Mary Berry Dorset Apple Cake

Mary Berry's Dorset apple cake is a beautiful rustic bake — tender, buttery sponge packed with fresh apple and finished with a crunchy demerara top.

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Prep Time 20

Cook Time 50

Cooling Time 15

Total Time 1 25

Servings: 12 Slices

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: British

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

Apple Cake:
225 g unsalted butter softened
225 g caster sugar
3 large eggs room temperature
275 g self-raising flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp mixed spice
2 tbsp whole milk
450 g eating apples Cox or Braeburn, peeled, cored and chopped into 1–2cm chunks
Juice of ½ lemon
1 tsp vanilla extract
Crunchy Top:
2 tbsp demerara sugar
½ tsp ground cinnamon

Method

Peel, core, and chop apples into 1–2cm chunks. Toss immediately in lemon juice. Set aside.
Preheat oven to 180°C / 160°C fan / Gas 4. Grease and line a deep 20cm round tin.
Beat butter and caster sugar together for 4–5 minutes until pale and fluffy. Add vanilla extract.
Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each. Add a spoonful of flour if the mixture curdles.
Sift in flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and mixed spice. Add milk. Fold gently until just combined.
Fold in apple chunks until evenly distributed.
Spoon into prepared tin and level the top. Mix demerara sugar and cinnamon together and scatter generously over the surface.
Bake for 50–60 minutes until deep golden and a skewer comes out clean. Cover top with parchment if browning too quickly.
Cool in tin for 15 minutes. Turn out and serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

Use eating apples, not cooking apples, for distinct chunks in the finished cake.
Toss chopped apple in lemon juice immediately to prevent browning.
Do not hold back on the demerara top — it creates the signature crust.
Wonderful served warm with clotted cream or vanilla ice cream.
Stores in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature.