Nigella’s Dorset Apple Cake is made with butter, Granny Smith apples, lemon, caster sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, ground almonds, and brown sugar, creating a moist tasty treat that takes 1 hour and 30 minutes to be ready!
Try More Nigella Lawson Recipes:
💓 Why You’ll Love This Dorset Apple Cake Recipe:
- Fresh and Vibrant Flavor: It captures the essence of Granny Smith apples with a hint of lemon zest, delivering a refreshing taste.
- Simple Ingredients: Made with everyday pantry staples, it’s easy to whip up without a special trip to the store.
- Moist and Tender Texture: The combination of grated apples and ground almonds ensures a moist, fluffy cake that melts in your mouth.
❓ What Is Nigella’s Dorset Apple Cake Recipe?
Nigella’s Dorset Apple Cake features butter, Granny Smith apples, lemon, caster sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, and a hint of ground almonds, topped with a crunchy sugar crust.
🍎 Nigella Dorset Apple Cake Ingredients
- 225 grams butter (softened plus extra for greasing)
- 450 grams granny smith apples (finely grated)
- 1 lemon (zest and juice)
- 225 grams caster sugar (plus extra for dredging)
- 3 large eggs
- 225 grams self-raising flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 25 grams of ground almonds
- 1½ tablespoons soft light brown sugar
🥧 How To Make Nigella Dorset Apple Cake
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC/355ºF. Grease a deep 25cm springform cake pan and line the bottom with baking paper.
- Peel, core, and cut the apples into 1cm pieces. Toss them with lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Using an electric hand whisk or stand mixer, cream together the softened butter, caster sugar, and lemon zest until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a little flour with each addition to keep the mixture smooth.
- Sift the remaining flour and baking powder into the bowl, then fold in with the ground almonds.
- Drain the apple pieces well, then stir them into the batter. Spoon into the prepared cake pan, lightly leveling the top. Sprinkle with the brown sugar.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until the cake is well-risen, and browned, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If it browns too quickly, cover with baking paper after 45 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Then, remove it from the tin and place it on a serving plate.
- Dredge heavily with extra caster sugar. Cut the cake into generous wedges and serve warm, accompanied by a spoonful of clotted cream.
💭 Recipe Tips
- Drain Apples Well: After tossing the grated apples with lemon juice, ensure to drain them well to prevent excess moisture in the cake batter.
- Cream Butter and Sugar Thoroughly: Use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter, caster sugar, and lemon zest until pale and fluffy. This step incorporates air into the mixture for a lighter cake texture.
- Fold Flour Gently: When adding the sifted flour and baking powder to the batter, fold them in gently with the ground almonds. Overmixing can result in a dense cake.
- Evenly Distribute Batter: After stirring in the grated apples, spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan and lightly level the top. Sprinkle with brown sugar for a crunchy topping.
- Check Baking Time: Bake the cake at the specified temperature and check for doneness by inserting a skewer into the center. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready.
🍨 What To Serve With Dorset Apple Cake?
Serve Dorset Apple Cake with a dollop of Mascarpone Icing, a scoop of Coffee Ice Cream, a cup of Lemon Mousse, and Chocolate Pots.
🎚 How To Store Leftovers Dorset Apple Cake?
- In The Fridge: Store leftover Dorset apple cake in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- In The Freezer: Wrap leftover Dorset apple cake slices individually in plastic wrap and store them in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
🥵 How To Reheat Leftovers Dorset Apple Cake?
- In The Oven: Preheat oven to 350ºF and warm leftover Dorset apple cake slices wrapped in foil for about 10 minutes.
- In The Microwave: Heat leftover Dorset apple cake slices on a microwave-safe plate for 20-30 seconds on medium heat.
FAQs
What is the best apple to use in a cake?
Granny Smith apples are ideal for cakes due to their tartness and firm texture, adding flavor and structure effortlessly.
Why is my Dorset apple cake raw in the middle?
Your Dorset apple cake is raw in the middle because you didn’t bake it long enough to fully cook through.
How do you keep apples from sinking to the bottom of a cake?
Coat the apple pieces in flour before adding them to the batter to prevent them from sinking to the bottom.
How to know when Dorset apple cake is done?
To know when Dorset apple cake is done, it should be golden brown and slightly pulled away from the pan’s sides.
Try More Nigella Lawson Recipes:
Nigella Dorset Apple Cake Nutrition Facts
Amount Per Serving
- Calories 241
- Total Fat 12g
- Saturated Fat 1g
- Trans Fat 0.3g
- Cholesterol 19mg
- Sodium 130mg
- Potassium 48.9mg
- Total Carbohydrates 33g
- Dietary Fiber 1.1g
- Sugars 23g
- Protein 2g
Nigella Dorset Apple Cake
Description
Nigella’s Dorset Apple Cake is made with butter, Granny Smith apples, lemon, caster sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, ground almonds, and brown sugar, creating a moist tasty treat that takes 1 hour and 30 minutes to be ready!
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC/355ºF. Grease a deep 25cm springform cake pan and line the bottom with baking paper.
- Peel, core, and cut the apples into 1cm pieces. Toss them with lemon juice to prevent browning.
- Using an electric hand whisk or stand mixer, cream together the softened butter, caster sugar, and lemon zest until pale and fluffy.
- Beat in the eggs, one at a time, adding a little flour with each addition to keep the mixture smooth.
- Sift the remaining flour and baking powder into the bowl, then fold in with the ground almonds.
- Drain the apple pieces well, then stir them into the batter. Spoon into the prepared cake pan, lightly leveling the top. Sprinkle with the brown sugar.
- Bake in the preheated oven for about 1 hour, or until the cake is well-risen, and browned, and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. If it browns too quickly, cover with baking paper after 45 minutes.
- Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. Then, remove it from the tin and place it on a serving plate.
- Dredge heavily with extra caster sugar. Cut the cake into generous wedges and serve warm, accompanied by a spoonful of clotted cream.
Notes
- Drain Apples Well: After tossing the grated apples with lemon juice, ensure to drain them well to prevent excess moisture in the cake batter.
Cream Butter and Sugar Thoroughly: Use an electric mixer to cream the softened butter, caster sugar, and lemon zest until pale and fluffy. This step incorporates air into the mixture for a lighter cake texture.
Fold Flour Gently: When adding the sifted flour and baking powder to the batter, fold them in gently with the ground almonds. Overmixing can result in a dense cake.
Evenly Distribute Batter: After stirring in the grated apples, spoon the batter into the prepared cake pan and lightly level the top. Sprinkle with brown sugar for a crunchy topping.
Check Baking Time: Bake the cake at the specified temperature and check for doneness by inserting a skewer into the center. If it comes out clean, the cake is ready.
Nigella Dorset Apple Cake