Description
Irish Apple Cake is a classic Irish dessert featuring a moist spiced cake layered with tart Granny Smith apples and topped with a crunchy oat streusel. Served with a rich, velvety custard sauce, this comforting cake is perfect for afternoon tea or a cozy dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 3 Tbsp whole milk or cream
- 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp salt
- About 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced (about 1 pound after peeling)
- Confectioner’s sugar for dusting
Streusel Topping
- 3/4 cup all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 6 Tbsp unsalted cold butter, cut into small pieces
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Custard Sauce
- 6 large egg yolks
- 6 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk (or half and half or cream)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch springform pan thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- Make custard sauce: In a medium saucepan, bring the milk to a simmer over medium heat. Meanwhile, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until combined. Slowly drizzle some hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking continuously to temper the eggs. Add more milk gradually, then pour the mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula, scraping the bottom and sides to prevent curdling, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon but is still pourable. Remove from the heat and stir in vanilla. Strain the custard through a sieve into a heatproof container, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent skin formation, and refrigerate until completely chilled.
- Prepare streusel topping: Combine flour, rolled oats, and sugar in a bowl. Cut in the cold butter pieces until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Refrigerate until ready to use.
- Cream butter and sugar: In a mixing bowl, beat the room temperature butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Mix dry ingredients and combine: Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the creamed butter mixture, then add the milk or cream and fold until just combined to form the batter.
- Assemble the cake: Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top evenly. Arrange the sliced apples in an even layer over the batter (no need for perfect arrangement). Sprinkle the chilled streusel topping evenly over the apples.
- Bake: Bake the cake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes, or until the top is lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean without wet batter.
- Cool and serve: Allow the cake to cool slightly in the pan before removing the springform. Dust the top with confectioner’s sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature with the chilled custard sauce.
Notes
- Using Granny Smith apples gives a nice tart flavor and holds shape well during baking.
- Cold butter in the streusel helps create a crumbly texture.
- Tempering the eggs slowly when making custard prevents curdling.
- Custard will thicken more as it cools; don’t overcook during preparation.
- To keep apple slices from browning before assembling, toss them briefly in lemon water.
- You can substitute half and half or cream for a richer custard.
- This cake can be made the day before and stored covered at room temperature.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 320 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 80 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 40 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 125 mg
