Mary Berry Apple Sponge Cake Recipe

This classic apple sponge cake is soft, light, and gently flavoured with sweet cooking apples and a hint of spice. It has a tender crumb, a lightly golden top, and just the right balance of fruit and sponge in every slice. The recipe is straightforward and ideal for confident beginners, yet satisfying enough for experienced bakers. From start to finish, it takes around 1 hour including preparation and baking.

Ingredients

For the sponge

• 225g unsalted butter, softened
• 225g caster sugar
• 4 large eggs
• 225g self-raising flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tbsp milk
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the apple layer

• 3 medium cooking apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
• 1 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 2 tbsp soft light brown sugar

For the topping

• 1 tbsp demerara sugar
• Icing sugar, for dusting

How to Make Mary Berry Apple Sponge Cake

• Prepare the oven: Preheat the oven to 180°C or 160°C fan. Grease and line a 23cm square tin or round cake tin with baking parchment.
• Prepare the apples: Place the sliced apples in a bowl, toss with the lemon juice, cinnamon, and brown sugar, then set aside.
• Make the sponge batter: Add the butter, caster sugar, eggs, flour, baking powder, milk, and vanilla extract to a large bowl. Beat together until smooth, pale, and fully combined.
• Assemble the cake: Spoon the sponge mixture into the prepared tin and level the surface gently. Arrange the apple slices evenly over the top, pressing them in lightly.
• Add the topping: Sprinkle the demerara sugar evenly over the apples to create a lightly crisp finish.
• Bake: Bake for 40–45 minutes until golden, risen, 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 to cool completely.

Tips for Best Results

Why did my sponge sink?

This usually happens if the oven door is opened too early or the batter is overmixed. Bake undisturbed until well risen.

How do I stop the apples from sinking?

Slice the apples thinly and press them gently into the surface rather than pushing them deep into the batter.

Can I make this dairy-free?

Yes, use a dairy-free butter alternative and a plant-based milk with similar fat content.

Serving Suggestions

• Serve warm with custard or vanilla ice cream
• Enjoy with a cup of tea in the afternoon
• Dust lightly with icing sugar just before serving

Storage

Room temperature

Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days.

Refrigerator

Store for up to 4 days, allowing slices to come to room temperature before serving.

Freezing

Freeze individual slices for up to 3 months. Defrost thoroughly before serving.

Nutrition

• Calories: 385 kcal
• Carbohydrates: 46g
• Protein: 5g
• Fat: 20g
• Saturated Fat: 12g
• Sodium: 210mg

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

FAQs

Mary Berry Apple Sponge 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

A soft and fluffy apple sponge cake topped with gently spiced apples and a light crunch of sugar.

Ingredients

• 225g unsalted butter, softened

• 225g caster sugar

• 4 large eggs

• 225g self-raising flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 2 tbsp milk

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 3 cooking apples, peeled and sliced

• 1 tbsp lemon juice

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 2 tbsp soft light brown sugar

• 1 tbsp demerara sugar

• Icing sugar, for dusting

Directions

• Preheat oven and prepare the tin.
• Mix sponge ingredients until smooth.
• Layer apples over the batter.
• Bake until golden and set.
• Cool before serving.

Notes

• Use firm cooking apples for best texture.
• Do not overmix the batter.
• Delicious served warm with custard.