- Nut free
- Peanut free
- Sesame free
- Soy free
- Shellfish free
- Seafood free
- Vegetarian
For a taste of autumn any time of year, whip up an apple and cinnamon tea cake. Enjoy this afternoon treat with a dollop of cream and a nice hot cuppa.
- Serves12
- Cook time1 hour
- Prep time20 minutes
Ingredients
- 160g butter, softened
- 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 2 Coles Australian Free Range Eggs
- 2 cups (300g) self-raising flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (250ml) milk
- 2 red-skinned apples, quartered, cored, cut into thin slices
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon, extra
- 20g butter, extra, melted
- 1 tbs demerara
- Whipped cream, to serve
Nutritional information
Check ingredient labels to make sure they meet your specific dietary requirements and always consult a health professional before changing your diet. View dietary information here.
Percentage Daily Intake information on our recipes is calculated using the nutrition reference values for an average Australian adult.
Method
Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line the base and side of a 22cm-diameter (base measurement) cake pan with baking paper.
Step 2
Place butter, caster sugar and vanilla in a bowl and use an electric mixer to beat together until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour, cinnamon and milk, in alternating batches, stirring until just combined.
Step 3
Spread half the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Arrange half the apple slices over batter, sprinkle with extra cinnamon. Top with remaining batter and smooth the surface. Arrange remaining apples over the top.
Step 4
Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Set aside for 10 mins before turning onto a wire rack to cool slightly. Brush warm cake with melted butter, and sprinkle with demerara sugar.
Step 5
Serve cake with whipped cream or ice-cream.
Recipe tip
COOK. STORE. SAVE
Clever storage: The cake is best eaten on the day it is made, but will keep for several days in an airtight container. Leftover cake can be cut into individual slices, wrapped in plastic wrap and foil, and frozen for up to 2 months, although the texture of the topping may change.
Smart swap: If you don’t have demerara, use raw sugar or granulated sugar instead. Coconut sugar would also be a great swap because of its dark colour and caramel notes. You can also experiment with other spices. Use a mixture of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and cardamom in the batter for a chai spice apple cake, or try allspice or a five-spice mixture. A teaspoon of vanilla extract can be used instead of the vanilla bean paste.
Apple cinnamon tea cake recipe
While ‘tea cake’ means different things around the world, in Australia it’s usually a simple butter-based cake, often served warm. A cinnamon apple tea cake is a delicious and popular example. An easy apple cinnamon tea cake is perfect for a relaxed afternoon tea, but is also robust enough to bring to a picnic. This one layers apple slices in and atop it and is crusted with demerara sugar for a stunning finish. Serve it with a hot or cold beverage of your choice and a dollop of fresh cream on the side for extra richness. It’s also lovely with ice-cream, so you can easily enjoy it as a dessert. With apples easily available all year round, this cake is sure to become a regular on the menu.
How to make this easy apple and cinnamon tea cake
This cake is very straightforward. Make sure you beat the butter, sugar and vanilla thoroughly, as this helps create the excellent texture of the finished cake. Follow the recipe to mix in the other ingredients in several stages, then you are ready to layer the batter and apple slices. Bake until golden brown, then allow it to rest in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out onto a rack. The final step happens while the cake is still warm. Brushing with a little butter and then sprinkling with sugar adds a delicate sugary crunch to the top.
What should I serve with tea cake?
Cream and ice-cream both make great partners for this cake, but if you’re a fan of spreading butter on your slice, you’ll find that delicious as well. You could also enjoy this cake with a dollop of Greek yoghurt and perhaps a drizzle of honey, too.
As the name suggests, a slice of this cake goes very well with a cup of tea (or coffee) at morning or afternoon tea. A classic black, English Breakfast or Earl Grey tea would go down a treat, or you could opt for something herbal to bring out the cake’s fruity notes.
Now get cooking
If you love the classic pairing of apple and cinnamon, or you have leftover apples to use up, you’ll love apple pie cupcakes, Curtis Stone's apple cinnamon custard cake and homemade cinnamon ice-cream with baked apples. Or explore tea cakes with other fruit, from a soft, fruity pineapple tea cake to a festive cherry-cinnamon wreath cake.
FAQs
Apple cinnamon tea cake
- Serves12
- Cook time1 hour
- Prep time20 minutes
Ingredients
- 160g butter, softened
- 1 cup (220g) caster sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla bean paste
- 2 Coles Australian Free Range Eggs
- 2 cups (300g) self-raising flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 cup (250ml) milk
- 2 red-skinned apples, quartered, cored, cut into thin slices
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon, extra
- 20g butter, extra, melted
- 1 tbs demerara
- Whipped cream, to serve
Description
For a taste of autumn any time of year, whip up an apple and cinnamon tea cake. Enjoy this afternoon treat with a dollop of cream and a nice hot cuppa.
Method
Step 1
Preheat oven to 180°C. Grease and line the base and side of a 22cm-diameter (base measurement) cake pan with baking paper.
Step 2
Place butter, caster sugar and vanilla in a bowl and use an electric mixer to beat together until pale and creamy. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add the flour, cinnamon and milk, in alternating batches, stirring until just combined.
Step 3
Spread half the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface. Arrange half the apple slices over batter, sprinkle with extra cinnamon. Top with remaining batter and smooth the surface. Arrange remaining apples over the top.
Step 4
Bake for 1 hour or until golden brown and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Set aside for 10 mins before turning onto a wire rack to cool slightly. Brush warm cake with melted butter, and sprinkle with demerara sugar.
Step 5
Serve cake with whipped cream or ice-cream.