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 me 15 minutes of prep and the flavors are absolutely incredible.
Ingredients
For the Cake:
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup sugar + 3 tablespoons
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 8 ounces cold unsalted butter
- 2 peeled cored and large diced granny smith apples
- 2 peeled cored and large diced golden delicious apples
- 4 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup whole milk
For the Custard:
- 4 egg yolks
- 1 cup whole milk
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 teaspoon good vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°.
- Cake: Cream the flour, 1 cup of sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and butter in a large bowl using a pastry knife until the butter is the size of rice.
- Fold in the apples using a spoon until they are completely coated.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, vanilla and milk and then combine it into the flour-butter mixture until combined. It should resemble a thick dough.
- Transfer the mixture to a 9” greased spring form pan and bake in the oven at 375° for 80 to 90 minutes or until golden brown on top and firm in the center.
- Cool completely on a rack to room temperature before slicing and serving.
- Custard: Whisk together the egg yolks in a medium size bowl. Set aside.
- Heat the milk and sugar in a medium size pot over medium heat just until lightly boiling.
- Slowly pour the mixture into the bowl with the eggs while continually stirring and then pour the mixture back to the pan over low heat and stir until it becomes very thick, think alfredo sauce.
- Finish by whisking in the vanilla and then pour a small amount over a cooled slice of cake.
Notes
I have made custard sauce at least a thousand times in my Chef career. I have scrambled it, I have scorched it, I have undercooked it. The one thing I can tell you is to never stop whisking once you put the mixture back on the heat. That is one of those fundamental techniques that separates a smooth silky custard from a bowl of sweet scrambled eggs. Low heat, constant motion, and patience.
Use a springform pan: Do not try this in a regular 9 inch cake pan. The batter rises well above the rim and you will have an absolute headache trying to get it out in one piece. The springform buckle makes it effortless.
Sheet tray underneath: I always bake this on a parchment lined sheet tray. If that springform buckle gives out, the sheet tray catches everything and saves you from scrubbing baked batter off the bottom of your oven.
Pineapple juice for apple prep: Submerge your diced apples in pineapple juice diluted with water and they will stay crisp and white for up to 3 days. This is a restaurant trick that I have used for years and it works far better than a squeeze of lemon.
Do not overmix the batter: Once the wet ingredients hit the dry, mix until just combined. The batter is supposed to be very thick. Overworking it will develop the gluten and make the cake tough instead of tender.
Parchment on top: If the cake starts browning too quickly around the 50 or 60 minute mark, just lay a piece of parchment paper on top and keep baking. Foil works too but parchment is my preference.
Make-Ahead: You can make this cake up to 2 days ahead of time. See storage instructions below.
How to Store: You can cover and keep at room temperature for 3-4 days. Cover and keep it in the refrigerator for 5-6 days and freeze it covered for up to 3 months. Be sure to thaw it in the refrigerator for 1 day before serving.
Nutrition
Calories: 485kcalCarbohydrates: 68gProtein: 9gFat: 20gSaturated Fat: 12gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 164mgSodium: 143mgPotassium: 299mgFiber: 3gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 737IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 123mgIron: 3mg