Irish Apple Cake Vanilla (Printer-friendly)

Rustic Irish dessert with tender apples and golden crust served warm alongside silky vanilla custard.

# What you'll need:

→ For the Irish Apple Cake

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
06 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
07 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
08 - 3 large apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
09 - 2 large eggs
10 - 1/4 cup milk
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
12 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar for sprinkling

→ For the Vanilla Custard

13 - 2 cups whole milk
14 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
15 - 4 large egg yolks
16 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
17 - 1 1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
18 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# Method:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well combined.
03 - Add cold butter cubes to the flour mixture and rub with fingertips until coarse breadcrumbs form.
04 - Stir in 3/4 cup sugar and sliced apples, tossing thoroughly to coat evenly.
05 - In a small bowl, beat eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth.
06 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
07 - Transfer batter to the prepared pan, smoothing the surface evenly. Sprinkle with remaining 2 tablespoons sugar.
08 - Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean.
09 - While the cake bakes, heat milk and cream in a saucepan over medium heat until just simmering.
10 - Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl until pale and smooth.
11 - Gradually pour the hot milk mixture into the yolks while whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
12 - Return mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Do not boil.
13 - Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Set aside to cool slightly.
14 - Allow the cake to cool slightly before serving warm slices with generous spoonfuls of vanilla custard.

# Expert Tips:

01 -
  • The combination of tender apples and a golden, slightly sugared top creates texture contrast that keeps people coming back for seconds
  • The custard transforms a simple tea cake into something dinner party worthy while still being perfect for casual afternoons
  • It somehow tastes even better the next day, making it ideal for make ahead desserts or midnight snacks
02 -
  • Overworking the butter into the flour will make your cake tough instead of tender, so stop when it still has some visible pea sized pieces
  • The custard can go from perfectly thickened to scrambled eggs in seconds, so keep the heat low and stir without pause
  • Letting the cake cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing keeps it from falling apart, though I know how hard that wait can be
03 -
  • Toss the apple slices in a tablespoon of flour before adding them to the batter to prevent them from sinking to the bottom during baking
  • Brush the top of the cake with a little milk halfway through baking for an even deeper golden color

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