Mary Berry Dorset Apple Traybake Recipe

Mary Berry’s Dorset Apple Traybake is a wonderfully moist, fruit-filled cake topped with crunchy demerara sugar and flaked almonds. Packed with juicy apples and gently spiced, it has a soft, tender crumb with a lightly crisp surface. This is an easy, reliable bake that’s perfect for afternoon tea, lunchboxes, or a simple family pudding. From start to finish, it takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes, making it ideal for both weekday baking and weekend treats.

Ingredients

For the Traybake

• 225g unsalted butter, softened
• 225g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 225g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 large cooking apples (about 350g), peeled, cored and diced
• 25g flaked almonds
• 2 tbsp demerara sugar

For Preparing the Tin

• Butter, for greasing
• Baking parchment

How to Make Mary Berry Dorset Apple Traybake

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C or 160°C fan. Grease a 23 x 30cm traybake tin and line it with baking parchment, ensuring the paper comes slightly above the sides for easy removal.
• Mix the cake batter: Place the softened butter, caster sugar, eggs, self-raising flour, baking powder, ground cinnamon and milk into a large mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes until pale, smooth and fully combined.
• Add the apples: Fold the diced apples gently into the mixture using a spatula. Make sure they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
• Fill the tin: Spoon the mixture into the prepared traybake tin and level the surface with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle the top evenly with flaked almonds and demerara sugar.
• Bake the traybake: Place the tin on the middle shelf of the oven and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, or until golden brown and firm to the touch. A skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean.
• Cool and serve: Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then lift out using the parchment and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing into squares.

Tips for the Best Dorset Apple Traybake

Which apples work best for this recipe?

Firm cooking apples such as Bramley give a lovely soft texture and slight tartness. If using eating apples, choose crisp varieties and reduce the sugar slightly if they are very sweet.

How do I prevent the apples from sinking?

Dice the apples into small, even pieces and fold them in gently. A slightly thick batter helps suspend the fruit evenly throughout the cake.

Can I make it extra moist?

You can replace 25g of the butter with the same amount of full-fat yoghurt for an even softer crumb while keeping the rich flavour.

How do I know when it is fully baked?

The top should feel springy when lightly pressed and a skewer inserted into the centre should come out clean with no wet batter attached.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve warm with custard for a comforting dessert
• Enjoy a slice with a cup of tea or coffee
• Add a light dusting of icing sugar before serving
• Pair with softly whipped cream for a special touch

Storage

At Room Temperature

Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep it in a cool, dry place.

In the Refrigerator

It can be refrigerated for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture.

Freezing

Wrap slices individually in cling film and place in a freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature and refresh briefly in a low oven if desired.

Nutrition

Per slice (approximate):

• Calories: 320 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 38g
• Protein: 5g
• Fat: 16g
• Saturated Fat: 9g
• Sodium: 180mg

Nutritional values are estimates and may vary depending on ingredients used.

FAQs

Mary Berry Dorset Apple Traybake Recipe

Recipe by Milli RoseCourse: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

30

minutes

Cooking time

40

minutes

Calories

300

kcal

Total time

1

hour 

10

minutes

Moist Dorset apple traybake packed with tender apples, lightly spiced and topped with flaked almonds and crunchy demerara sugar. A simple and comforting British classic.

Ingredients

• 225g unsalted butter, softened

• 225g caster sugar

• 4 large eggs

• 225g self-raising flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 2 tbsp milk

• 2 large cooking apples, peeled, cored and diced

• 25g flaked almonds

• 2 tbsp demerara sugar

• Butter, for greasing

• Baking parchment

Directions

• Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C Fan). Grease and line a 23 x 30cm traybake tin.
• Place butter, caster sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and milk into a large bowl.
• Beat with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes until pale and smooth.
• Fold in the diced apples gently until evenly distributed.
• Spoon into the prepared tin and level the surface.
• Sprinkle with flaked almonds and demerara sugar.
• Bake for 35–45 minutes until golden and cooked through.
• Cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before slicing.

Notes

• Use firm cooking apples for best texture.
• Dice apples evenly for consistent baking.
• Store in an airtight container to maintain moisture.