Apple and Blackberry Cake

This blackberry and apple loaf cake is autumn baking at its best. Juicy blackberries and grated apple keep the crumb soft, moist and full of fruity flavour, while demerara sugar adds a gentle caramel sweetness that works beautifully with the tart berries. A thick, jam-like blackberry drizzle over the top finishes it off.

It’s a wonderfully simple bake, with no fancy equipment or tricky techniques. You just whisk, grate, fold and bake. Tossing the blackberries in a little flour before they go in helps them stay suspended through the sponge instead of sinking to the bottom, so every slice has pockets of juicy fruit. The apples don’t need peeling either, which saves time and adds a little extra texture.

Baked in a 2lb loaf tin, this cake is ideal for afternoon tea, a weekend treat or a bake sale. It’s also a brilliant way to use up a glut of foraged or homegrown blackberries, and it works just as well with frozen berries when they’re out of season.

We’re big fans of both fruit picking and baking, so this recipe is the perfect combination of the two. My top tips for berry picking are:

• Avoid the low ones that are covered in dog wee!
• Find your spot – we live near a nature reserve with perfect blackberries and go on the same route every time because we know it will be worth it. 
• The best blackberries are big, shiny, and firm. 
• I’m always told that the best time to pick is late August into September. But actually, at our nature reserve, by the end of August, most are starting to die. We find early August is better. Get to know your spot!
• Take a tall person (me!) who can reach the big juicy ones that no one else gets.
• Don’t put them all in one bag. Take a few bags or tubs, so that they don’t squash each other on your way home. 
• Take your time. There are plenty of thorns and nettles when berry picking. Take your time, and be careful, to reduce the risks. 

Why You’ll Love it

• Fruit picking is a fantastic family activity
• It’s super sweet with a lovely tang
• It makes a great change from the more traditional bakes
• Loaf cakes are some of the easiest cakes to bake
• It’s messy

Ingredients, Variations and Substitutions

Butter – You can swap for margarine; something like Stork is great

Demerara Sugar – Caster sugar, or light brown sugar work too. Or a mixture.

Eggs

Apples

Self-Raising Flour

Blackberries

And for the blackberry glaze, which is completely optional but is a lovely jammy finish:

Blackberries

Lemon juice

Icing sugar

You’ll Also Need

I use a small pan, a mixing bowl and whisk, a normal grater and a large loaf tin with reusable baking paper. 

How to Make Apple and Blackberry Loaf Cake – Step-by-Step Instructions

Before You Start

Set aside 2/3 of your blackberries for the batter and keep the last 1/3 for the top. Set aside a handful for the drizzle.

Step One

Toss two-thirds of the blackberries gently in 1 tablespoon of flour until lightly coated. This stops them sinking to the bottom of the cake.

Step Two

Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan-assisted). Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.

Step Three

Whisk the butter and sugar together until well combined.

Note: Demerara is coarser than caster sugar, so you’ll still see the grains mixed in with the butter. This is fine. Just make sure there are no lumps of butter.

Step Four

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing each one in fully before adding the next.

Step Five

Grate the apples into the mixture, stopping when you reach the core.

Note: You don’t have to peel the apples, but you can if you prefer.

Step Six

Whisk everything together well.

Step Seven

Sift in the flour.

Step Eight

Add the flour-dusted berries and mix through gently until evenly distributed.

Note: Be careful not to over-mix. It’s better to undermix than overmix.

Step Nine

Tip the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top.

Step Ten

Scatter the remaining 1/3 of the berries over the top.

Step Eleven

Bake in the centre of the oven for 1 hour. Test with a skewer (or cocktail stick, or sharp knife), which should come out clean. If it doesn’t, bake for five more minutes and test again.

Note: This is a fairly long bake. If the top is golden brown but the middle isn’t cooked yet, cover it loosely with foil to stop the top burning.

Step Twelve

Cool completely in the tin.

Note: If you can’t leave it until fully cool, leave it in the tin for at least 10 minutes before tipping out onto a wire rack.

For the Drizzle

Step One

Gently heat the berries in a small pan with a splash of lemon juice for 5 minutes. Use a fork or spoon to break them down as they soften.

Step Two

Remove from the heat and let cool in a small bowl.

Step Three

Add the icing sugar and mix vigorously until smooth. Don’t worry about small lumps.

Step Four

If needed, add a little water, a few drops at a time, until the drizzle is thick but pourable.

Note: This drizzle is thick, lumpy and a bit jam-like.

Step Five

Once the cake is completely cooled, drizzle the mixture over the top using a piping bag or a spoon.

Leftovers and Storage 

Store your cake in a sealed tub, or a lidded cake stand on the side for up to 3 days. The apples mean it’s a fairly moist cake that stays soft for a while.

Can You Freeze Apple and Blackberry Cake?

Absolutely. 

Either cool the whole cake, wrap it tightly, or place it in an airtight tub (or both) and freeze straight away. 

Or, cut into slices and freeze these in an airtight wrap or container. To thaw, leave in the fridge overnight. 

Other Recipes You Might Like

If, like me, you’ve got an abundance of berries, other recipes you might want to try include:

• Blackberry Upside Down Cake
• Blackberry and Apple Jam
• Blackberry and Apple Crumble Cake