Dorset Apple Cake

Recipe Curated by Rachel Miller
Recipe Adapted from BBC Good Food

Life was much easier when apple and blackberry were just fruits!! … Anon

During my first week of volunteering, a bake sale was hosted by the Learning Disabilities Team. This was when I was first introduced to this glorious tray bake by Rachel Miller, a colleague of mine. From the grapevine, I understood that her cakes always had centerstage during such occasions! They were in no way rumours as they were the best apple cakes that I have ever tasted in my life.

The very first bite that I took, I realised that I had to share it on the blog. Rachel graciously shared that it was a recipe posted on BBC Good Food that is followed in her family. She also gave me her adaptation to the recipe. Please refer the link above for the original version. More than a year has passed since that first bite ; the apple cake has now become a constant in our home. I did tweak the recipe to replicate the recipe with more widely available ingredients.

Ingredients

• 450g (4 nos approx) – green apples (Granny Smith or Bramley) –
• juice of ½ lime
• 225g butter, softened
• 280g caster sugar
• 4 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 350g self-raising flour ( 350 g Plain Flour with 3.5 tsp baking powder)
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp spice powder/ cinnamon powder
• demerara sugar, to sprinkle

Preparation

Soften the butter by keeping it at room temperature.

If you do not have the spice powder, I recommend you check out the Christmas fruit cake recipe. The spice powder is a combination of Nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. The alternative is to use a cinnamon powder.

Core and Peel the apples. Slice and chop them to tiny sticks and pour the lime juice and spice powder over it. Set it aside.

Sift the flour with baking powder thrice, for it to be evenly distributed.

This recipe can be made as a tray bake, cake or a muffin depending on your choice

For a tray bake , I would recommend a rectangular baking tin (approx 27cm x 20cm)

For a cupcake or muffin – you would need two standard cupcake trays

For the cake version, you could bake them in two 6 inch baking dishes.

I generally make a muffin tray and a small 6 inch round cake with this recipe,

Prepare the baking tray of your choice by greasing the dish an coating with plain flour. Alternatively, you could grease and line with parchment paper.

Preheat oven to 180C. If you are using a fan oven – 160C

Method

1. Cream the butter and sugar.

1. Add eggs one by one and beat using an electric beater/whisk.
2. Add the vanilla essence. Beat again till it combines.
3. Divide the sifted flour into 3parts. Fold it into the batter.
4. Fold in the spiced apple into the batter.
5. Sprinkle over the granulated demerara sugar.
6. Bake for 45-50 mins until golden and springy to the touch.
7. Leave to cool for 15-20 mins, then turn out of tin and remove paper. Cut into bars or squares.
8. For cupcakes, it’ll take only 20 minutes.