This easy apple traybake is very similar to a Dorset apple cake but uses sweet dessert apples instead of Bramleys. It's got cinnamon, brown sugar and sweet juicy apples baked to golden perfection.
I'm a big fan of apples all year round, not just for autumn. And this apple traybake can hold its own no matter what time of year. It's light and fluffy, and soft in the middle. That crunch of brown sugar baked on the top is so addictive. And those thinly sliced apples on the top turn are so sweet and juicy.
You can never have too many apple cakes and this apple crumble cake or this apple cake are big hits. Not content to stop there, this apple and pear crumble is always a simple favourite too. And whatever you do, you need to make this puff pastry apple tart at least once!
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Ingredients
Just a few simple ingredients from Aldi are all you need to make this beautiful and simple apple traybake. *Make sure that all of your ingredients are at room temperature to incorporate the maximum amount of air and volume into the butter and eggs.
- sweet eating apples
- eggs
- plain flour
- butter
- demerara sugar
- baking powder
- maple syrup
- cinnamon
See recipe card for quantities.
Instructions
Any recipe is much easier to make and becomes almost foolproof when you have step by step photos and instructions to match. So listed out below you'll find how to make this apple traybake so it turns out perfect.
Start by coring the apples, cutting them in half down the middle then thinly slicing. No need to peel them. The skin is very soft and sweet, especially after baking. And I love the red trim on the cake!
Step 1 & 2 - Creaming the butter and sugar
- Almost every cake will start out with creaming the butter and sugar together to get the most air into your cake mix. The sugar tears little air pockets into the butter creating a gorgeous fluffy cake. Use an electric whisk to make sure you maximise the volume and the air you incorporate. You could use a stand mixer if you have one. The butter should be very pale, soft and fluffy after mixing.
- Add in the eggs one at a time. Mix well after each one. Don't worry if your cake mix starts to look a little bit split. Once you add in the flour it will come back together.
Step 3 & 4 - Mixing in the flour
- Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into the butter and egg mixture. These sifters are so great to have around. Perfect for this job.
- Spoon the cake batter into a lined baking tray and layer the thinly sliced apples on top.
Step 5 & 6 - Baking the cake
- Sprinkle the demerara sugar over the apples and bake in a preheated oven for about 35 minutes until the cake is golden on top and the cake springs back when lightly pressed.
- Let the cake cool in the tin for 15 minutes before turning it out to cool on a rack.
Hint: Be sure to always preheat your oven before any baking project. It's imperative to the success of any baked treats.
Substitutions and variations
There aren't many substitutions to be made with an apple traybake, but there are a couple of simple ones that you may want to experiment with.
- Apples - you could use pears instead and this cake would be amazing.
- Demerara sugar - use caster sugar in place of the demerara if that's what you have. The cake may not be quite as moist and dense and will have a lighter structure.
- Plain flour - you could use self-raising flour in place of the plain flour and baking powder. Just use a straight substitution gram for gram.
Equipment
Equipment can have a big impact on how a recipe turns out. For this apple traybake here's what I used to get the absolute best results-
Non-stick cake tin- but you should line it with baking paper anyway.
Flour sifters - a set of three sizes to make sure you're covered no matter what you need.
Electric hand whisk - I absolutely love this whisk. It's cheap, powerful and is truly all you need for baking.
Storage
For the first two days, this cake is great stored at room temperature in an airtight container. It will stay moist and fluffy.
After the 2 day period, you'll start to notice the edges of the cake drying out a little bit. You can store it in the fridge for another day or two, but fridges tend to dry cakes out.
I prefer to portion up the cake and wrap them in groups of 2-4 pieces and defrost them when I need to.
Top tips
- Make sure that all your ingredients are at room temperature before you get started. Yes, I am repeating this from above, but you can never hear it too many times!
- When defrosting cakes (or any baked goods) keep them wrapped in cling film so that condensation forms on the wrapping and not the cake itself making it soggy.
- Even if you're using non-stick cake pans, line them with baking paper anyway. It makes the cakes a lot easier to lift out of the pan in one piece.
Easy All In One Apple Traybake
Ingredients
- 2-3 (2-3) jazz apples, thinly sliced
- 225 g (8 oz) butter, softened
- 250 g (1 ⅕ cups) demerara sugar
- 4 (4) eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon (1 tablespoon) milk
- 2 teaspoons (2 teaspoons) maple syrup
- 350 g (2 ⅔ cups) plain flour
- 5 teaspoons (5 teaspoons) baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons (1 ½ teaspoons) cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat to oven to 170ºc and line a 33 cm x 22 cm cake pan with non-stick baking paper.
- In a large mixing bowl cream the butter and the sugar together, using an electric whisk until the mixture is pale and fluffy and has increased in volume. Add in the eggs one at a time. Mix well after each addition. Gently mix in the milk and the maple syrup.
- Sift the flour, baking powder and cinnamon into the butter and egg mixture. Switch to a spatula or a wooden spoon to mix the flour into the egg mixture being very careful not to over mix.
- Spoon the cake batter into a lined baking tray and layer the thinly sliced apples on top.
- Sprinkle the demerara sugar over the apples and bake in a preheated oven for about 35 minutes until the cake is golden on top and the cake springs back when lightly pressed. A toothpick should come out of the cake with a few crumbs on the sides.
- Let the cake cool in the tin for 15 minutes before turning it out to cool on a rack.
Notes
- Use any kind of apple that you like, just be sure to slice them thinly.
- Ensure you don't overbake the cake otherwise it will turn out very dry.
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