Make the most of the end of summer fruits with this Apple and Blackberry Loaf Cake, complete with oaty crumble topping.
Changing seasons
I have a confession. I've started buying knitwear. It might still be warm out but as August moves into September and summer gives way to autumn all I can think about is snuggling up in chunky knits.
Knitwear and boots are just one way I like to celebrate the changing seasons - another way is to make dessert out of the apples and blackberries that fill our fruit bowl.
Of course apple and blackberry crumble is a classic. There's something about the mix of sweet and sour, sticky and crispy, that makes me very very happy. But, you can't eat crumble for breakfast, lunch, dinner or a snack. Cake on the other hand...
Loaf cakes
Layer cakes are great, but loaf cakes are the most versatile treat. A slice makes the perfect partner for a cup of tea or coffee on a lazy Sunday morning. I've also been known to wrap up a slice for a mid-afternoon snack at work too.
But my favourite way to serve this particular loaf cake is for pudding, warmed up with a good helping of custard! Fresh blackberries are optional.
The grated apple makes this cake lovely and moist. The blackberries also burst while the loaf cake cooks so every mouthful is juicy! But best of all, the crisp crumble top adds some real bite. It's a wonderful mix of flavours and textures that leave you feeling warm and fuzzy inside.
Keep it simple
I did consider how I could jazz up the look of this cake. Maybe a blackberry compote would take this from simple Sunday bake to something you could serve at a dinner party but you know what, I love it just the way it is!
I have such a love affair with loaf cakes at the minute because they are so easy to make. The hardest part of this recipe is grating the apples. Seriously, that's it! Anyone can make this recipe and have a beautiful moist loaf cake to enjoy in just an hour and a half.
You can even cut down on the washing up by using loaf tin liners. I never make a loaf cake without them. You can buy the ones I use on Amazon
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The recipe
This recipe is a little different to most cake recipes. It starts off as though you are making a pastry by rubbing the fat, flour and sugar together. It might sound a little odd but believe me, it really works! Plus you can put some of it to one side to make the crumble top so you kill two birds with one stone.
It also uses two types of brown sugar. The light brown sugar means its not too dense, but the little bit of dark brown sugar gives it a really toffee like flavour.
Apple and Blackberry Crumble Loaf Cake
Ingredients
- 250 grams self raising flour
- 175 grams butter
- 125 grams light brown sugar
- 50 grams dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon rolled oats
- 200 grams apples roughly 3 small apples
- 175 grams blackberries fresh
- 2 large eggs beaten
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 pinch nutmeg
Instructions
- In a large bowl, rub together the flour, sugar and butter as though you were making pastry. Stop once the mix resembles breadcrumbs.
- Put 4 tablespoon of the mix into a separate bowl, add in the oats and pop into the fridge until step 9.
- Pre-heat the oven to 180C (gas mark 4) - see note 1.
- Grate the apples (including the peel but stop when you get to the core) into the bowl along with the spices.
- Add ⅔rds of the blackberries to the mix (cutting them in half if they are quite large).
- Mix to make sure all the fruit is well combined.
- Add in the beaten egg and mix until well combined.
- Place a loaf liner into your tin and spoon in the mixture.
- Spoon over the remaining blackberries and the oaty crumble mix.
- Cook in the centre of the oven for 1 hour 15 minutes or until the topping is golden and a skewer comes out clean (ignoring any blackberry juice).
- Leave to cool in the tin for half an hour before turning out.
Notes
Nutrition
If you like this you'll love
Check out some of these delicious loaf cakes, there's one for all seasons!
Julie says
This sounds really yummy!
Is the oven temp for a fan oven or should I reduce it to 160* for my fan oven?
=]
Emma Walton says
Good questions! I always forget not everyone has a fan oven! No need to reduce if you do 🙂 enjoy!
Sarah says
Hi, can't wait to try this out but just wanted to ask if I wanted to make mini loaves do you know by how much to reduce cooking time by? Many thanks!
Emma Walton says
Hi Sarah! How mini are we talking? A cupcake usually takes about 15minutes to cook. I'd start there and then see if they need a little longer? If you wanted to be really cautious maybe check after 10minutes.
Elaine says
Great recipe, made from our picked apples and blackberries, cake is moist, crumbly oaty topping makes it so moreish. Love it.
David Comfort says
This is one of my favourite recipes and cakes.
Could you bake similar with rhubarb and ginger. If so, what amount of fruit and ginger would you use?
Emma says
Hi David
Lovely to hear from you and I'm glad you like the recipe.
I've actually made a similar cake with rhubarb before which hasn't made it to the blog so it's definitely possible! I think I'd still use the apple but then swap the blackberries for the rhubarb (cut into pieces roughly the same size as a blackberry). Apple and rhubarb are a great flavour combination. As for the finger you have two options, you could either swap the cinnamon for ground ginger or I think it would be nice with diced stem ginger. If you were to do the latter I think I'd only add around 50 - 75 grams diced finely.
Have a play around and see what you think. I've not yet tried these quantities myself so couldn't say it would work out for definite. I'll see if I can make it sometime soon and come back to you if I do have a final recipe to share.
C says
What size tin would be best for this, please?
Emma says
You can use a 2lb loaf tin. Hope that helps!