This Mary Berry Apple and Blackberry Crumble Cake is a moist and fruity recipe, which combines a soft apple sponge with juicy blackberries and a crunchy crumble topping. It’s the perfect afternoon tea cake, ready in about 1 hour and 20 minutes.
Mary Berry Apple and Blackberry Crumble Cake Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 150g (5½oz) butter, softened
- 125g (4½oz) caster sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 50g (2oz) ground almonds
- 100g (3½oz) self-raising flour
- 1 large pinch of cinnamon
- 2 eating apples (like Discovery or Russet), peeled, cored, and cut into segments
- 100g (3½oz) blackberries
For the Crumble Topping:
- 100g (3½oz) plain flour
- 50g (2oz) unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- 50g (2oz) caster sugar
- 25g (1oz) hazelnuts, chopped (optional)
How To Make Mary Berry’s Apple and Blackberry Crumble Cake
- Prep the oven and make the crumble: Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas 4. Grease a 20cm (8in) round, loose-bottomed cake tin and line the base with non-stick baking paper. For the crumble, rub the cold butter into the plain flour with your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs, then stir in the sugar and optional hazelnuts.
- Make the cake batter: In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and caster sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time.
- Combine and assemble: Gently fold in the ground almonds, self-raising flour, and cinnamon until just combined. Fold in the apple segments and half of the blackberries.
- Layer and bake: Spoon the batter into the prepared cake tin and level the top. Scatter the remaining blackberries over the surface, then sprinkle the crumble topping evenly over everything.
- Bake and cool: Bake for 50-60 minutes, or until the cake is golden, well-risen, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the cake cool in the tin for 10 minutes before releasing it to cool completely on a wire rack.
Recipe Tips
- How to get the best texture? Using ground almonds in the cake batter is a classic Mary Berry trick that adds wonderful moisture and a delicate texture to the sponge.
- Can I use different apples? Yes. Any good eating apple that holds its shape when cooked, such as a Cox or Braeburn, will work well. Avoid apples that turn to mush, like Bramleys, for this particular cake.
- Can I use frozen blackberries? You can, but it’s best to add them to the batter while still frozen to prevent them from bleeding their color too much into the cake.
- How to prevent the top from browning too quickly? If you notice the crumble topping is getting too dark before the cake is cooked through, you can loosely cover the tin with a piece of aluminum foil for the remainder of the baking time.
What To Serve With Apple and Blackberry Crumble Cake
This delightful cake is a perfect teatime treat and is also delicious served as a dessert.
- On its own with a cup of hot tea or coffee
- Warm, with a pouring of hot custard
- With a dollop of clotted cream or a scoop of vanilla ice cream
How To Store Apple and Blackberry Crumble Cake
- Room Temperature: Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature. It will stay moist and delicious for up to 3-4 days.
Apple and Blackberry Crumble Cake Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Fat: 28g
- Carbohydrates: 52g
- Protein: 7g
Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.
FAQs
Yes, you can simply omit the ground almonds from the cake and the optional hazelnuts from the crumble topping for a nut-free version.
This can happen if your batter is too thin or if the fruit pieces are too heavy. Tossing the fruit in a tablespoon of flour before folding it into the batter can help to suspend it more evenly.
Yes, you could make this in a 20cm (8in) square tin. The baking time should be similar, but always check for doneness with a skewer.
Try More Recipes:
- Mary Berry Apple and Rhubarb Crumble Recipe
- Mary Berry 2-Egg Yorkshire Pudding Recipe
- Mary Berry Toad in the Hole Recipe
Mary Berry Apple and Blackberry Crumble Cake Recipe
Description
A delicious and moist all-in-one cake that combines a tender apple and blackberry sponge with a crunchy, buttery crumble topping.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C Fan. Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin.
- Make the crumble topping by rubbing the cold butter into the flour, then stirring in the sugar and nuts. Set aside.
- Cream the 150g of softened butter and 125g of caster sugar together. Beat in the eggs.
- Fold in the ground almonds, self-raising flour, and cinnamon.
- Gently fold in the apple segments and half of the blackberries.
- Spoon the batter into the tin, top with the remaining blackberries, then sprinkle over the crumble topping.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Cool on a wire rack.
Notes
- Using room temperature butter and eggs for the cake batter is crucial for a light and even texture.
- Don’t overmix the batter once the flour is added; this is key to a tender cake.
- Let the cake cool completely before slicing for the neatest results.
- This cake is a perfect way to use up a glut of autumn apples and blackberries.
