With lots of pieces of apple, this apple and cinnamon traybake is quick and easy to make and packed full of flavour. A perfect everyday treat that is made for sharing.
The Perfect Traybake
To my mind, the perfect traybake is quick and easy to make and not in the least bit fussy. Sure it can have a simple icing or a little decoration but it should be first and foremost about ease and flavour.
The kind of cake you can't use the excuse you don't have time to bake because it really doesn't take that long. Something that is perfect for having with a cup of tea, packing into a lunch box, sending to a school cake sale or simply sharing with family and friends.
It is very much my kind of cake. You may notice that there are not many fussy cupcakes on this blog, they have their place but I don't often make them, simply because they are often too much work for the few seconds it takes to eat them.
Apples Galore
In the late autumn, I start to find myself with a glut of apples, we have two mature apple trees in our holiday cottage garden and they produce a lot of fruit.
Some we eat fresh from the trees. A lot we juice and freeze for drinking later or turn into cider. But of course, I also like to use them in my cooking. This traybake is one I have made many times. I have also often been asked for the recipe. So I knew it was time to share.
Easy Apple and Cinnamon Traybake - The Basic Recipe
This is my basic recipe and it is a pretty standard creamed cake mixture the same as you would use to make a Victoria sandwich. However in this recipe, I use light muscovado sugar which I think is what makes it so tasty, it has a depth of flavour that caster sugar doesn't.
Then I add a generous spoon of cinnamon and lots of diced apples. I use a small roasting tin about 23 x 27cm (9 x 11in) or a cake tin 20 x 30cm (8 x12 in). I have sprinkled this one with demerara sugar before baking alternatively you could lightly dust it with icing sugar after or leave plain.
Easy Variations
As I make this a lot I also tend to vary it so that the family doesn't get bored with the same old cake - as yet that hasn't happened!
- Core and slice an extra-eating apple and arrange slices on top before baking. Brush with a little warm apricot jam or apple jelly after baking.
- Add some chopped hazelnuts or walnuts.
- Add some sultanas.
- Cover with a little glace icing the elderflower icing from my rhubarb cake with elderflower icing works particularly well or make the icing with a little lemon juice.
- Rub equal quantities of plain flour and butter together to resemble coarse breadcrumbs, stir in a little sugar and sprinkle over the top of the cake.
- Replace the cinnamon with mixed spice or ground cardamon.
- Cook in two 1lb (450g) loaf tins.
Did I mention the tray bake is delicious and served warm with custard, cream or ice cream for a fabulous dessert.
Pin for Later
Step by Step Easy Apple and Cinnamon Traybake
Step 1
Beat the butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Step 2
Beat in the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
Step 3
Beat in the cinnamon.
Step 4
Add the apple and fold in.
Step 5
Add the flour and gently fold in until well combined.
Step 6
Spoon into prepared tin and level.
Step 7
Sprinkle with sugar if using.
Step 8
Bake until risen and golden
Easy Apple and Cinnamon Traybake
Equipment
- rectangular baking tin about 23 x 27cm( 9 x 11 in).
- baking sheet
- electric hand or stand mixer
Ingredients
- 250 g (9oz) butter softened
- 250 g (9oz) light muscovado sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 500 g (1lb2oz) apples peeled cored and diced
- 300 g (10½oz) self-raising flour
- 2 tablespoon demerara sugar (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180℃ (160℃ fan)/350°F/gas mark 4. Grease and line a rectangular baking tin about 23 x 27cm( 9 x 11 in).
- Beat 250g butter and 250g sugar together until light and fluffy. Add 4 eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition.
- Beat in 1 tablespoon cinnamon, then add 500g diced apple and mix well.
- Gently fold in 300g flour until well combined. Spoon into the prepared tin and spread level. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons of demerara sugar if using
- Bake in the centre of the oven for 45 minutes, until risen and golden. The cake will spring back when gently pressed in the centre with your finger.
- Allow to cool in the tin. Transfer to a board and cut into squares to serve.
Sally Sugg says
Moist, delicious and so easy to make. Good for tea or as a pudding with cream or custard or even topped with raspberries or strawberries on whipped cream. YUM!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thank you for take the time to comment and rate the recipe, Im glad you like it. I like it warm with custard and make it a lot when my apple trees bear fruit.
Mary Noonan says
This is a great recipe. It worked out very well. All the family enjoyed it. Will bake again and freeze one.Mary Noonan
Joanna Farmer says
I was gifted a big bag of apples from a colleague’s garden recently. Doubled this up and made two loaf cakes, both topped with mixture of crunchy sugar and cinnamon powder. Absolutely delicious cake, very moist and apple dense. Reminded me a bit of the MacDonalds apple pies I had an obsession with as a child! Took one into work where it barely lasted a morning and was descended on by hungry nurses and Doctors and got many many compliments. The other one was demolished by the family which shows how good it was. I knew it would be as I’ve made many recipes from this blog and never had a dud yet, thanks Jacqui!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Thank you Joanna Im so glad you and everyone else enjoyed it. And thank you for the lovely comment at the end Im so happy to hear this.
Meeta says
Hi. Is 500g the weight before the apples are peeled and cored?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Yes that is the weight before peeling and coring.
Vanessa K H King says
Last year I made this delicious cake with apples from the allotment and donated one to the local G.P.surgery staff. I was stopped in the street and told it was the best cake ever. This year I have already had hints about another donation of the same cake!!!!! As I agree with them that it is delicious I will take one along when I go for my flu jab. At another time if I used pears should I use ginger instead of cinnamon or is pear and cinnamon a good combination?
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Best cake ever what a great compliment to your baking as well as the recipe. Im really pleased you and they liked it. I think cinnamon also goes really well with pears but ginger would also be good. You could even make the apple cake with ginger if you wanted to ring the changes
Chris says
Made this with a glut of garden apples. Thought it would be an everyday type of cake, but it is absolutely delicious- light, moist, fruity and spicy. Thank you - this is destined to be a real family favourite.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Glad you liked it so much you are so right it might seem a fairly ordinary cake and yet it is totally delicious and one of our family favourite too which I make a lot.
JJ says
What kind of apples do you use? Cooking apples or eating apples Thanks
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
I use dessert apples for this cake but you could use cooking apples if you want to.
Sara Lincoln says
Does everyone leave in the tin to cool, or on a wire rack? Works with pears too or a apple pear mix, I add sultanas or blueberries sometimes.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
As its a traybake I mind it fine to cool in the tin because it is shallow it cools quickly. Deeper cakes can get a bit sweaty or even overcook as it retains the heat for longer if left in the tin to cool. I do usually put the tin itself on a trivet or cooling rack so that the air can circulate around it.
I've not added pears as I always have a lot of apples from my tree and I do not have a pear tree but I'm sure a mix or even using just pears alone would be delicious. I do however sometimes add sultanas and blueberries would be nice too.
Julie S says
Had a glut of apples due to recently signing up for a Fruit and Veg box delivery and my husband is not a big fan of them. Made this cake today and we both absolutely loved it!
Didn't have the correct sugar so I used 1/4 dark muscovado and 3/4 light soft brown which worked.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Ah yes perfect when you have a glut of apples, I make a lot when we have apples from our trees and who doest love an apple cake? Glad you liked this one.
Peter McHugh says
Made this today. Grated the apple and added some sultanas. Turned out really well and tastes delicious. Thanks for a great recipe.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
So pleased you made and like this cake recipe. I sometimes add sultanas too although my son doesn't like them. I ave not tried grating the apple before as I like the apple pieces in my cake.
Debbie Needham says
Made this to help use up some eating apples kindly given to us from a neighbours tree . Easy to follow and turned out just as it looked. Tasted good too !
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
What a fab neighbour and so pleased you like the recipe.
Nice williams says
Great traybake reminds me of the cakes and traybake my mother baked plus you can tweek them a bit .thankyou
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Hard to beat a simple traybake and lovely to have memories revived by food. So pleased you liked it.
Sue Myers says
Every week I bake something for our evening church meeting. This week I was looking for something quick and simple which wouldn't need icing. Your apple and cinnamon tray bake was perfect. Unfortunately I didn't have enough fresh apples so added some tinned which I always keep in the cupboard. It went down very well and I'll definitely be making it again. Thank you for sharing.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Hi Sue, so pleased you were able to make it great to know you can use tinned apple too. Great that it went down so well. I love simple traybakes so its only a matter of time before I add another :).
Sue Myers says
I can't wait for more tray bake recipes, especially when they don't entail having to make icing as well.
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Make sure you check out my Baking Blog Only Crumbs Remain as well. There is a lovely pineapple and coconut tray bake there no icing required!
Jenny Paulin says
i adore this type of traybake and have intact made a similar one (but with grated apple) this morning for my boys lunch boxes this week! Yours looks o tempting!!! thank you for linking to #GBBOBloggers2018 / #GBBOBakeoftheWeek x
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
Thanks Jenny
Shell Louise says
It looks delicious and is one of my favourite flavours. We also have an apple tree and this time of year is really hard for me and my diet because we're always baking something to use up the apples!
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
Diet - te;; me about it I now also have a load of plums to use. x
Monika Dabrowski says
I love apple dessert recipes, and I love how easy this lovely apple cake is to make! Shared around.
Jacqui Bellefontaine says
Monika thanks for sharing. It is a classic I've been using for years.
Sanya says
I made this today and it turned out perfect! I reduced the sugar to 150g and added some sultanas and chopped pecans.
Delicious, especially served warm! Thank you!
Jacqueline Bellefontaine says
Delighted it turned out so well for you. I wouldn't cut the sugar any further as it think it would start to affect the structure of the cake adversely. I quite often add sultanas too so great mind think alike Pecans would be delicious too I shall try that as I make this cake often.