Dorset Apple Cake with Crunchy Sugar Topping

A traditional Dorset Apple Cake lightly spiced with cinnamon, it has chunks of fresh apple and plump sultanas as well as a crunchy sugar topping. This delicious cake is the ultimate comfort food. Serve it warm with a big dollop of custard.

Jump to:

• Recipe video
• What apples are best?
• Instructions
• Amy's top tips
• Variations
• Serving suggestions
• Storage
• Freezing
• Related recipes
• Recipe

As the nights draw in there's nothing better than 'a hug in a bowl' type of dessert. Apples are so abundant at this time of year and although an apple crumble is lovely on a cold wintry evening I don't think you beat a slice of warm apple cake smothered with custard.

Recipe video

Regular readers will know that I love making showstopper cakes like this Kinder Cake, they are very impressive but also hugely labour intensive. So it's sometimes nice to take a step back from the chocolate theatrics and bake something really simple and traditional.

That's exactly what this Dorset Apple Cake is: simple, quick and oh-so-delicious. The smell of the cinnamon and apples baking together is heavenly. A warm slice of apple and sultana cake for pudding or afternoon tea is just wonderful, especially at this time of year.

This cake can be made completely by hand and in only one bowl!

There are, of course, a number of recipes for Dorset Apple Cake on the internet but I have it on good authority from my aunt (who lives in the English county, Dorset) that my version is "the best ever apple cake recipe".

Why?

Because it's authentic. In her words: "there is no place for flaked almonds on top of Dorset Apple Cake and it should definitely have sultanas!".

I *almost* left the sultanas out of this recipe but I'm glad I didn't because along with the chunks of apple they are perfect in this sort of cake.

As for the almonds on top. Well, if you like nuts then go for it. Personally, I prefer the topping is left unadorned except for a scattering of demerara sugar. The crunch and sweetness really add a little something extra special.

What apples are best?

For this recipe, I used apples that I collected from my mother in law's orchard, they are firm and quite tart.

If you were to use cooking apples such as Bramley, they would break down and go soft.

I recommend firm-textured sharp apples such as Granny Smith, Braeburn or Jonagold. However, you should use whatever apples you have in abundance. Just be mindful that a softer variety will not add as much texture to the cake.

Instructions

Don't forget to watch the recipe video to help you.

Peel and core the apples and chop them into small chunks of 1-2cm. Squeeze over the juice of half a lemon to stop them from going brown.

Combine the flour and cinnamon in a large bowl. Add the butter and use your fingertips to rub it into the flour until it looks like fine breadcrumbs.

Stir in the brown sugar then in a separate bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Tip the eggs into the bowl and stir everything together. The ingredients will look more like a paste than cake batter.

Pour in the milk and beat well until you have a smooth and thick batter. Add a splash more milk if your batter is very thick.

Tip in the chopped apples and sultanas and fold through the mixture.

Transfer the batter to a 20cm baking tin. Use a spatula to even out the top then scatter over the demerara sugar.

Bake in the centre of a preheated oven for 45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centre of the cake comes out clean.

Leave to completely cool before releasing from the tin. Serve hot or cold with cream, custard or ice cream.

Amy's top tips

• Don't make the chunks of apple too big as they won't bake properly and will be hard. 1-2cm chunks are best.
• Use cold butter straight from the fridge.
• Rub the flour and butter together until it resembles fine bread crumbs and doesn't have any lumps of butter.
• Add an extra 1-2 tablespoons of milk if your batter is very thick. The perfect batter should be dropping consistency - the batter should drop from the spoon with some reluctance.
• Use cake release (like this one) or line your tin with baking paper and grease it with butter so the cake doesn't stick to the sides.
• For a crunchy topping use demerara sugar, the large crystals ensure a good crunch!
• Leave the cake to completely cool in the tin before turning out otherwise the crunchy topping will crack.

Variations

• This cake can be made as a traybake in an 18cm (7 inch) square tin. Reduce baking time to 30 minutes.
• Replace the sultanas with other dried fruit.
• Swap the plain flour for wholemeal for a more rustic version.
• You can use white caster sugar in the cake batter instead of light brown soft sugar
• If you're feeling extra adventurous you can follow Chef Gary Rhodes's advice and top the baked Dorset apple cake with grated cheddar and pop it under the grill to melt it!

Serving suggestions

Dorset Apple Cake can be served hot or cold with custard, cream or ice cream. It's also wonderful on its own with a nice cup of tea.

Storage

As there are fresh apples in this cake it won't keep for longer than 2 days. Wrap it in tin foil or clingfilm and keep in an airtight container.

Freezing

Cool the cake completely before freezing. Leave it whole or cut it into individual slices then wrap in clingfilm and a layer of tin foil. Freeze for up to 6 months.

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