Description
This traditional Irish Apple Cake is a moist and tender dessert featuring a spiced batter loaded with tart Granny Smith apples. The cake is baked until the apples are soft and juicy, topped with a crunchy demerara sugar sprinkle. It’s perfectly complemented by a rich, creamy vanilla custard sauce that is smooth, velvety, and gently sweetened, making it a comforting treat ideal for tea time or dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Cake
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes, plus more softened for pan
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp finely grated fresh nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground allspice
- 3 cups (360 g) plus 3 tbsp all-purpose flour, divided
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 large Granny Smith apple, thinly sliced into 1/4″ pieces
- 3 tbsp demerara sugar
Custard Sauce
- 4 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
- 1 vanilla bean, halved (or 2 tsp pure vanilla extract)
- 1 1/4 cups heavy cream
Instructions
- Prepare the Cake Pan: Arrange a rack in the center of the oven and preheat it to 350°F (175°C). Butter a 9-inch springform pan thoroughly and line the sides and bottom with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, baking powder, ground cinnamon, kosher salt, ground ginger, freshly grated nutmeg, ground allspice, and 3 cups of the all-purpose flour until evenly combined.
- Incorporate Butter: Add the cold, cubed butter to the dry ingredients. Using your hands, rub the butter into the mixture until no large pieces remain and the texture resembles wet sand, ensuring an even crumb for the cake.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In another medium bowl, whisk the eggs, heavy cream, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
- Form the Batter: Add the wet ingredients to the dry mixture and gently mix using a rubber spatula until just combined, taking care not to overmix to keep the cake tender.
- Add Apples: Toss the thinly sliced Granny Smith apple pieces with the remaining 3 tablespoons of flour until evenly coated. Fold the apples gently into the batter to distribute them throughout.
- Transfer and Sprinkle: Pour the batter into the prepared springform pan, spreading it evenly. Sprinkle the top with the demerara sugar for a crunchy topping.
- Bake the Cake: Bake in the preheated oven for approximately 1 hour and 20 minutes, or until the apples are very tender and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Allow the cake to cool completely in the pan.
- Prepare Custard Base: In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar vigorously for about 6 minutes until the mixture lightens in color and thickens slightly.
- Heat Cream and Vanilla: In a medium heavy saucepan over medium-low heat, scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add both the seeds and the pod along with the heavy cream. Gently heat the mixture until it just reaches a boil, then remove from heat. If using vanilla extract instead, wait to add it after removing from heat.
- Temper Egg Yolk Mixture: Slowly whisk 2 to 3 tablespoons of the hot cream into the egg yolk mixture to temper it and prevent curdling. Gradually add the remaining hot cream while continuously whisking until fully incorporated.
- Cook Custard: Return the custard mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium-low heat, stirring constantly, until it thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon and a finger swiped through leaves a clear streak. Do not let the mixture boil to avoid curdling.
- Strain and Cool: Immediately pour the custard through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium bowl to remove the vanilla pod and any cooked egg bits. Let the custard cool to room temperature.
- Serve: Once cooled, slice the Irish apple cake and serve with generous spoonfuls of the smooth vanilla custard sauce for a comforting and delicious dessert.
Notes
- Make sure the butter is very cold when incorporating into the dry ingredients for the best crumb texture.
- Coating the apple slices in flour prevents them from sinking and helps distribute them evenly in the batter.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep the cake tender and avoid toughness.
- Temper the egg yolks carefully to prevent scrambling and achieve a smooth custard sauce.
- Use a fine-mesh strainer when making custard to ensure a silky texture by removing any cooked egg particles.
- This cake is best served at room temperature with fresh custard but can be stored covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
