Mary Berry Apple Cake Recipe: Devonshire, Almond & Traybake

There’s something comforting about a recipe that asks very little of you but delivers a dessert so good it feels like a secret. Mary Berry’s apple cake is exactly that — a simple, forgiving bake that has earned a devoted following across British kitchens and beyond.

Prep Time: 20 minutes ·
Cook Time: 40-45 minutes ·
Servings: 8 ·
Difficulty: Easy

Five key facts about Mary Berry’s apple cake, one pattern: the recipe is extraordinarily forgiving and built for real kitchens, not just show kitchens.

The implication: this is a recipe designed for everyday bakers, not pastry chefs. The simplicity is the point.

“This special and remarkably easy recipe uses apples that can be windfalls or even shrivelled ones left in the fruit bowl.” — Mary Berry, official website

What is Mary Berry’s classic apple cake recipe?

Key ingredients for the classic cake

• Dry ingredients: 225g self-raising flour (Business Insider test), 1 tsp baking powder, 225g caster sugar, 25g flaked almonds
• Wet ingredients: 2 large eggs, 150g melted butter (Business Insider test), ½ tsp almond extract
• Fruit: 250g cooking apples (Bramley or Granny Smith work well), peeled and sliced thickly — piled in the centre

Step-by-step baking instructions

1. Preheat oven to 160C (fan 140C / gas 3) and grease a 20cm round cake tin (Business Insider test).
2. Mix flour, baking powder, sugar, eggs, melted butter, and almond extract into a thick batter.
3. Spread half the batter in the tin, then pile the thick apple slices in the centre. Spoon the remaining batter over the apples — it feels awkward but spreads during baking (Business Insider test).
4. Sprinkle flaked almonds on top and bake for 1¼-1½ hours until golden and shrinking from the sides of the tin.
5. Cool for 10 minutes in the tin, then turn out onto a wire rack. Serve warm.

Serving suggestions

• With vanilla ice cream (the most popular pairing)
• With pouring cream or clotted cream
• With crème fraîche for a tangy contrast
• Warm, not piping hot — the texture is best when it has rested briefly (Drag Queen Cooking)

The pattern: recipe developers and home bakers alike consistently praise the low effort-to-result ratio, as the apples retain moisture and the batter requires no fussy technique.

How to make Mary Berry’s apple and almond cake?

Ingredients for the almond variation

• Flour: 200g self-raising flour
• Ground almonds: 100g ground almonds (replaces part of the flour for richness)
• Sugar: 200g caster sugar
• Butter: 200g softened butter
• Eggs: 3 large eggs
• Apples: 300g eating apples (like Cox or Braeburn), peeled and sliced
• Flaked almonds: 25g for topping

Baking method for the apple and almond cake

1. Preheat oven to 180C (fan 160C / gas 4) and line a 23cm springform tin.
2. Cream butter and sugar until pale and fluffy, then beat in eggs one at a time.
3. Fold in flour and ground almonds, then spoon half the batter into the tin.
4. Arrange apple slices over the batter, top with remaining batter, and scatter flaked almonds on top.
5. Bake for 45-50 minutes until a skewer comes out clean. Serve warm with custard or cream (YouTube – Mary Berry video).

Differences from the classic recipe

• The almond version uses ground almonds, which add moisture and a richer texture that reviewers from Business Insider (taste testing) called “almost pudding-like.”
• It asks for creaming butter and sugar, making it slightly more involved than the all-in-one classic method.
• Best served with custard — the creamy texture contrasts nicely with the nutty richness.
• The almond variation was featured on Mary Berry’s BBC2 series Mary 90, giving it a distinct on-screen pedigree.

The catch: the almond version is not as forgiving as the classic. Overmixing the batter after adding the flour can lead to a tougher cake, so fold gently.

“Best served with cream or custard, this apple and almond cake recipe from Mary Berry’s BBC2 series, Mary 90, has the feel of a delicious steamed pudding.” — The Happy Foodie (BBC series)

What are the best tips for a moist apple cake?

Choosing the right apples

• For the classic Devonshire cake: cooking apples like Bramley or Granny Smith — their tartness balances the sweet batter and they hold their shape during the long bake (Business Insider test).
• For the almond variation: eating apples like Cox or Braeburn — sweeter, so you can reduce sugar slightly, and they don’t break down as completely.
• For a traybake: any apple works, but avoid very watery varieties like Golden Delicious, which can make the batter soggy (So Yummy Recipes blog adaptation).

Preventing a dry cake

• Use softened butter or melted butter as specified — cold butter will create a dense, dry crumb.
• Measure flour correctly: scoop and level, never pack the flour into the cup.
• Do not overbake: the classic cake takes 1¼-1½ hours, but ovens vary. Check at 1 hour 10 minutes with a skewer. If it comes out clean, it is done.
• The thin layer of batter over the apples may look sparse at first, but it spreads and puffs during baking (Drag Queen Cooking). Trust the process.

Alternative variations (traybake, all-in-one)

• Traybake: double the ingredients, bake in a 30x23cm tin at 180C for 40-45 minutes. This version is popular for feeding a crowd and slicing into squares (Deanys Designs recipe adaptation).
• All-in-one method: mix all dry and wet ingredients together in one bowl (except apples), then fold in apples last. Works for the classic but not the almond version, which needs creaming.
• Nigella’s approach: Nigella Lawson’s moist apple cake uses a different method (grated apples, yogurt) but achieves a similarly moist crumb. The two recipes share the same goal: maximum apple flavour with minimal effort.

What this means: if you choose the right apple for the variation and trust the batter’s ability to spread, you are unlikely to end up with a dry cake. The moisture comes from the apples and the butter, not from any trick.

For a traditional twist, try the Dorset apple cake traybake variation, which uses a spiced batter and a generous layer of sliced apples.

Frequently asked questions

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For the home baker deciding between Mary Berry’s classic Devonshire Apple Cake and the almond variation, the choice is clear: go with the classic for a foolproof, low-effort dessert, or the almond version when you want a richer, pudding-like texture that feels special. Neither will disappoint — and both are proof that great baking does not need to be complicated.