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Try our Dorset apple cake, then check out our spiced apple cake, toffee apple cake, apple crumble cake and more apple recipes.


How to make the perfect Dorset apple cake: cook's tips

  • The hazelnuts add a rich density to this cake, but they can be swapped for any of your favourite nuts that you may have in the house, such as almonds – just grind in a high-powered blender until they resemble a sandy consistency
  • This recipe uses Bramley apples as they cook well, have a pleasant level of acidity and are readily available, but they can be swapped for windfall apples from your own garden or other apples you may already have in the house – just follow the prepared weight, rather than the number of apples.

How to store Dorset apple cake: Store in an airtight container for up to five days in the fridge or wrap well and freeze for up to three months.

How to serve Dorset apple cake: Serve warm with a generous pour of cold double cream, but also delicious served sliced straight from the fridge.


Dorset apple cake recipe

Ingredients

  • 90g blanched hazelnuts, lightly toasted
  • 170g butter, room temperature, plus extra for the tin
  • 170g soft light brown sugar
  • 2 free-range eggs, lightly beaten
  • 100g plain flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp mixed spice
  • ¼ tsp ground cloves
  • 2 lemons, zested
  • 3 Bramley apples, peeled, cored and cut into 1 cm chunks (roughly 450g prepared weight)
  • 2 tbsp cornflour
  • 2 tbsp demerara sugar
  • double cream, to serve

Method

  • STEP 1

    Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line a 20cm springform cake tin with baking paper.

  • STEP 2

    Tip 70g of the hazelnuts into a high-powered blender and whizz until they resemble a sandy consistency. Roughly chop the remaining 20g.

  • STEP 3

    Beat together the butter and sugar with an electric whisk until pale and fluffy. Gradually whisk in the eggs, adding a tablespoon of the flour halfway through to prevent the mixture from splitting.

  • STEP 4

    Sift in the flour, ground hazelnuts, baking powder, 1 tsp of cinnamon, mixed spice, ground cloves and lemon zest, then briefly whisk until fully combined. Toss the apple in the cornflour and remaining 1 tsp of cinnamon, then fold through the batter until evenly distributed.

  • STEP 5

    Tip into the cake tin, smooth the top with the back of a spoon and sprinkle with demerara sugar and the roughly chopped hazelnuts. Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 55-60 mins or until a skewer comes out cleanly when inserted in the middle. Leave to cool in the tin for 10 mins, then transfer to a wire rack to cool fully.

  • STEP 6

    Serve with a generous pouring of double cream.

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