James Martin Apple Crumble Cake

James Martin Apple Crumble Cake is made with fresh apples, crunchy pecans, and a rich maple fudge drizzle, ready in just over an hour. The hero moment arrives when you pour the hot, sticky toffee sauce over the golden, crumbly top, filling the kitchen with the scent of cinnamon and caramel. I love making this for Sunday tea because it combines the comfort of a traditional crumble with the sliceable ease of a sponge.

Try More Recipes:

• James Martin Toffee Apple Muffins​
• James Martin French Apple Tart With Puff Pastry​
• James Martin Apple Tarte Tatin​

Why This Classic Apple Crumble Cake Works

• I have baked many fruit cakes, but this version stands out because it marries two of the best desserts in existence: a moist apple sponge and a crunchy crumble topping. The addition of maple syrup and pecans gives it a slight American twist, adding a depth of flavour that simple caster sugar just can’t achieve.
• The first time I made this, I worried the extra fudge topping would be too sweet, but the tartness of the cooking apples cuts through perfectly. It creates a balance of textures—soft cake, tender fruit, and crisp crumb—that makes it feel like a proper restaurant dessert rather than just a quick bake.

James Martin Apple Crumble Cake Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 250g unsalted butter, softened
• 250g light brown soft sugar
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 4 large eggs
• 250g self-raising flour
• 50g pecans, roughly chopped
• 2 large apples (Bramley or Granny Smith), cored and diced

For the Crumble Topping:

• 50g cold butter, cubed
• 100g plain flour
• 50g light brown soft sugar

For the Fudge Drizzle:

• 25g butter
• 25g light brown soft sugar
• 25g maple syrup
• 50ml double cream

How To Make James Martin Apple Crumble Cake

1. Prep the Oven and Tin: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/Gas 4). Grease and line a deep 23cm (9-inch) round cake tin or springform tin with baking parchment.
2. Cream the Butter and Sugar: In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the 250g softened butter and 250g light brown sugar together until pale and fluffy. This usually takes about 3-5 minutes.
3. Add Wet Ingredients: Beat in the cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. If the mixture looks like it’s curdling, add a spoonful of the flour.
4. Fold in Dry and Fruit: Gently fold in the self-raising flour until just combined. Stir in the chopped pecans and half of the diced apples. Pour the batter into your prepared tin and smooth the top.
5. Make the Crumble: In a separate small bowl, rub the 50g cold butter into the 100g plain flour using your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the 50g brown sugar.
6. Assemble and Bake: Scatter the remaining diced apples over the cake batter, then sprinkle the crumble mixture generously on top. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
7. Make the Fudge Sauce: While the cake cools slightly, place the fudge ingredients (butter, sugar, maple syrup, cream) in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes until thickened and glossy.
8. Finish: Drizzle the warm fudge sauce over the cake before serving.

Recipe Tips

• Butter Temperature: Ensure your butter for the sponge is properly soft so it creams well, but keep the butter for the crumble ice cold. This ensures the topping stays crunchy rather than melting into the cake.
• Apple Choice: Bramley apples are traditional for their tartness, which balances the sweet fudge, but Granny Smiths work well if you want the apple chunks to hold their shape better during baking.
• Check for Doneness: The moisture from the apples can make the cake take longer to cook. If the top is browning too quickly but the centre is still wet, cover the tin loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes.

What To Serve With Apple Crumble Cake?

Since this Apple Crumble Cake already has a rich fudge sauce, it is delicious on its own, but a dollop of clotted cream or slightly unsweetened whipped cream cuts through the sugar beautifully. For a warm dessert course, serve a slice with hot vanilla custard to really lean into the comfort food vibe.

How To Store Leftovers Apple Crumble Cake?

• Room Temperature or Refrigerate: Place the completely cooled cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or keep it in the fridge for up to 5 days to ensure the fresh apple filling stays safe and delicious.
• Freeze: Wrap individual slices tightly in plastic wrap followed by a layer of aluminum foil, or store them in a heavy-duty freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or on the counter before eating.

How To Reheat Leftovers Apple Crumble Cake?

• Oven (Best Method): Place the cake slices on a baking sheet and heat at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 15 minutes. You can loosely cover them with foil to prevent the cake from drying out, removing it for the last 3 minutes to crisp the topping.
• Air Fryer: Pop a slice in at 320°F (160°C) for 3 to 5 minutes for a super quick, crunchy topping.
• Microwave (Quickest): Warm a single slice on a microwave-safe plate in 30-second bursts until steaming. Keep in mind that this method will make the crumble topping soft instead of crispy.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• James Martin Apple Crumble
• James Martin Apple Pie
• James Martin Baked Cheesecake Recipe

Apple Crumble Cake Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 485 kcal
• Total Fat: 28g
• Saturated Fat: 15g
• Cholesterol: 115mg
• Sodium: 210mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 54g
• Protein: 6g

James Martin Apple Crumble Cake

Recipe by Ella ThompsonCourse: Cakes, DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

10

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

1

hour 

35

minutes

Total time

1

hour 

55

minutes

This spiced James Martin Apple Crumble Cake combines a moist maple and pecan sponge with tart Bramley apples and a crunchy crumble topping. Finished with a sticky toffee fudge drizzle, it takes 1 hour and 15 minutes to make and is the perfect Sunday treat.

Ingredients

• For the Cake:

• 250g unsalted butter, softened

• 250g light brown soft sugar

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tbsp maple syrup

• 4 large eggs

• 250g self-raising flour

• 50g pecans, roughly chopped

• 2 large apples (Bramley or Granny Smith), cored and diced

• For the Crumble Topping:

• 50g cold butter, cubed

• 100g plain flour

• 50g light brown soft sugar

• For the Fudge Drizzle:

• 25g butter

• 25g light brown soft sugar

• 25g maple syrup

• 50ml double cream

Directions

• Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan/Gas 4). Grease and line a deep 23cm (9-inch) round cake tin or springform tin with baking parchment.
• In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the 250g softened butter and 250g light brown sugar together until pale and fluffy. This usually takes about 3-5 minutes.
• Beat in the cinnamon and 1 tablespoon of maple syrup. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. If the mixture looks like it’s curdling, add a spoonful of the flour.
• Gently fold in the self-raising flour until just combined. Stir in the chopped pecans and half of the diced apples. Pour the batter into your prepared tin and smooth the top.
• In a separate small bowl, rub the 50g cold butter into the 100g plain flour using your fingertips until it resembles breadcrumbs. Stir in the 50g brown sugar.
• Scatter the remaining diced apples over the cake batter, then sprinkle the crumble mixture generously on top. Bake for 45-55 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean.
• While the cake cools slightly, place the fudge ingredients (butter, sugar, maple syrup, cream) in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil and simmer for 2 minutes until thickened and glossy.
• Drizzle the warm fudge sauce over the cake before serving.

Notes

• Butter Temperature: Ensure your butter for the sponge is properly soft so it creams well, but keep the butter for the crumble ice cold. This ensures the topping stays crunchy rather than melting into the cake.
  Apple Choice: Bramley apples are traditional for their tartness, which balances the sweet fudge, but Granny Smiths work well if you want the apple chunks to hold their shape better during baking.
  Check for Doneness: The moisture from the apples can make the cake take longer to cook. If the top is browning too quickly but the centre is still wet, cover the tin loosely with foil for the last 15 minutes.