This blackberry and apple crumble cake recipe blends the sweetness of blackberries, the warmth of cinnamon, and the sharpness of apples. It’s a great dessert for fall or anytime you’re craving comfort food because of the ideal combination of flavors and textures created by the moist cake base and rich, buttery crumble on top.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
200g self-raising flour: This flour provides the perfect amount of lift for the cake, ensuring a light and fluffy texture.
150g caster sugar: A fine sugar that dissolves easily in the batter, adding the right amount of sweetness.
1 tsp baking powder: Gives the cake a bit more rise, ensuring it doesn’t become too dense.
½ tsp ground cinnamon: Cinnamon adds a warm, slightly spicy flavor that complements the apples and blackberries perfectly.
150g unsalted butter (softened): The softened butter creates a rich, moist texture. Make sure it’s at room temperature to blend seamlessly with the other ingredients.
2 large eggs: The eggs bind the ingredients together, contributing to the cake’s structure and richness.
100ml whole milk: This adds moisture and tenderness to the cake, creating a soft crumb.
2 medium apples (peeled, cored, and diced): Apples give the cake a tart, fresh flavor. Use firm varieties like Granny Smith or Braeburn to hold their shape during baking.
150g blackberries: Their sweet juiciness contrasts beautifully with the tart apples and adds pops of color.
For the Crumble Topping:
100g plain flour: Creates the base of the crumble, adding texture and structure to the topping.
50g butter (cold and cubed): The butter must be cold to create the desired crumbly texture in the topping.
50g brown sugar: This adds sweetness and depth, and caramelizes slightly during baking, enhancing the crumble’s flavor.
1 tsp ground cinnamon: Adds warmth to the topping, enhancing the cake’s overall autumnal flavor profile.
Blackberry and Apple Crumble Cake Recipe
Step 1: Preparing the Crumble Topping
Mixing the ingredients: In a large mixing basin, combine the cinnamon, brown sugar, cubed butter, and plain flour. For optimal results, the butter should be diced and cool. Since the butter will melt during baking to provide that gorgeous golden-brown topping, this is essential to making the ideal crumble.
Using your hands, carefully work the butter into the flour mixture until it takes on the consistency of coarse breadcrumbs. It may take five minutes or so. The crumble’s distinctive crunch will come from the mixture maintaining some texture, so be careful not to overmix. While preparing the cake batter, place the topping in the refrigerator to cool.
Step 2: Cake Batter Preparation
Oven preheating: Preheat your oven to 180°C (or 160°C for fan ovens) or 350°F before beginning the batter. Line a 20cm round cake tin with parchment paper and grease it. This guarantees that, after baking, the cake will come out of the tin clean.
Combining dry ingredients: Sift the baking powder, cinnamon, and self-raising flour in a big basin. Sifting eliminates lumps and aids in aerating the flour.
Creaming sugar and butter: Combine the caster sugar and softened butter in a different bowl. Until the mixture is light, pale, and fluffy, use an electric mixer set at medium speed for two to three minutes. This process is essential for adding air to the mixture, which makes the cake lighter.
Egg addition: Beat thoroughly after adding each egg, one at a time. To avoid curdling, make sure each egg is completely mixed in before adding the next.
Mixing the flour and milk: Add the dry ingredients gradually, starting with the flour combination and ending with the milk. When using a wooden spoon or spatula, take care not to overmix as this could make the cake dense.
Including the fruit: Make sure the diced apples and blackberries are evenly distributed throughout the batter by gently folding them in. The blackberries may become broken down if you overmix.
Step 3: Cake Assembly and Baking
Filling the batter: Using a spatula to achieve a uniform layer, pour the cake batter into the prepared tin.
The crumble topping is added: After taking the cooled crumble topping out of the refrigerator, evenly distribute it over the batter. To ensure that each slice has a healthy amount of crumble, it is important to distribute it equally.
Baking: Bake the tin for 40 to 50 minutes after placing it in the oven. Start testing for doneness at the 40-minute point because baking timings can vary depending on your oven. When a skewer put in the center of the cake comes out clean and the crumble topping is crisp and golden, the cake is done.
After the cake has finished baking, take it out of the oven and let it cool in the tin for ten minutes before moving it to a wire rack. The cake will set more easily and be easier to remove from the tin without breaking if it cools within.
See also: Creme De Mure
Serving Suggestions:
This Blackberry and Apple Crumble Cake tastes great served warm with a spoonful of vanilla ice cream or a splash of whipped cream. It tastes great by itself or with a cup of coffee or tea. Serve with a fruity compote or sprinkle with a little heated custard for an additional decadent touch.
Storage Advice
Room temperature: You can keep this cake for up to three days at room temperature. To keep it fresh, store it in an airtight container.
Refrigeration: The cake can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week if you wish to extend its shelf life. However, note that the crumble topping may get slightly softer if refrigerated.
Freezing: The cake keeps for up to three months in the freezer. Store it in a freezer-safe container after slicing it into parts and covering each slice with cling film. Before serving, reheat the crumble in the oven to crisp it up after thawing at room temperature.
Variations in the Recipe
Other fruits: You can use seasonal berries like blueberries or raspberries in place of the blackberries. For a new taste combination, try substituting pears for apples.
Spices: You can add a pinch of ground ginger or nutmeg to the crumble topping or cake batter for a spicier variation.
Alternatives to crumble: For an added crunch, mix chopped nuts, such as walnuts, pecans, or almonds, into the crumble topping.
