Mary Berry Dutch Apple Cake Recipe

A Dutch apple cake is a completely different thing from a British apple cake. Where a British apple cake is a light sponge with apple folded through, a Dutch apple cake — appeltaart — is denser, richer, more substantial, and more deliberately spiced.

It is closer to a tart than a cake in character — a buttery, slightly firm dough base, packed with cinnamon-spiced apple pieces, topped with either a lattice of the same dough or a streusel of butter, flour, and almonds.

The Dutch version is a serious, substantial cake that slices cleanly and keeps well for several days. It is the cake that is served in every café in Amsterdam and in most Dutch households on Sunday afternoons.

It is not subtle — the apple, cinnamon, and brown sugar are all present in quantity — but it is deeply satisfying in a way that lighter cakes are not.

This recipe uses the streusel topping rather than a lattice — it is easier to make and produces the most attractive, most texturally interesting result.

Ingredients for Mary Berry Dutch Apple Cake

For the Cake Base and Sides

• 275g plain flour, sifted
• 175g cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
• 125g golden caster sugar
• 1 large egg, beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp baking powder
• Pinch of fine salt

For the Apple Filling

• 800g eating apples — Cox, Braeburn, or Granny Smith — peeled, cored, and cut into 1.5cm pieces
• 100g soft light brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 2 tbsp cornflour — to thicken the apple juices

For the Streusel Topping

• 100g plain flour
• 75g cold unsalted butter, cubed
• 75g demerara sugar
• 50g flaked almonds
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

How to Make Mary Berry Dutch Apple Cake

Step 1 — Make the Cake Dough

Place the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the cold cubed butter. Rub quickly with your fingertips until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Add the beaten egg and vanilla extract. Mix with a round-bladed knife and then your hands until the dough just comes together — it will be slightly crumbly but should hold when pressed.

Flatten into a disc. Wrap and refrigerate for 30 minutes.

Step 2 — Prepare the Apple Filling

Toss the apple pieces in the lemon juice immediately after cutting. Add the brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cornflour. Toss everything together until evenly coated. Set aside.

Step 3 — Line the Tin

Preheat your oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease a deep 23cm round springform tin.

Press two-thirds of the chilled dough firmly and evenly over the base of the tin. Press the remaining third up the sides of the tin to a height of about 4cm — creating a pastry case for the apple filling.

Step 4 — Fill

Pile all the seasoned apple filling into the dough case — heap it generously. The apple will reduce during baking but pile it as high as you can.

Step 5 — Make the Streusel Topping

Combine the flour, cold butter, demerara sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Rub the butter in with your fingertips until rough, uneven crumbs form — some pea-sized pieces remaining are good. Stir in the flaked almonds.

Scatter the streusel evenly over the apple filling — covering it completely.

Step 6 — Bake

Bake for 55 to 65 minutes until the streusel topping is deep golden, the edges of the dough case are golden brown, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out with cooked apple but no wet batter.

Cover loosely with baking parchment after 40 minutes if the streusel is browning too quickly.

Cool in the tin for thirty minutes before releasing the springform. The Dutch apple cake is best served warm or at room temperature — it slices much more cleanly once it has cooled to room temperature.

My Top Tips For Perfect Dutch Apple Cake

Use eating apples not Bramleys. A Dutch apple cake needs apple pieces that hold their shape — Bramleys collapse completely. Cox, Braeburn, or Granny Smith give distinct, identifiable apple pieces that hold their form during the long bake.

Pile the apple filling as high as possible. The apple reduces significantly during baking. A generously piled filling gives a properly substantial finished cake. A conservatively filled tin gives a disappointingly thin layer of apple relative to the dough.

The cornflour in the apple filling is important. The apple releases a significant amount of juice during baking. The cornflour thickens these juices into a glossy, cohesive filling rather than a wet, watery one that makes the dough soggy.

Cool to room temperature before slicing. A Dutch apple cake sliced warm breaks apart. Room temperature gives a firm, clean slice. It is best at room temperature or just slightly warm.

Keep some butter pieces larger in the streusel. Rough, uneven streusel with some larger pieces gives a more varied, more interesting topping than fine, uniform crumbs. Do not over-rub.

Serving Suggestions

With a generous spoonful of whipped cream or crème fraîche alongside. With vanilla custard for a more British approach. At room temperature with a cup of strong coffee — the traditional Dutch café serving.

How to Store Dutch Apple Cake

At room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days. The Dutch apple cake actually improves on day two as the dough softens slightly and the apple flavour deepens.

In the freezer: Freeze in slices for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature.

Mary Berry Dutch Apple Cake Recipe

Mary Berry's Dutch apple cake is a dense, buttery, cinnamon-spiced cake packed with apple pieces and topped with a crunchy almond streusel — completely wonderful.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 30 minutes mins

Cook Time 55 minutes mins

Cooling Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 1 hour hr 55 minutes mins

Servings: 10 Slices

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Calories: 430

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• Cake Dough:
• 275 g plain flour sifted
• 175 g cold unsalted butter in small cubes
• 125 g golden caster sugar
• 1 large egg beaten
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ½ tsp baking powder
• Pinch of fine salt
• Apple Filling:
• 800 g eating apples peeled, cored, and in 1.5cm pieces
• 100 g soft light brown sugar
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ½ tsp ground nutmeg
• Juice of ½ lemon
• 2 tbsp cornflour
• Streusel Topping:
• 100 g plain flour
• 75 g cold unsalted butter cubed
• 75 g demerara sugar
• 50 g flaked almonds
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

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Method

 

1. Rub cold butter into flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar until fine breadcrumbs. Add egg and vanilla — mix until dough just comes together. Wrap and refrigerate 30 minutes.
2. Toss apple pieces in lemon juice immediately. Add brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cornflour — toss to coat. Set aside.
3. Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Press two-thirds of chilled dough over the base of the tin. Press remaining third up the sides to 4cm height.
4. Pile all apple filling into the dough case as high as possible.
5. Rub cold butter into flour, demerara, and cinnamon — rough uneven crumbs. Stir in flaked almonds. Scatter over apple filling completely.
6. Bake 55–65 minutes until topping is deep golden. Cover with parchment after 40 minutes if browning too quickly. Cool in tin 30 minutes. Release springform. Serve at room temperature.

Notes

Use eating apples not Bramleys — eating apples hold their shape during the long bake.

Pile apple filling as high as possible — it reduces significantly during baking.

Cornflour in the filling is important — thickens the apple juices and prevents soggy dough.

Cool to room temperature before slicing — warm Dutch apple cake breaks apart.

Leave some butter pieces larger in the streusel — rough texture gives a better topping.

Improves on day two. Stores 4 days. Freezes 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use a mixture of apples?

Yes — a mixture of Cox and Granny Smith gives a combination of sweetness and sharpness that is excellent. Any firm eating apple or a mix of varieties works.

Can I add raisins or sultanas to the filling?

Yes — 75g of raisins soaked in a little brandy or apple juice and drained, added with the apple pieces, give a more traditional Dutch character and additional sweetness.

Can I use ready-made shortcrust pastry instead of the dough?

You can — a 375g block of ready-made shortcrust pressed into the base and sides gives a slightly thinner, lighter case. The flavour and character are slightly different but the result is still very good.

Can I make the dough the day before?

Yes — make and refrigerate the dough the day before. Bring to a slightly pliable temperature — not warm, just not fridge-cold — before pressing into the tin.