct. The apple juice makes the batter looser and is responsible for the exceptional moistness of the finished cake.
Step 5 — Fill and Top
Spoon the batter into the prepared tin. Spread evenly. The batter will be quite full in the tin — it rises but does not overflow with the correct quantities.
Scatter the cinnamon demerara topping generously and evenly over the entire surface.
Step 6 — Bake
Bake for 55 to 65 minutes until the cake is deep golden, the top is crunchy and set from the demerara, and a skewer inserted into the very centre comes out clean. The Bramley apple releases a lot of moisture during baking — the centre may take longer to set than expected. Check at 55 minutes and every five minutes thereafter.
Cover loosely with baking parchment after 40 minutes if the top is browning too quickly.
Leave to cool in the tin for twenty minutes before releasing the springform.
Step 7 — Glaze (Optional)
While the cake is still warm, brush the apricot jam glaze over the demerara top for a golden, glossy finish that makes the cake look professional and keeps the top moist.
My Top Tips
Include all the juice from the grated Bramley. The juice is moisture and flavour — both essential. Draining the apple gives a drier, less apple-flavoured cake. Every drop of juice goes into the batter.
Grate the apple coarsely — not finely. Finely grated Bramley dissolves almost completely into the batter during baking. Coarsely grated Bramley gives visible, identifiable apple threads throughout the crumb and a more interesting texture.
Expect the batter to be wetter than usual. Bramley apple has very high water content — the batter will look noticeably wetter than a standard sponge batter. This is correct. Do not add more flour.
A longer baking time than expected is normal. The high moisture from the Bramley juice means this cake takes longer than a standard sponge of the same size to bake through completely. Sixty to sixty-five minutes is typical. Always test with a skewer rather than relying on time alone.
Use a springform tin. The demerara crunchy top makes this cake difficult to turn out from a fixed-base tin without damaging it. A springform tin allows the sides to release while the base supports the cake.
Serving Suggestions
Warm with custard as a pudding — the tart Bramley flavour against warm custard is completely wonderful. At room temperature as an afternoon tea cake with a cup of tea. Cold from the fridge the next day — Bramley apple cake improves overnight as the moisture distributes evenly.
How to Store
At room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. This cake keeps unusually well due to the high apple moisture.
In the freezer: Freeze in slices for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature.
Mary Berry Bramley Apple Cake Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease and line a deep 20cm springform tin. Mix demerara and cinnamon — set aside.
- Coarsely grate Bramley apples into a bowl — include all juice. Toss immediately with lemon juice.
- Beat butter and brown sugar 4–5 minutes. Add eggs one at a time. Add vanilla. Sift in flour, baking powder, and spices. Add milk — fold gently.
- Add grated Bramley apple and all juice — fold through in 4–5 gentle strokes. Batter will be noticeably wetter than usual — this is correct.
- Spoon into tin. Scatter cinnamon demerara over entire surface.
- Bake 55–65 minutes until deep golden, top is crunchy, and skewer comes out clean. Cover after 40 minutes if browning too quickly.
- Cool in tin 20 minutes. Release springform. Brush apricot glaze over warm top if using.
Notes
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I use eating apples instead of Bramleys?
Eating apples give a less tart, less sharply flavoured cake. If using eating apples, add the juice of a whole lemon and one extra tablespoon of sugar to compensate for the reduced tartness.
Can I add dried fruit?
Yes — 100g of sultanas or dried cranberries folded in with the grated apple give additional sweetness and a more traditional fruit cake character.
Can I make this as a traybake?
Yes — spread the batter into a greased and lined 30x23cm traybake tin. Bake at the same temperature for 35 to 40 minutes. Scatter the demerara topping as directed.
Why is my Bramley apple cake wet in the centre after the full baking time?
The apple had an unusually high water content, or the tin was too small and the batter too deep. Give it an additional ten minutes covered loosely with parchment. Next time, use the full 20cm springform tin and no larger.
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