Description
This classic Irish Apple Cake is a delightful dessert featuring a tender spiced cake layered with tart Granny Smith apples and topped with a buttery oat streusel. Served with a smooth, homemade vanilla custard sauce, it’s a comforting treat perfect for any season.
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 lb after slicing)
- 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 in small pieces
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
Custard Sauce
- 6 large egg yolks
- 6 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 cups whole milk (can substitute half and half or cream)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350F and grease a 9-inch springform pan to ensure the cake can be easily removed after baking.
- Make Custard Sauce: Heat the milk over medium heat until it simmers. Meanwhile, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until well combined. Gradually drizzle hot milk into the egg mixture while continuously whisking to temper the eggs. Pour the mixture back into the pan with the remaining hot milk. Cook over medium heat stirring constantly until the custard thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon. Avoid overcooking to prevent curdling. Stir in vanilla. Strain through a sieve into a heatproof container, cover surface with plastic wrap to prevent skin formation and refrigerate until fully chilled.
- Prepare Streusel Topping: Cut cold butter into small pieces and blend it into the flour, sugar, and oats until you have a coarse, crumbly mixture. Chill in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a bowl, cream together the room temperature butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Add Eggs: Beat in the eggs one at a time, fully incorporating each before adding the next.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- Combine Batter: Fold the dry ingredients into the creamed butter and sugar mixture along with the milk or cream, mixing until just combined.
- Assemble Cake: Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the surface evenly. Layer the sliced apples on top evenly. Sprinkle the chilled streusel topping over the apples.
- Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 60 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean with no 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 slices with chilled custard sauce on the side.
Notes
- The custard sauce can be made a day ahead and refrigerated to save time.
- Use Granny Smith apples for tartness; if unavailable, other firm tart apples can be substituted.
- Ensure butter for streusel topping is very cold for best crumbly texture.
- Do not overcook the custard sauce to avoid curdling; it should remain smooth and velvety.
- For a richer cake, substitute cream for milk in the batter and custard.
- Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon when cooking custard to avoid scratching the pan.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 30 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 15 g
- Saturated Fat: 9 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
