Somerset Apple Cake

Name: Somerset Apple Cake
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 45 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 8 servings
Cuisine: West Country
Ingredients: 225 g self-raising flour; 1 tsp Ground cinnamon; 115 g Unsalted butter; 115 g golden caster sugar; 300 g bramley cooking apples; 1 whole eating apple; 2 large Eggs; 2 tbsp Whole milk; 2 tbsp demerara sugar

A moist, spiced West Country sponge packed with tender orchard apples and finished with a crunchy demerara sugar crust.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· South West England

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 45 min
Total: 65 min
Servings: 8
Difficulty: Easy
Calories: 340 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

225 g self-raising flour — sifted
1 tsp Ground cinnamon — or mixed spice
115 g Unsalted butter — chilled and cut into cubes
115 g golden caster sugar — plus extra for dusting if desired
300 g bramley cooking apples — peeled, cored, and finely diced
1 whole eating apple — such as Cox or Russet, cored and thinly sliced for top
2 large Eggs — beaten
2 tbsp Whole milk — at room temperature
2 tbsp demerara sugar — for topping

Equipment

•20cm round springform cake tin
•Baking parchment
•Large mixing bowl
•Vegetable peeler
•Wire cooling rack

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 340 kcal
fat: 16 g
carbs: 45 g
fibre: 2 g
protein: 4 g
calories: 340 kcal

Instructions

1
Heat the oven to 160°C fan (180°C conventional) and line a 20cm round springform cake tin with baking parchment.
2
Sift the self-raising flour and ground cinnamon into a large mixing bowl.
3
Add the cubed butter and rub in with fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
4
Stir the golden caster sugar and diced Bramley apples into the flour mixture.
5
Beat the eggs and milk together in a small jug.
6
Pour the egg mixture into the bowl and stir gently until a thick batter forms.
7
Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and level the surface with a spatula.
8
Arrange the thin apple slices over the top in a neat circular pattern.
9
Scatter the demerara sugar evenly over the top of the apples.
10
Bake for 45 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
11
Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Chef's tips

Dice the cooking apples into small 1cm pieces so they cook through evenly and soften into the sponge. Do not overmix the batter once the eggs are added, or the crumb will become dense.

Ingredient substitutions

demerara sugar → granulated sugar mixed with a pinch of ground cinnamon
Bramley cooking apples → tart eating apples such as Granny Smith

Storage

Store in an airtight tin at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Reheating

Warm individual slices in a preheated oven at 150°C fan for 8 minutes.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Cutting the apple chunks too large, which creates pockets of excess moisture and undercooked batter
•Skipping the demerara sugar, which loses the signature crunchy top
•Opening the oven too early, which may cause the heavy, fruit-laden sponge to sink in the centre

Serving suggestions

Serve warm with a generous spoonful of West Country clotted creamDrizzle with warm vanilla custard for a traditional autumn puddingEnjoy cold alongside a pot of strong black tea