Mary Berry Apple and Walnut Cake Recipe

This Mary Berry apple and walnut cake is a gently spiced, moist bake packed with tender apple pieces and crunchy walnuts. The texture is soft and buttery with just enough warmth from spice to balance the fruit and nuts beautifully. It is a straightforward, reassuring bake that suits confident beginners as well as experienced home bakers. From start to finish, it is ready in about 1 hour and 15 minutes.

Ingredients

For the cake

• 225g unsalted butter, softened
• 225g light muscovado sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 225g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2 large eating apples, peeled, cored and diced
• 100g walnuts, roughly chopped

For finishing

• Icing sugar, for dusting

How to Make Mary Berry Apple and Walnut Cake

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C or 160°C fan. Grease and line a 20cm round deep cake tin with baking parchment.
• Mix the cake batter: Place the butter, sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, cinnamon and milk into a large bowl. Beat with an electric mixer for about 2 minutes until smooth and well combined.
• Add apples and walnuts: Fold in the diced apples and chopped walnuts gently using a spatula so they are evenly distributed.
• Bake the cake: Spoon the mixture into the prepared tin and level the top. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until well risen, golden and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• Cool: Leave the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn out onto a wire rack and allow to cool completely.
• Finish and serve: Dust lightly with icing sugar just before serving.

Tips

How do I stop the cake sinking?

Make sure the oven is fully preheated and avoid opening the door during the first 35 minutes of baking.

Which apples work best?

Bramley or Braeburn apples hold their shape well and give a pleasant balance of sweetness and sharpness.

Can I toast the walnuts?

Yes, lightly toasting the walnuts before adding them will deepen their flavour, but allow them to cool first.

Serving Suggestions

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

Storage

Room temperature

Keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

Refrigerator

Store for up to 5 days, allowing the cake to come back to room temperature before serving.

Freezing

Freeze slices individually for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature.

Nutrition

• Calories: 420 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 45g
• Protein: 6g
• Fat: 24g
• Saturated fat: 13g
• Sodium: 220mg

Nutrition values are estimates and may vary.

FAQs

Mary Berry Apple and Walnut Cake 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 Mary Berry apple and walnut cake with warm spice and a soft, buttery crumb. A classic British bake perfect for everyday baking.

Ingredients

• 225g unsalted butter, softened

• 225g light muscovado sugar

• 4 large eggs

• 225g self-raising flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 2 tbsp milk

• 2 large apples, diced

• 100g walnuts, chopped

Directions

• Preheat oven to 180°C (160°C Fan). Grease and line a 20cm round cake tin.
• Add all cake ingredients except apples and walnuts to a bowl and beat until smooth.
• Fold in apples and walnuts gently.
• Spoon into tin and level the surface.
• Bake for 45–50 minutes until golden and cooked through.
• Cool briefly in tin, then turn out onto a wire rack.
• Dust with icing sugar before serving.

Notes

• Do not overmix once apples are added.
• Cover loosely with foil if browning too quickly.
• Freezes well once cooled.