This Apple Traybake is tangy, moist and bursting with mouth-watering flavour. It’s a super easy recipe for a delicious autumn treat that’s perfect for apple lovers.
I’m a summer fan. I’m not one of those people that loves autumn.
While I can appreciate the pretty colours, the build-up to Christmas, and the kids going back to school, I hate being cold. I always get a horrible September cold, and life’s just harder.
But I do like apples and apple flavour desserts and treats, which are perfect in autumn. Something like a spiced apple traybake is comforting, warming and delicious.
You can even serve it warm for proper comfort food.
What Makes This Apple Traybake Cake So Good?
This apple tray bake is one of my favourite cake recipes. It’s perfect because:
- It’s delicious.
- The recipe is easy.
- Fresh apples give you lovely tangy bursts.
- They also make it super moist.
- You can skip the cinnamon if you prefer.
- You could add other spices, like nutmeg, too.
- Apple desserts are the perfect summer comfort food.
What is a Dorset Apple Cake?
A Dorset apple cake is just a regional recipe for apple cake. This might be a Dorset Apple Traybake, but I’m not an authentic cook. I generally just throw things in, so I apologise if this isn’t a Spiced Dorset Apple Cake!
Ingredients for this Apple Traybake Recipe
You can get the full quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but when I make apple traybake, I use:
Cooking Apples
Lemon Juice – This is just to stop the apples from browning while you prepare the cake batter. You can use fresh or bottled.
Margarine – Unsalted butter is great, too. Just make sure it’s room temperature.
Light Brown Soft Sugar – Golden caster sugar is fine, too. Muscovado sugar is another option, but I’ve never tried it.
Eggs
Vanilla Extract
Milk – Semi-skimmed or whole milk, whichever you usually have.
Self Raising Flour
Baking Powder – I don’t usually use baking powder with self-raising flour, but apple slices are heavy, so I find the make batter needs a bit of a boost.
Cinnamon
You’ll Also Need
I use a large bowl, a hand or eclectic whisk and a brownie tin with reusable baking paper.
My brownie tin is around 10 inches by 8 inches, and this recipe makes a fairly deep cake. You can use any deep baking tin, but if your cake is thinner, you’ll need to reduce the baking time to compensate.
Is This an Apple and Cinnamon Traybake?
Mine is an apple and cinnamon traybake, yes. But you can skip the cinnamon if you prefer a non-spiced apple sponge tray bake.
What Kind of Apples Should You Use?
I use Bramley apples for my easy apple traybake, which are big and have a stronger flavour. They are perfect for baking.
Any apples that are a little sour would work well. Granny Smiths are good, but I wouldn’t use something very sweet, as they’ll lose their flavour as they bake.
How to Make Apple Traybake – Step-by-Step Instructions
Apple traybake cake is super easy to make. You can also get the full instructions and quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Step One – Prepare the Apples
Peel, core and slice the apples thinly. I chop them into 8ths and then slice these carefully into 4/5 thin slices.
Place these slices in a bowl and toss liberally in lemon juice to stop the apples from browning.
Step Two – Prepare the Tin
I line my tin with reusable paper. You can grease with butter or margarine if you prefer.
Step Three
Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C (fan-assisted, 180 if not).
Step Four
Whisk the margarine or butter and the brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
I use either a hand or an electric whisk, and it only takes about a minute.
Step Five
Add the eggs, vanilla and milk and whisk well.
It will split a little but don’t worry. It comes back together when you add the flour.
Step Six
Whisk in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon until smooth, but don’t be tempted to overmix. Stop as soon as there are no lumps.
Step Seven
Pour half of the batter into the prepared tin and spread out evenly.
Step Eight
Add a thin layer of apples.
Step Nine
Add the rest of the batter and spread evenly.
Step Ten
Add the rest of the apples in another thin layer and sprinkle over the demerara sugar.
Step Eleven
Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a skewer comes out of the middle clean.
Step Twelve
Cool full in the tin before tipping out and slicing.
Will the Apples Sink?
They will sink a little bit. Everything does. That’s why we add them in two layers. But as long as you slice them finely, don’t overlap, and use baking powder in the batter, you shouldn’t end up with a layer of apples on the bottom and none anywhere else.
If, for any reason, they do, flip it over and call it an apple upside-down cake.
Decorating Apple Traybake
I don’t decorate my apple cake at all. The apple slices on top look great, so I don’t think there’s any need.
If you like a toffee apple traybake, consider a drizzle of toffee sauce.
What to Serve with Apple Cake
You can serve squares of apple traybake on their own. It is really great warm with a dollop of vanilla ice cream, though. Eating apple traybake warm with ice cream is a super treat.
My daughter likes it with custard.
Other Apple Recipes
If you like this recipe, you might also want to try:
- Apple and Plum Crumble
- Apple and Cinnamon Loaf Cake
- Pear and Apple Crumble
- Apple and Raspberry Crumble
- Apple Flapjacks
- Toffee Apple Loaf Cake
- Apple and Mincemeat Crumble
- Apple and Cinnamon Blondies
- Blackberry and Apple Loaf Cake
- Apple and Parsnip Soup
Apple Traybake
Ingredients
- 2 large Cooking Apples
- 3 Tablespoons Lemon Juice (Fresh or bottled)
- 200 g Margarine (Or room temperature unsalted butter)
- 200 g Light Brown Soft Sugar
- 3 Medium Eggs
- 2 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
- 2 Tablespoons Milk (Semi-skimmed or whole milk)
- 225 g Self Raising Flour
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Cinnamon
- 3 Tablespoons Demerara Sugar
Instructions
- Peel, core and thinly slice the apples.
- Place these slices in a bowl and toss liberally in lemon juice to stop the apples browning.
- Grease or line a traybake tin.
- Preheat the oven to 160 degrees C (fan-assisted, 180 if not).
- Whisk the margarine and brown sugar in a large mixing bowl until smooth.
- Add the eggs, vanilla and milk and whisk well.
- Whisk in the flour, baking powder and cinnamon until smooth.
- Pour half of the batter into the prepared tin and spread out evenly.
- Add a thin layer of apples.
- Add the rest of the batter and spread evenly.
- Add the rest of the apples in another thin layer and sprinkle over the demerara sugar.
- Bake in the oven for 40-45 minutes, until the top is golden brown and a skewer comes out of the middle clean.
- Cool full in the tin before tipping out and slicing.
Notes
- I use a 10-inch by 8-inch brownie tin and reusable paper.
- I chop my apples into 8ths and then slice these carefully into 4/5 thin slices.
- You can get more tips and advice in the post above.
Any nutritional information is given as a general guide only and may not be accurate. The information is provided using an online calculator and is specific to my ingredients. Please make your own calculations if you want precise information.
