The smell of apples and almonds baking in the oven has to be one of my favourites. It wafts through the house letting you know that something wonderful is baking. Almond and Apple Cake is one of those delightful bakes that I’ve always thought of as a cosy cake — a real teatime treasure that bridges the gap between pudding and a good, honest slice with your cuppa. Moist, gently spiced, and topped with tender stewed apples and a scattering of flaked almonds, it’s the sort of cake that makes people feel instantly at home.
This is a cake that reminds me of late afternoons when the children would pile through the front door after school, cheeks flushed and voices bubbling with stories from their day. I’d have the kettle on and a cake cooling on the wire rack, and nothing would quite match the comfort of slicing into this particular one — its crumb soft and almost buttery from the ground almonds, the apples nestled lovingly on top, their sweetness mellowed by gentle cooking, and the flaked almonds giving just enough crunch to keep things interesting.
Almond and apple are a marriage made in heaven, in my view. The nuttiness of the almonds brings a mellow warmth, while apples — particularly if you’ve managed to get hold of some Bramleys or Cox’s — provide that slightly tart, juicy counterpoint. It’s a combination that’s both delicate and deeply satisfying. And when baked into a moist cake base, it becomes something you can serve just as happily with a dollop of cream after Sunday lunch as you can in thick slices, plain and still slightly warm, for afternoon tea.
One of the lovely things about this cake is how versatile it is. You can use windfall apples if you’ve a tree in the garden, or whatever’s going soft in the fruit bowl. The apples are gently stewed before being spread over the batter, which keeps them juicy and prevents them drying out as they bake. A little cinnamon or nutmeg stirred into the apples never goes amiss, though I like to let the natural flavour of the fruit shine through most of the time. The flaked almonds go on just before it goes into the oven, turning golden and toasty as the cake rises gently around them.
I’ve found over the years that this cake keeps remarkably well — a good three or four days in a tin, covered, and it’s just as moist on the last day as it is on the first. In fact, some might argue it improves with time, as the flavours seem to settle and deepen slightly. If you’ve any leftover — though that’s a rare occasion in this house — it’s also lovely gently warmed and served with custard, turning it into a pudding in its own right.
What I also love is how welcoming this cake feels. There’s nothing fussy or showy about it, but it carries itself with such quiet charm. It doesn’t need icing or glazes — just the simplicity of honest ingredients, baked with care. It’s the sort of cake you bake not to impress, but to nourish and comfort. To me, that’s the best kind of baking — the kind that brings people together and makes them feel cherished.
So, if ever there was a reason to slow down for the afternoon, pop on the kettle and treat yourself to a slice of something special, let it be a piece of Almond and Apple Cake. It’s a reminder that the simplest pleasures — the scent of baking, the crunch of toasted almonds, the soft sweetness of stewed apple — are often the ones that stay with us the longest.
Almond and Apple Cake
Ingredients
Stewed apple topping:
- 2 large Bramley apple or 3 medium dessert apples peeled, cored and sliced
- 2 tbsp caster sugar
- 1 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp water
Cake batter:
- 150 g unsalted butter softened
- 150 g caster sugar
- 3 large eggs free range
- 100 g self-raising flour
- 100 g ground almonds
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 pinch salt
For the topping:
- 2 tbsp flaked almonds
- Icing sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan 150°C) / 340°F / Gas mark 3. Grease and line a 20cm (8-inch) round springform cake tin with baking paper.
- Place the sliced apples in a saucepan with the sugar, lemon juice, cinnamon (if using), and water. Cover and cook over low heat for 5–7 minutes until the apples have softened but still hold their shape. Set aside to cool.2 large Bramley apple, 2 tbsp caster sugar, 1 tbsp lemon juice, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, 2 tbsp water
- In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.150 g unsalted butter, 150 g caster sugar
- Beat in the eggs one at a time, adding a tablespoon of flour with each egg to prevent curdling.3 large eggs, 100 g self-raising flour
- Stir in the vanilla extract.1 tsp vanilla extract
- Fold in the remaining flour, baking powder, salt, and ground almonds until fully combined.1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 pinch salt, 100 g ground almonds
- Spoon the batter into the prepared cake tin and smooth the top.
- Gently spoon the stewed apples over the batter, spreading them out evenly.
- Sprinkle the flaked almonds over the top.2 tbsp flaked almonds
- Bake in the preheated oven for 45–50 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
- Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Dust with icing sugar before serving, if desired.Icing sugar
10 comments
This cake is a perfect dessert for me. Add hot custard and leave me alone to enjoy….
A good solid cake for a rainy day.
This is my new go-to autumn cake.
It was lovely. I don’t know how long it stays fresh as it was gone so quickly.
Nice flavour and texture, though I found the stewed apples a bit too soft for my taste.
The combination of soft stewed apples and the nutty almond base is pure comfort. I served it warm with a dollop of crème fraîche — absolutely divine
It’s rustic, comforting, and looks beautiful on the table without needing any fancy decorations.
The flaked almonds on top give it a nice crunch. I might add a bit more cinnamon next time, just for that extra cosy spice.
A real winner in our house! It was easy to make and came out beautifully moist.
Served it with custard for dessert and had no leftovers — always a good sign!