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Mary Berry Apple Cake Traybake Recipe

Mary Berry Apple Cake Traybake Recipe

Mary Berry's apple cake traybake is a moist, warmly spiced traybake packed with apple and topped with a crunchy cinnamon sugar crust.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Cooling Time 1 hour
Total Time 2 hours
Servings: 20 Squares
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: British
Calories: 220
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • Traybake:
  • 300 g unsalted butter softened
  • 275 g soft light brown sugar
  • 4 large eggs room temperature
  • 300 g self-raising flour sifted
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • ½ tsp ground ginger
  • ½ tsp fine salt
  • 4 tbsp whole milk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 250 g eating apples peeled, cored, and coarsely grated — all juice included
  • 200 g eating apples peeled, cored, and cut into 1cm dice
  • Juice of ½ lemon toss with diced apple immediately
  • Cinnamon Demerara Topping:
  • 3 tbsp demerara sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • Cream Cheese Frosting Optional:
  • 200 g full-fat cream cheese room temperature
  • 75 g unsalted butter softened
  • 200 g icing sugar sifted
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon

Method
 

  1. Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease and line a 33x23cm tin. Mix demerara and cinnamon — set aside. Toss diced apple in lemon juice immediately — set aside.
  2. Beat butter and brown sugar 4–5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time. Sift in flour, baking powder, and spices. Add milk and vanilla — fold gently until just combined.
  3. Fold in grated apple (with all juice) and diced apple until evenly distributed.
  4. Spoon into tin — spread evenly to corners. Scatter cinnamon demerara over entire surface.
  5. Bake 35–40 minutes until golden and skewer comes out clean. Cover loosely if browning too quickly.
  6. Cool completely in tin — at least 1 hour. Lift out. Frost if using or serve with the demerara crust as decoration. Cut into 20–24 squares.

Notes

Use both grated and diced apple — grated gives moisture throughout, diced gives distinct pieces.
Include all juice from grated apple — every drop is flavour and moisture.
Toss diced apple in lemon juice immediately after cutting — prevents browning.
Soft light brown sugar gives better flavour than white caster.
Cool completely before cutting — at least 1 hour. Apple moisture needs time to settle.
Stores in an airtight container for 4 days. Freezes individually for 3 months.
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