Mary Berry Apple and Almond Cake Recipe

Mary Berry's apple and almond cake uses ground almonds for a rich, moist crumb with a delicate almond fragrance alongside sweet apple pieces.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 40

Cooling Time 20

Total Time 1 20

Servings: 12 Slices

Course: Breakfast, Dessert

Cuisine: British

Calories: 380

Apple and Almond Cake:
200 g unsalted butter softened
200 g golden caster sugar
3 large eggs room temperature
150 g self-raising flour sifted
100 g ground almonds
1½ tsp baking powder
1 tsp almond extract
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 tbsp whole milk
300 g eating apples Cox or Braeburn, peeled, cored, and in 1cm dice — tossed in juice of ½ lemon
Topping:
50 g flaked almonds
1 tbsp demerara sugar
Icing sugar for dusting
Almond Glaze Optional:
3 tbsp apricot jam warmed and sieved

Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease and line a deep 20cm springform tin.
Beat butter and sugar 4–5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Add almond extract and vanilla. Sift in flour and baking powder. Add ground almonds and milk — fold gently.
Fold in diced apple gently until evenly distributed.
Spoon into tin — spread evenly. Scatter flaked almonds generously over the surface. Sprinkle demerara over the almonds.
Bake 45–55 minutes until deep golden, almonds are toasted, and skewer comes out clean. Cover loosely after 35 minutes if browning too quickly.
Cool in tin 20 minutes. Release springform. Brush warm apricot glaze over the almond top if using. Dust edges lightly with icing sugar when completely cool.

Use almond extract — gives the vivid almond character that makes this specifically an almond cake.

Ground almonds with self-raising flour — the right balance of richness and structure.

Use eating apples — they hold their shape. Bramleys collapse completely.

Scatter flaked almonds generously — sparse coverage bakes unevenly and looks mean.

Apricot glaze takes 2 minutes and gives a professional, glossy finish.

Ground almonds keep the cake moist for 4 days. Freezes in slices for 3 months.