Blackberry, Bay and Apple Cake – A Seasonal Recipe
It has been a bumper year for blackberries in the UK. My freezer is already well stocked, and I suspect I’m not alone! With so many juicy berries in abundance, it seemed only right to bake a delicious, moist blackberry and apple cake, lightly flavoured with bay and cinnamon.
Why Blackberries Are So Special
These hardy brambles thrive almost anywhere, thanks to their powerful roots. You’ve probably noticed the hedgerows and verges bursting with ripe fruit this year. In fact, there are over 1,000 micro-species of blackberry in the UK alone.
I like to gather as many as I can, freeze them on trays, and then store them in bags to use later in the year. This way, you can enjoy homemade blackberry recipes well into the winter months.
The Apples – Rosette and Other British Varieties
I’m fortunate to have a friend who gifts me apples from her garden each year. One of my favourites is the Rosette apple, with its sweet, marbled pink flesh that looks beautiful in cakes and tarts. If you can’t find Rosette, Royal Worcester, Cox or Spartan apples make excellent alternatives.
This recipe is straightforward: grated apple is folded into the batter for natural sweetness and texture, while ground almonds keep the cake moist for several days.
Flavour Pairings – Blackberry, Apple and Bay
Blackberries bring a floral flavour with earthy undertones, while apples add a crisp sweetness. Bay leaves balance these two flavours perfectly when stewed together, adding a subtle herbal note that makes this cake truly special.
Serving Suggestions
This Blackberry, Bay and Apple Cake is ideal for fika, afternoon tea, or as a comforting dessert. I usually serve it plain, but if you prefer it as a pudding, try it with a spoonful of thick Greek yoghurt or crème fraîche.
Apple, Blackberry and Bay Cake
Equipment
- 1 20cm cake tin
Ingredients
- 150 g blackberries
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 bay leaf
- 2-3 small dessert apples ie. Rosette or Royal Worcester
- 125 g butter room temperature
- 125 g caster sugar
- 2 large free range eggs lightly beaten
- 125 g self-raising flour
- 45 g ground almond
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 25 ml whole milk
- 1 tbls demerara sugar
- 20 g skinned hazelnuts roughly chopped or flaked almonds
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 180°C/160°C fan. Grease a 20cm cake tin. Line the base with baking paper. Reserve 30g blackberries. Place the remaining blackberries and tablespoon caster sugar and the bay leaf in a saucepan over medium heat. Bring to a simmer, cook for 5 mins or until the mixture thickens a little. Set aside to cool completely. Once cool remove the bay leaf.
- Combine the flour, ground almond and cinnamon, set to one side.
- Use a free standing mixer to beat the butter and sugar until really pale and creamy. Add the egg, a little at a time, beating in between each addition. Add the a third of the dry ingredients at a time. After the second addition add the milk, then follow with the last of the flour. Grate one apple with the skin on. Lightly press to remove some of the juice, then stir the grated apple into the cake batter. Spoon half of the cake mixture into the tin. Spoon over the blackberry mixture. Smooth the surface. Top with the remaining cake batter. Peel, core and slice the remaining apple. Arrange on the top with the reserved blackberries. Sprinkle with demerara sugar and hazelnuts.
- Bake for 45-48 minutes or until a cocktail stick inserted in the centre comes out clean. Remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.
Baking Tips
Also worth noting, I use a 20 cm cake tin in this recipe. A slightly smaller tin will give you a taller cake, but it will take a little longer to bake. Just keep an eye on it in the oven and test with a cocktail stick towards the end of cooking—it should come away clean when the cake is ready.
If you love a moist cake and like pears, then you really should try my Spiced Pear & Rye Cake.
Pomegranate and Lime Semifreddo
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