Irish Apple Cake Recipe

This homemade Irish apple cake is a dense and tender cake loaded with chunks of granny smith and golden delicious apples, finished with a simple vanilla custard sauce that takes the whole thing over the top. It takes about 15 minutes of prep and the flavors are absolutely incredible.

I confess, most Irish apple cakes I have seen are about one inch thick, and that has always bothered me. When I think of cake, I think of something tall, something you can really sink your fork into. So I changed the pan, adjusted the bake time, and reworked a few of the ingredients to get a big, thick version that actually looks like a cake. If you love baking with apples, you should also try my classic apple pie or my old fashioned apple crisp. This recipe right here though, with that custard sauce poured over the top, is something else entirely.

Irish Apple Cake

Irish apple cake has been around for generations and traditionally used crab apples because of how abundant they were across the countryside. The cake itself is closer to a sweet, dense bread than a fluffy American-style cake, and every family seemed to have their own version of it. The custard sauce on the side is a classic pairing, though some families lean toward homemade caramel instead.

Isn’t it funny how food can instantly transport you to a specific place? No matter what Irish dish I’m eating, whether it is corned beef and cabbage or a classic shepherd’s pie, my mind always goes back to the same spot. I grew up just outside of Detroit in a small town called Mount Clemens, and there was a place called the Irish Hut where I enjoyed some of the most delicious meals, including a classic Irish apple cake. Today, I’m sharing my own version of that cake and showing you exactly how I make it.

For my recipe I use a deep 9-inch springform pan instead of a regular cake pan, I double the apples, and bake it low and slow until the top is golden and the center is firm. The custard sauce is easy and ready 5 minutes and I have made it so many times that I can promise the technique works. Trust me on this one. You’ll nail it.

Ingredients and Substitutions

My Irish Apple Cake recipe uses classic baking staples with the star being a mix of two apple varieties that balance sweet and tart in every bite.

• Flour – I use all purpose flour for this recipe.
• Apples – I use a combination of granny smith and golden delicious apples, all peeled and large diced. The granny smith brings the tartness and the golden delicious brings the sweetness. On their own, granny smith can be too sour for my taste, but together they are perfect.
• Sugar – Plain granulated sugar for the batter, plus extra to sprinkle on top before baking.
• Eggs – They can be cold or room temperature, it does not matter for this recipe.
• Milk – I prefer whole milk because it gives a little more fat to the batter. You could use 2% if that is all you have.
• Butter – Cold unsalted butter, cut into the dry ingredients with a pastry knife. You could use Kerrygold here since it is a nice Irish recipe.
• Spices and Leavening – Ground cinnamon and baking powder. You could add a pinch of ground nutmeg or cloves if you want to spice things up, but classically it is just cinnamon.
• Salt – Sea or kosher salt to balance the sweetness.
• Vanilla – Vanilla extract is what I use. It is technically optional but I always include it.
• Custard Sauce – Egg yolks, whole milk, sugar, and vanilla extract. That is all you need.

How to Make Irish Apple Cake

Preheat the oven: I set my oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit, always the middle rack.

Make the dry mixture: I add all purpose flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and cold unsalted butter to a very large bowl. Using a pastry knife, I cut the butter into the dry ingredients until the pieces are about the size of rice.

Note: You can also pulse everything in a food processor if yours is big enough. Sometimes I like to get in there with my hands to break up the butter, just an old habit from baking my Sicilian S cookies.

Coat the apples: I strain the apples if they were in the pineapple juice, give them a quick shake, and fold them into the dry mixture until every piece is completely coated.

Mix the wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, I whisk together eggs and vanilla extract until they are almost scrambled, then I add whole milk. I whisk the eggs first because once you add the milk, it becomes harder to break up the yolks.

Combine the batter: I pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a sturdy wooden spoon until everything is completely combined. This batter gets very thick, almost like bread dough. Make sure you use a big enough bowl because with all those apples in there, you need the space.

Prep the pan: I line the bottom of a 9 inch deep springform pan with a round of parchment paper, secure the buckle, and spray the inside with non-stick spray. One of my chefs in culinary school always said parchment paper and non-stick spray for everything, and I have followed that rule ever since.

Fill and top: I transfer the batter into the prepared pan and smooth out the top with a rubber spatula. Then I sprinkle 3 tablespoons of sugar evenly across the top.

Bake: I place the pan on a sheet tray lined with parchment paper (just in case the buckle opens, you do not want an oven full of batter) and bake at 375 F degrees for 80 to 90 minutes.

Cool completely: I transfer the pan to a rack and let it cool completely to room temperature before removing the springform ring.

Make the custard sauce: I whisk four egg yolks in a medium bowl and set them aside. In a medium saucepan, I heat one cup of whole milk and 1/2 cup of sugar over medium heat, stirring until it reaches a light boil with bubbles forming around the edges.

Temper the eggs: I slowly pour the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks one tablespoon at a time while constantly whisking. This prevents the yolks from scrambling. Once everything is combined, I pour the mixture back into the same saucepan.

Thicken the custard: I return the pan to low heat and whisk continuously until the sauce becomes very thick, like an alfredo sauce consistency. Do not stop whisking or it will scramble. I finish with one teaspoon of vanilla extract and give it a final whisk.

Serve: I run a flat butter knife around the inside of the springform pan, pop the buckle, and slice the cake. I pour a generous amount of custard sauce over each slice. You can serve the custard warm or let it cool completely and serve it cold.

Serving Suggestions

This cake is the kind of thing I bring out after a big Irish beef stew with guinness dinner. I slice it thick, pour that warm custard over the top, and people immediately forget they said they were too full for dessert. My daughter actually prefers the custard sauce cold, poured over a warmed slice the next morning with coffee, and I have to admit that combination is hard to beat.

If you are hosting family and want to keep things simple, this cake actually looks incredible on a breakfast table next to a plate of boxty, some warm Irish soda bread and a pot of coffee. I always make a double batch of the custard sauce because once people try it, they start spooning it directly, and I do not blame them one bit.

Make-Ahead and Storage  

Make-Ahead: I make this cake up to 2 days before I need it. The custard sauce can also be made a day ahead and stored separately in the refrigerator.

How to Store: I cover the cake and keep it at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. In the refrigerator, covered, it lasts 5 to 6 days. I freeze it covered for up to 3 months and thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before serving. Store the custard sauce in a sealed container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

More Delicious Dessert Recipes  

• Lava Cake
• Pecan Pie
• Churros
• Cheesecake
• Chess Pie