Bramley Apple and Brown Butter Crunch Cake Recipe
This seasonal dessert combines tart Bramley apples, nutty brown butter, and a caramel-infused cornflake topping to create a textured autumnal cake.
Ingredients for the Cake Base
To prepare the base, you will need:
* 100g unsalted butter (plus extra for greasing)
* 135g light brown sugar
* 90g plain flour
* 45g cornflour
* 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
* 1 tsp mixed spice
* 1 tsp ground cinnamon
* 125g soured cream
* 1 medium egg plus 1 egg yolk
* 1 tsp vanilla extract
Preparing the Apple Topping and Caramel Glaze
The apple component requires two Bramley apples, peeled, cored, and sliced into thin wedges, tossed with 1 tsp of lemon juice and 1 tsp of ground cinnamon. For the final crunch and glaze, the recipe calls for:
* 50g walnut halves, toasted
* 397g Nestlé Carnation caramel
* 50g high-quality white chocolate, chopped
* 80g cornflakes, coarsely crushed
* Flaky sea salt
Instructions for Assembly and Baking
Begin by melting the butter in a pan over medium heat for 6–8 minutes until it develops a nutty aroma and golden-brown flecks. Reserve half of this butter for the cake batter and use the remainder to sauté the apple wedges with lemon juice and cinnamon for 5 minutes until tender.
Preheat the oven to 190°C (170°C fan). Toast the walnuts on a tray for 10 minutes. For the cake batter, whisk the dry ingredients—sugar, flours, baking powder, and spices—in a large bowl. In a separate container, combine the reserved brown butter, soured cream, egg, egg yolk, and vanilla. Integrate the wet ingredients into the dry, pour into a greased 20cm cake tin, and bake for 25 minutes.
Once the cake is warm, poke holes across the surface. Warm 200g of the caramel with a pinch of salt and the cooked apples, then pour this mixture over the cake. Finally, melt the white chocolate, stir in the remaining caramel, salt, cornflakes, and toasted walnuts. Spread this crunchy mixture over the top, press down gently, and finish with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Customization and Serving Suggestions
This cake is best served alongside ice cream or freshly whipped cream to complement the texture of the cornflake topping. For those looking to experiment with the flavor profile, swapping Bramley apples for pears or using pecans instead of walnuts provides a similar structural result with a slightly different aromatic finish.