There’s something magical about this time of year in Scotland when the late summer air carries the scent of ripening apples. Our orchard is starting to get heavy with fruit ready to be turned into something delicious, and I can’t wait to share lots of autumn recipes with you in the months ahead. This unique apple and coffee layer cake celebrates that perfect moment when summer fades into autumn, combining the sweet earthiness of fresh orchard apples with the rich warmth of coffee.

What I love about this cake is its coffee-soaked apple layers, which create pockets of rich flavour throughout each slice. The method is straightforward, and the delicious results make it well worth the effort!

Ingredients

For the Cake:

• 175g self-raising flour
• 150g caster sugar
• 150g unsalted butter, softened
• 3 large eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp milk
• Pinch of salt

For the Coffee-Soaked Apples:

• 3 medium apples (any sweet variety), peeled and diced into very small pieces
• 150ml strong coffee, cooled
• 1½ tbsp light brown sugar
• ¾ tsp cinnamon

For the Coffee Buttercream:

• 190g unsalted butter, softened
• 375g icing sugar, sifted
• 3 tbsp of the reserved coffee from the soaked apples, cooled

For Decoration:

• 75g walnut halves

Method

Prepare the Coffee-Soaked Apples

1. In a bowl, combine the very finely diced apples, cooled coffee, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Stir well and set aside for 30 minutes to allow the apples to absorb the coffee flavour.

Make the Cake

1. Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C fan). Grease and line two 7-inch round cake tins.
2. In a large bowl, cream the butter and caster sugar until light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes with an electric whisk).
3. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then add vanilla extract and milk. Mix until smooth.
4. Fold in the flour and salt until just combined – don’t overmix.
5. Drain the coffee-soaked apples (save the liquid for later) and gently fold them into the cake batter.
6. Divide the mixture evenly between your prepared tins and level the tops.
7. Bake for 22-27 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean.
8. While still warm, brush the tops of both cakes with some of the reserved coffee liquid from the apples. Allow to cool completely on wire racks.

Make the Buttercream

1. Beat the softened butter until pale and creamy. Gradually add the icing sugar, beating well after each addition.
2. Add the cooled coffee mixture then beat until smooth and spreadable.

Assemble the Cake

1. Place one cake layer on your serving plate. Spread half the buttercream on top.
2. Place the second layer on top and spread the remaining buttercream over the top and sides of the cake.
3. Arrange the walnut halves decoratively on top.
4. Allow the cake to set for 30 minutes before serving.

Notes:

• The cake keeps well covered for 3 days and actually improves in flavour as the coffee notes develop

Serves 6-8