Irish Apple Cake Vanilla (Printable)
Moist spiced apple cake with warm, velvety vanilla custard sauce for a comforting finish.
# What You'll Need:
→ Apple Cake Base
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
04 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
05 - ¼ teaspoon salt
06 - ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
07 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - ½ cup whole milk
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - 3 medium tart apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
→ Cinnamon Sugar Topping
12 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
13 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
→ Warm Vanilla Custard
14 - 2 cups whole milk
15 - 4 large egg yolks
16 - ⅓ cup granulated sugar
17 - 2 tablespoons cornstarch
18 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease and flour a 9-inch round cake pan, tapping out excess flour.
02 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until evenly blended.
03 - In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, approximately 3 minutes. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition, then mix in the vanilla extract.
04 - Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions, alternating with the milk in two additions. Begin and end with the flour mixture, mixing only until just incorporated to prevent overdeveloping the gluten.
05 - Gently fold the sliced apples into the batter using a spatula. Spread the mixture evenly into the prepared cake pan, smoothing the top with an offset spatula.
06 - Stir together the remaining 2 tablespoons sugar and ½ teaspoon cinnamon. Sprinkle the mixture evenly over the surface of the batter.
07 - Bake for 50 to 55 minutes until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center emerges clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully turning out onto a wire rack.
08 - While the cake cools, pour the milk into a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until just beginning to simmer around the edges. Do not allow to come to a full boil.
09 - In a heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until completely smooth and pale yellow in color.
10 - Slowly pour approximately one cup of the hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking constantly. Return the tempered mixture to the saucepan with the remaining milk. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring continuously, until the custard thickens and coats the back of a spoon, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat immediately and stir in the vanilla extract.
11 - Slice the warm cake and serve on individual plates. Generously ladle the warm vanilla custard over each portion.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The cake stays incredibly moist for days, making it perfect for tea time or dessert throughout the week
- That cinnamon sugar crust creates this magical crunch that contrasts with the tender apple studded interior
02 -
- The custard can go from perfect to scrambled eggs in seconds, so keep the heat medium low and stir constantly without stopping
- Tart apples are essential here because sweet apples will make the cake cloying and they don't hold their texture as well during baking
03 -
- Add a handful of raisins soaked in warm tea for extra authenticity and pockets of sweetness throughout
- Dust the finished cake with powdered sugar just before serving for that bakery finish