Description
A classic Irish Apple Cake featuring tender cake layered with tart Granny Smith apples and a crumbly streusel topping, served with a rich homemade custard sauce.
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 (a little over 1 pound 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 (or half and half or cream)
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch springform pan thoroughly to prevent sticking.
- Make Custard Sauce: Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it starts to simmer. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until well combined. Gradually drizzle the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Pour the mixture back into the pan with remaining milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly with a silicone spatula until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon but is not pudding-thick. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Strain through a sieve into a heatproof container and cover the surface with plastic wrap to prevent skin formation. Chill in the refrigerator until completely cold.
- Prepare Streusel Topping: Combine flour, rolled oats, sugar, and cold butter pieces in a bowl. Use your fingers or a pastry cutter to blend the butter into the dry ingredients until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Refrigerate the streusel topping until ready to use.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, beat the room temperature butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Fold these dry ingredients gradually into the butter and sugar mixture along with the milk or cream until just combined.
- Assemble Cake: Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared springform pan and smooth the surface. Arrange the thinly sliced apples in an even layer over the batter. Sprinkle the chilled streusel topping evenly over the apples.
- Bake: Place the pan in the preheated oven and bake for about 60 minutes or until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the cake comes out clean without wet batter.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cake to cool slightly in the pan before removing. Dust the top with confectioner’s sugar just before serving. Serve with chilled custard sauce on the side.
Notes
- Use Granny Smith apples for their tartness and firmness which balance the sweet cake and hold shape well during baking.
- If a springform pan is unavailable, use a 9-inch round cake pan lined with parchment paper for easier removal.
- To prevent the custard from curdling, cook it gently over medium heat, stirring constantly, and remove promptly once thickened.
- Streusel topping can be made ahead and kept refrigerated to save time before baking.
- The custard sauce is versatile and can be served warm or chilled depending on preference.
- Dust confectioner’s sugar right before serving to maintain its appearance and prevent melting.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 slice
- Calories: 350 kcal
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 11 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 42 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 120 mg
