Apple and Blackberry Crumble Cake
If autumn was a flavour it would be this Apple and Blackberry Crumble Cake! A moist cake, with little chunks of tart apple, sweet blackberries and a cinnamon crumble topping.
Pictures and videos do not do this Apple and Blackberry Crumble Cake justice. You need to smell it baking in the oven, feel the different textures and taste it to really appreciate it.
If you haven’t guessed, I’m absolutely obsessed with this cake. It has a rustic feel and homemade taste that you don’t get from store bought cakes. It reminds me of a cake my nana and grandma would bake. In a time when you had to bake with seasonal produce. It really is a special cake.
Contents
Autumn Vibes
I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to summer. I enjoyed the long hot days too much for it to end, and I couldn’t even think about the impending dark nights. Over the past couple of weeks I’ve managed to accidentally baked my way into autumn.
I’ve been foraging and harvesting seasonal produce like plums, apples and blackberries. I’ve made kilograms of Stewed Apples, litres of Crème De Mûre, jars of Plum Jam and quite a few of these Apple and Blackberry Crumble Cakes. I’m now ready to don my thick socks, light the fire and welcome autumn and all the beautiful things that come with the season.
How to make a crumble cake
Making a crumble cake is really simple. It’s just like a regular sponge with the added elements of fruit and a crumble topping.
Crumble topping
I start by preparing the crumble topping. Use your fingertips to rub together the cold butter, plain flour, oats and soft brown sugar until it resembles chunky breadcrumbs. Stir through the flaked almonds and ground cinnamon. Pop into the fridge until you are ready to assemble the cake.
Fruit
In this cake I’m using regular eating apples and freshly picked blackberries. Rhubarb, raspberries and strawberries are also popular fruits to use in a crumble cake,
You will need one medium sized eating apple, I’ve used Golden Delicious and Braeburn before. Peel, core and roughly chop the apple into half centimetre chunks. Add a little squeeze of lemon juice and ground cinnamon and stir until evenly coated. The lemon will stop the apple chunks from browning and react with the cake batter to help it rise.
Cake Batter
The last bit I prep it the cake batter. Start by creaming together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy. A common mistake people make is to use cold butter, it needs to be room temperature.
Whisk in the eggs one at a time until combined.
Mix the flour with the ground almonds and baking powder. Fold into the batter until just combined. Don’t over work the flour as it will make the cake rubbery.
Mix the vanilla extract with the milk and fold into the cake batter. Again don’t over work, stop when just combined.
Now fold in the apple chunks until evenly distributed.
Assemble
Spoon the cake batter into a lined 20cm square baking tray. Use the spoon to evenly spread the mixture out. Scatter with fresh blackberries and lightly press them into the batter. Evenly cover with the crumble mixture.
Bake in a preheated oven at 180 C/160 Fan/ Gas mark 4 for 40-45 minutes. I always stick a skewer in my cakes to see if they are ready. If a skewer comes out with clumps or wet batter it needs longer. If it comes out clean or with a couple of crumbs it’s good.
The Perfect Sponge
For tips on baking the perfect sponge and another incredible cake recipe take a look at my Scrumptious Cherry Bakewell Muffins Recipe post.
Apple and Blackberry Crumble Cake Recipe
Apple and Blackberry Crumble Cake
Equipment
- 1 20cm square cake tin
Ingredients
Crumble
- 30 g unsalted butter cold and cubbed
- 30 g plain flour
- 30 g soft light brown sugar
- 30 g giant rolled oats
- 30 g flaked almonds
- 1.5 tsp ground cinnamon
Apple
- 1 medium apple Golden Delicious or Braeburn are good
- 2 pinches ground cinnamon
- 1 little squeeze of fresh lemon juice
Cake
- 115 g unsalted butter at room temperature
- 100 g cater sugar
- 50 g soft light brown sugar
- 2 large free range eggs
- 150 g self-raising flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 100 g ground almonds
- 60 mil semi skimmed milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 150 g blackberries
Instructions
Crumble
- Use your fingertips to rub together the butter, plain flour, oats and sugar until it resembles chunky breadcrumbs. Stir through the flaked almonds and ground cinnamon. Pop into the fridge until you are ready to assemble the cake.
Apple
- Peel, core and roughly chop the apple into half centimetre chunks. Add a little squeeze of lemon and ground cinnamon and stir until evenly coated. Set to one side.
Cake
- Preheat the oven 180 C/160 Fan/ Gas mark 4
- Cream together the butter and sugar until pale and fluffy.
- Whisk in the eggs one at a time until combined.
- Mix the flour with the ground almonds and baking powder. Fold into the batter until just combined. Don’t over work the flour as it will make the cake rubbery.
- Mix the vanilla extract with the milk and fold into the cake batter.
- Now fold in the apple chunks until evenly distributed in the batter.
- Spoon the cake batter into a lined 20cm square baking tray. Use the back of the spoon to evenly spread the mixture out. Scatter with fresh blackberries and lightly press them into the batter. Then evenly cover with the crumble mixture.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes until the crumble is golden. Test the cake is ready by sticking a skewer in it. If the skewer comes out with clumps or wet batter it needs longer. If it comes out clean or with a couple of crumbs it’s good.
- Allow the cake to cool for ten minutes in the baking tray before carefully transfer to a cooling rack. Allow to cool completely before transferring and cutting into 16 equal squares. This is a really soft and delicate cake when warm so handle with care.
Notes
What to serve with Apple and Blackberry Crumble Cake
Enjoy with warm custard, cream, or ice cream. You can serve as part of afternoon tea, or simple enjoy with a cuppa.
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Happy Baking
Lee x
