The Recipe: Dorset Apple Cake

October is perfect apple picking season, so why not put your harvest to good use? This Dorset Apple Cake paired with hot custard is the ideal way to warm up on a blustery day… and to to tip your hat to Apple Day on the 21st!

Ingredients

115g unsalted butter, diced and chilled, plus extra for the tin

225g self-raising flour

2 tsp ground cinnamon

115g light brown sugar

1 large egg, beaten

6-8 tbsp milk

225g Bramley or Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and diced

100g sultanas

2 tbsp demerara sugar (optional)

Method

1. Heat the oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. Butter and line a deep 20cm cake tin with baking parchment.
2. Mix the flour and cinnamon together in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub into the flour using your fingers, until it resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in the light brown sugar.
3. Beat in the egg followed by 6-8 tbsp of milk – add it gradually until you have a smooth, thick batter.
4. Add the apples and sultanas and mix to combine.
5. Scrape the batter into the prepared tin and gently level out.
6. Sprinkle over the demerara sugar, if using, and bake for 30-40 mins or until golden and a skewer inserted into the middle comes out clean.
7. Allow to cool in the tin for 15 mins and then carefully turn out onto a wire rack to cool further.
8. Best served still warm with a little custard.