This easy Dorset Apple Cake is soft, spiced, and full of juicy apple pieces. It has a golden top with a light sugar crunch, and the inside is moist and full of flavor. Perfect with a cup of tea or a little cream on the side.

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Ingredients Needed:

150g/5½oz unsalted butter softened, plus extra for greasing
75g/2½oz caster sugar
75g/2½oz soft light brown sugar
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp fine salt, plus a pinch
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 free-range eggs
175g/6oz plain flour
35g/1¼oz wholemeal flour (or wholemeal spelled flour)
2 tsp baking powder
2 medium Bramley apples, cored, peeled, and cut into 1cm pieces
1 tbsp cornflour
15g/½oz demerara sugar

How To Make Dorset Apple Cake Recipe?

Preheat the oven: set your oven to 190C and grease a 20cm/8in cake tin. Line the base with baking paper.
Make the base mixture: in a mixing bowl, beat the butter, caster sugar, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs: mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one so the batter stays smooth.
Mix the dry ingredients: in a separate bowl, combine the plain flour, wholemeal flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt.
Combine everything: slowly stir the dry mix into the butter mixture using a spatula or wooden spoon until well combined.
Coat the apples: toss the apple pieces with cornflour in a small bowl until fully coated.
Add the apples: stir the apple pieces into the cake batter until evenly mixed.
Bake the cake: pour the batter into your prepared tin, smooth the top, and sprinkle over the demerara sugar. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
Cool and serve: let the cake cool fully in the tin before slicing. Enjoy with tea or a splash of cream.

Recipe Tips:

Use room-temperature butter and eggs: cold butter won’t mix properly and can make the batter lumpy. Let them sit out for about 30 minutes before starting.
Don’t overmix the batter: once you add the flour, mix just until combined. Overmixing makes the cake dense instead of soft.
Toss the apples in cornflour properly: this helps them stay spread out in the cake instead of sinking to the bottom.
Check doneness with a skewer: poke the center with a skewer or toothpick—if it comes out clean, the cake is ready. Don’t open the oven too early or the cake might sink.
Cool the cake in the tin: it finishes setting as it cools. Taking it out too soon can break it or make it sink in the middle.

How To Store Leftovers?

Refrigerate: Cool the cake to room temperature first. Then put it in a sealed container and keep it in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Freeze: Let the cake cool fully. wrap slices in plastic and place them in a freezer-safe bag or box. Freeze for up to 2 months.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 280 kcal
Total Fat: 15g
Saturated Fat: 9g
Cholesterol: 85mg
Sodium: 120mg
Potassium: 115mg
Total Carbohydrate: 33g
Dietary Fiber: 2g
Sugars: 18g
Protein: 4g

Try More Nigella Lawson Recipes:

Nigella Dauphinoise Potatoes Recipe
Nigella Red Velvet Cake Recipe

Nigella Dorset Apple Cake Recipe

Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

280

kcal

Ingredients

150g/5½oz unsalted butter softened, plus extra for greasing
75g/2½oz caster sugar
75g/2½oz soft light brown sugar
¼ tsp ground nutmeg
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
¼ tsp fine salt, plus a pinch
1 tbsp vanilla extract
3 free-range eggs
175g/6oz plain flour
35g/1¼oz wholemeal flour (or wholemeal spelled flour)
2 tsp baking powder
2 medium Bramley apples, cored, peeled, and cut into 1cm pieces
1 tbsp cornflour
15g/½oz demerara sugar

Directions

Preheat the oven: set your oven to 190C and grease a 20cm/8in cake tin. Line the base with baking paper.
Make the base mixture: in a mixing bowl, beat the butter, caster sugar, brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla until light and fluffy.
Add the eggs: mix in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each one so the batter stays smooth.
Mix the dry ingredients: in a separate bowl, combine the plain flour, wholemeal flour, baking powder, and a pinch of salt.
Combine everything: slowly stir the dry mix into the butter mixture using a spatula or wooden spoon until well combined.
Coat the apples: toss the apple pieces with cornflour in a small bowl until fully coated.
Add the apples: stir the apple pieces into the cake batter until evenly mixed.
Bake the cake: pour the batter into your prepared tin, smooth the top, and sprinkle over the demerara sugar. Bake for 45 minutes or until a skewer comes out clean.
Cool and serve: let the cake cool fully in the tin before slicing. Enjoy with tea or a splash of cream.

Notes

Use room-temperature butter and eggs: cold butter won’t mix properly and can make the batter lumpy. Let them sit out for about 30 minutes before starting.
Don’t overmix the batter: once you add the flour, mix just until combined. Overmixing makes the cake dense instead of soft.
Toss the apples in cornflour properly: this helps them stay spread out in the cake instead of sinking to the bottom.
Check doneness with a skewer: poke the center with a skewer or toothpick—if it comes out clean, the cake is ready. Don’t open the oven too early or the cake might sink.
Cool the cake in the tin: it finishes setting as it cools. Taking it out too soon can break it or make it sink in the middle.