This easy Dorset apple cake is simple to make, delicious, packed with flavour with chunks of apple and dried fruit. No mixing machine needed! Add a dollop of cream for a real treat with this classic British bake.
Dorset Apple Cake
This traditional Dorset apple cake is an easy recipe, with delicious results; the chunks of apple guarantee that it won’t be dry. It’s easy to make by hand, and there’s no need for a mixer. British baking at its best!
I love simple fuss-free cakes like this which are all about the flavour without the need to decorate. If you want to, you can sprinkle some sliced almonds on top just to finish it off!
It’s a great way of using up apples in an autumnal glut. A sharply flavoured eating apple is best for this recipe, to contrast with the sugar in the batter. Bramley apples go soft and fluffy when cooked, which means that the chunks would collapse inside the cake once it’s baked. This is why it’s best to use an eating apple.
Because of the chunks of fruit this cake won’t keep for that long, store in an airtight tin for 2 days, or wrapped in foil in the fridge for 4.
How to make Dorset Apple Cake
Firstly heat the oven to 160°C (Fan)/320°F (Fan)/gas mark 4. Grease and line a 1lb (15cm) loaf tin with butter or cake release spray and baking parchment.
Step one – gather your ingredients
Step two – sift the flour into a bowl, add the cinnamon and baking powder and mix together.
Step three – cut the butter into small cubes and add to the flour.
Step four – rub in the butter using your finger tips, until the mixture is the consistency of fine breadcrumbs or damp sand. This will take a good few minutes.
Step five – stir in the sugar.
Step six – beat the egg lightly and fold into the mixture.
Step seven – add the milk and fold it in.
Step eight – you should have a thick batter which you can dollop from the spatula. Add a little more milk if needed to achieve a dropping consistency.
Step nine & ten – peel and chop the apple into 1cm / 1/3″ cubes, and add it and the dried fruit to the batter, and fold in.
Step eleven – – pour the mixture into the loaf tin and level with a spatula. Sprinkle the top with demerara sugar or flaked almonds.
Step twelve – bake for 40-45 minutes. It’s baked when golden brown on top and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Finally– allow to cool for 5 minutes. If not using a fully lined tin run a knife around to loosen the cake before turning out.
The Dorset apple cake will crumble if you slice it when warm, so its best to allow it to cool completely. Because of the chunks of fresh fruit you need to eat within 2 day, or keep in the fridge for up to 4.
How to Easily Line a Loaf Pan
My top tip when baking is to use re-usable non stick cooking and cake liners. Buy a roll and cut a piece to fit all your cake pans and you will ever have to cut a cake liner again.
They last for years and wash with dish soap under a running tap or go through a dishwasher.
When making a loaf cake you only need to line the long sides and base of the tin.
Cake release spray is far easier and more effective than butter, spray the tin, pop the liner in then spray the line, wiping off any excess with a piece of kitchen paper. If needed attach the liner or parchment to the tin with binder clips
Why the Rubbing In Method to Make this Loaf Cake?
The rubbing in method (where the fat is rubbed into the flour) is traditionally used for cakes with a lower fat content – usually less half fat to flour.
Creaming methods (where the sugar is creamed into the fat) are generally used for high fat cakes which have more than half fat to flour.
One huge advantage of the rubbing in method is that it is far easier to do by hand without an electric mixer.
Traditional Dorset Apple Cake Variations
- To make as a Dorset apple tray bake use a 6″ x 6″ tin and bake for 25 – 30 minutes
- Make a gluten free Dorset apple cake by substituting your favourite gluten free flour
- Vary the spices by using it up with a pinch of ground mixed spice or all spice
- Vary the dried fruit, or leave it out. The first time we made this Dorset apple cake we used chopped dried apricots in place of the mixed fruit and topped with flaked almonds.
- Swap up to a third of the flour with the same volume of ground almonds.
- Make a boozy Dorset Apple cake with cider by using cider in place of the milk
- Swap the butter for oil and leave the egg out to make an egg free Dorset apple cake.
This easy Dorset apple cake is simple to make, delicious, packed with flavour with chunks of apple and dried fruit. No mixing machine needed! Add a dollop of cream for a real treat with this classic British bake.
- 225 g flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 115 g butter (unsalted)
- 115 g light brown sugar
- 1 egg beaten
- 6-8 tbsp milk
- 225 g apple (peeled, cored and diced)
- 100 g dried fruit
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Heat the oven to 160°C (Fan)/320°F (Fan)/gas mark 4. Grease and line a deep 15cm (1lb) loaf tin with baking parchment.
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Mix the flour, baking powder and cinnamon together in a large bowl.
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Cube the butter and rub it into the flour using your fingers, until it resembles fine breadcrumbs.
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Stir in the light brown sugar.
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Break the egg into a small bowl, beat it briefly and then fold into the mixture.
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Add the milk and fold it in. You want a smooth, thick batter, so if needed, add more milk.
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Add the dried fruit to the batter. Peel the apple, and cut into 1cm cubes and add to the batter, and fold together.
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Pour the batter into the loaf tin and level with a spatula. Sprinkle with demerara sugar or flaked almonds.
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Bake for for 30-40 minutes, until golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
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Allow to cool in the tin for 15 minutes and then carefully turn out onto a wire rack to cool further.
- To make a Dorset apple tray bake use a 6" x 6" tin and bake for 25 - 30 minutes
- Make a gluten free Dorset apple cake by substituting your favourite gluten free flour
- Vary the spices by using it up with a pinch of ground mixed spice or all spice
- Vary the dried fruit, or leave it out. The first time we made this Dorset apple cake we used chopped dried apricots in place of the mixed fruit and topped with flaked almonds.
- Swap up to a third of the flour with the same volume of ground almonds.
- Make a boozy Dorset Apple cake with cider by using cider in place of the milk
- Swap the butter for oil and leave the egg out to make an egg free Dorset apple cake.
- Because of the chunks of fruit this cake won't keep for that long, store in an airtight tin for 2 days, or wrapped in foil in the fridge for 4.
Nutritional information
- This recipe is 10 Weight watchers Smart Points per portion
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Update Notes: This recipe was originally posted in 2015, but was rewritten and republished with new photos, step by step instructions and hints & tips in February 2019.
Ceri @Natural Kitchen Adventures
Not actually sure I’ve tried a Dorset Apple Cake before – yeah I know! Though I love apple and cake (and Dorest!), so I’m sure I’d love this.
Helen
We really enjoyed it, lovely on its own, and it would be perfect with some cream.
Emily
A lovely looking cake and some great classics there too. I would love to visit Dorset x
Helen
I love Dorset, it is west, but not so west that it is a massive drive.
Sarah, Maison Cupcake
That does look lovely!
Helen
This is a really good recipe as you don’t need to whisk butter and sugar. Super easy to mix.
Choclette
What a fantastic apple cake, I do like traditional British bakes
Helen
I love heading to the coast.
Claire @foodiequine
Love your recipe – anything with apple and cinnamon is a winner in my book.
Helen
That sounds absolutely perfect and divine.
Kate | The Veg Space
Your apple cake looks so delicious – perfect with a nice cup of tea.
Helen
We love our holidays in the UK, especially when we head West.
Valentina
This looks so yummy and I love the photos. Wishing I had a slice with my coffee right now. :-)
Helen
We rather did enjoy it. I do love a cake that doubles up for tea, coffee or for a pudding.
Kirsten @ Treat Yourself Sweeter
Oh! You hit the nail on the head… a holiday is lovely, but coming home is too. I LOVE the look of these cottages and if we are going away, this is the type of thing I choose. It is like a home away from home (although, those are prettier than mine!) I agree… it is so good to have all the comforts of home when you go away, then you can do what you are meant to do… relax! (hehe and cook an absolutely mouth watering cake like this… Oh, I love apple cake!) Buying, sampling and cooking the local produce is one of the best things about traveling!
Helen
I agree. One year we stayed about 100m from where the fishermen prepared their crab – and had one almost every day. Blissful.
Helen at Casa Costello
Now that looks a stunning cottage – I thought I was the only person that likes to bake on holiday. I’m even attempting it in a caravan in the summer. Love the addition of flaked almonds to your cake – Divine with a good strong brew!
Helen
On holiday is the only time I do like to bake!
April @ Girl Gone Gourmet
We love vacation rentals and choose that over hotels for most of our trips. My boyfriend is English and we make trips to the UK pretty often – will definitely check out cottages.com for our next trip! And that cake… looks like the perfect treat :)
Helen
You have to have the classic English holiday cottage experience.
Tina Dawson
Isn’t it amazing how a simple location change can bring about such intense relaxation! Oh, how I wish I could be in this amazing cottage! I love self-catering cottages, most times, dining out is the most stressful part of a vacation for me thanks to my dietary restrictions. I love places where I can still continue to cook for myself.
Helen
I had not thought about self catering being ideal for those with dietary restrictions! I can see it is ideal.
Sarah Bailey
Oh my goodness this sounds absolutely amazing, I’m not sure I have ever been to Dorset but those cottages are so pretty and with food like that I’m definitely up for going! x
Helen
I love a self catering cottage and amazing local food.
Tamara
Helen, I think cottages.com may be like VRBO.com which we use yearly to find vacation rentals! My husband has spoken at Oxford 3 times, and raves of the Cotswolds. Maybe we can find a home through cottages.com? I always prefer cooking “in” most nights and utilizing the fresh local ingredients while on vacation. Your Dorset Apple Cake looks fabulous!
Helen
Maybe you need to come with him next time and make a trip of it. The Cotswolds are so beautiful, picture perfect English villages just as you would imagine.
Rebecca Swanner | Let's Eat Cake
I’m from the other side of the pond, but I think this is something I have to try! The cottages look fantastic too. Next time I’m in England, I’ll have to check them out. One question though, what is sultana? Not sure I’ve seen that in the supermarket here.
Helen
Good question. It’s a white raisin.
Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry
I was just thinking actually that this summer I am going to focus on a UK vacation with the kids and would love to check out cottages.com for accomodation.
Helen
We love our UK holidays. Go West and find a beautiful cottage.
Rhian Westbury
This apple cake looks really nice and I am not normally a fan of fruit cakes x
Helen
I am not so keen on the really heavy dried fruit filled cakes either, but this one is perfectly light and works well as a pudding.
Claudia | Gourmet Project
I love anything UK, and these loaf looks and sounds delicious!
Helen
I love all our regional recipes. So much history.
Trish
I love staying in cottages while on vacation! So much better than a sterile-esque hotel, totally void of any character. I’ve never been to the UK, but have always wanted to go. And staying in a cottage in the UK sounds like a dream!
Helen
I agree. You need to come to the UK for a few weeks and rent a cottage.
Harriet from Toby & Roo
That looks delish – we go to Center Parcs all the time and I’m defo going to have to make this next time! H x
Helen
It is the perfect holiday bake as the batter does not need whisking.
Elodie
This looks and sounds incredible! I need to give it a try at the weekend.
Helen
It was delish, and did not last very long.
MsPrettyLThings
Dorset is absolutely lovely and I’ve rented a cottage before – it is so much nicer staying in your own little place and sometimes making cakes!
Helen
I do like a hotel for a few days, but I want to at my own food by the end of it.
Leanne
I’ve heard of carrot cake but not apple! I’ve not gone on a cottage stay before but I’d Def consider it with a bunch of friends for a relaxing break away.
Helen
This one is a must bake.
Melanie Edjourian
I would love to go on holiday in a holiday cottage with my little ones.
Helen
We love holiday cottages, a perfect little home away from home.
Tara | C&CO.
I never really go on UK holidays, love this though!
Helen
Some of my best holidays have been in the UK, in a self catering cottage. Just blissful.
Fashion and Style Police
The cottage looks very beautiful. Thanks for giving me a UK holiday idea x
Helen
I love my holidays in the UK.
The Nice Nest
Dorset Apple Cake is a family favourite. We stay in cottages when we holiday in the UK, especially out of camping season. We have never been disappointed and I like the freedom to do what we want, when we want.
Helen
We loved the cake, such an easy bake.
Ali
I love staying self catering and pottering about the kitchen making things on holiday – especially cake!
Helen
Baking when on holiday is so relaxing!
Cassandra Mayers
I always eat dorset apple cake on holiday in weymouth, its lovely! Thanks for the recipe :D
Helen
I did adapt the recipe to swap in the sultanas, but so easy to make.
Hannah
I always love doing self catering when I go away as it gives me so much time to try cooking and baking new things!
Helen
We love it too. Mainly as we can have breakfast in our dressing gowns.
Agata
Wonderful looking cake! I’ve never baked an apple cake like this before. Loving huge chunks of apples in it.
Helen
I think that the huge chunks make it suitable to be served as pudding as well as cake!
Anosa
As much as I agree with you on the ease of holidaying in the UK than flying around for some reason I prefer jetting around the entire experience is always fun for me even the waiting, the delays and the queues lol but i would love to holiday in a cottage one day
Helen
I do enjoy flying, but used to travel so much for work that it really became very tedious. I love Britain, it is so beautiful and there is so much to see
Jacqueline Meldrum
Oh I do love a good apple cake. We are staying in a cottages.com cottage at the end of May in the Scottish borders, I’m really looking forward to it and I will be cooking, but I can’t imagine I’ll do any baking. We aren’t away long enough.
Helen
This is a lovely recipe, and so quick to make.
john
I’ve tried loads of Dorste Apple cake recipies and think this might be the one for me.Any advice for cooking in 3 oven aga? J
Helen
Hi John,
I know nothing about Agas at all. Which ever one you would usually bake a cake in I guess.
Fiona Garret
This Dorset apple cake looks utterly delicious with the chunks of fruit set inside. Can just imagine it served with clotted cream.
Bryan B
We love having self catering holidays in cottages about the UK. Find it a lot easier with the children than in a hotel. Your cakes looks fantastic.
Susan Robinson
I love the flavour of Bramleys. Perfect for cakes and pies. Such an easy cake mix, particularly with it not needing a mixer.
Norma K
The idea of finding your own little haven in a cottage in the country sounds blissful. With local foods, and your own space.
Hannah
Dorset apple cake looks amazing! Can I have it with custard please?
Fay Yeomans
I made this apple & cinnamon loaf for my cake shop & it sold out very quickly! I also make a dairy & gluten free version. It’s now a firm favourite during the autumn & winter months. This is a great recipe, thank you!