Mary Berry Apple and Banana Cake

This Mary Berry apple and banana cake is a wonderfully moist, lightly spiced bake that brings together soft bananas and tender apples in every slice. The texture is fluffy yet comforting, with a gentle sweetness that feels just right for everyday baking. It is an easy, family-friendly recipe that suits both beginners and confident home bakers. From start to finish, it takes about 1 hour and 15 minutes, including baking and cooling.

Ingredients

For the cake

• 225g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 225g unsalted butter, softened
• 200g light brown sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 2 medium apples, peeled, cored, and finely chopped
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For finishing

• Icing sugar, for dusting

How to Make Mary Berry Apple and Banana Cake

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C or 160°C fan. Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin with baking parchment so the cake releases easily after baking.
• Mix the dry ingredients: Sift the flour, baking powder, and cinnamon into a bowl. This helps keep the cake light and evenly flavoured.
• Cream butter and sugar: In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar until pale and fluffy. This step adds air and gives the cake a soft crumb.
• Add the eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition so the mixture stays smooth.
• Fold in fruit: Stir in the mashed bananas, chopped apples, vanilla extract, and milk. Mix gently until just combined.
• Combine and bake: Fold in the dry ingredients, then spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Cool the cake: Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips

Why did my cake sink in the middle?

This usually happens if the oven door is opened too early or the batter is overmixed. Keep the oven closed for at least the first 35 minutes.

How ripe should the bananas be?

Very ripe bananas with brown spots give the best flavour and natural sweetness.

Can I stop the top from browning too quickly?

If the cake colours too fast, loosely cover the top with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve warm with custard for a comforting dessert
• Enjoy with a cup of tea or coffee
• Add a spoon of lightly whipped cream on the side

Storage

Room temperature

Keep the cake in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Refrigerator

Store in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature before serving for the best texture.

Freezing

Wrap slices well and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost fully before serving.

Nutrition

• Calories: 380 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 52g
• Protein: 6g
• Fat: 17g
• Saturated fat: 10g
• Sodium: 220mg

Nutrition values are estimates and may vary.

FAQs

Mary Berry Apple and Banana Cake

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 apple and banana cake with gentle spice, baked in the classic Mary Berry style.

Ingredients

• 225g self-raising flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 225g unsalted butter, softened

• 200g light brown sugar

• 3 large eggs

• 2 ripe bananas, mashed

• 2 apples, peeled and chopped

• 2 tbsp milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

• Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease and line a 20cm round tin.
• Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
• Beat in eggs one at a time.
• Stir in bananas, apples, milk, and vanilla.
• Fold in dry ingredients gently.
• Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until cooked through.
• Cool before serving and dust with icing sugar.

Notes

• Use very ripe bananas for best flavour.
• Check the cake with a skewer before removing from the oven.
• The cake freezes well for later use.