Apple and Blackberry Crumble Cake

Cakes & BakingServes 8-10

A comforting cake combining the best autumn flavours, this recipe from food writer Elaine Lemm is simple to make and delicious served warm with custard, crème fraîche or vanilla ice cream for a delicious teatime treat. For more recipe inspiration, visit elainelemm.com  

Ingredients

For the crumble

  • 45g self-raising flour
  • 3 tbsp jumbo rolled oats
  • 35g caster sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • ½ tsp ground mace
  • Pinch of sea salt
  • 40g cold unsalted butter, cubed

For the cake

  • 3 crisp apples, such as Cox or Braeburn
  • Juice of ½ lemon
  • 250g unsalted butter, softened, plus extra for greasing
  • 225g golden caster sugar
  • 4 large eggs
  • 125g ground almonds
  • 180g self-raising flour
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 125g fresh blackberries

 

Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C conventional/160°C fan. Grease and line a 24cm square cake tin with baking parchment.
  2. Combine the crumble’s dry ingredients. Rub in the cold butter to form coarse, uneven crumbs. Freeze for 30 minutes while preparing the cake.
  3. Core and thinly slice the apples, then toss with the lemon juice.
  4. Beat the softened butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs individually, adding a spoonful of the measured flour if the mixture starts to curdle.
  5. Mix the almonds, remaining flour, cinnamon and baking powder, then gently fold into the batter.
  6. Spoon half the batter into the tin and level gently. Arrange half the apple slices over it. Repeat with the remaining batter and apples, then press the blackberries lightly into the surface.
  7. Break up the chilled crumble and scatter over the cake. Bake for 50–65 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out free of uncooked batter. Cover loosely with foil if browning too quickly.
  8. Cool in the tin for 30 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack.