Irish Apple Cake Vanilla Custard (Printable)
A spiced Irish apple cake with golden crust complemented by smooth vanilla custard, perfect for cozy dessert moments.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the 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 cold unsalted butter, 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 topping
→ 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
# How To Make:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper.
02 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a large bowl.
03 - Add cold butter cubes and rub into flour mixture with fingertips until mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
04 - Stir in 3/4 cup sugar and sliced apples, tossing to coat evenly.
05 - Beat eggs, milk, and vanilla extract together in a small bowl.
06 - Pour wet mixture into dry ingredients and fold gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing.
07 - Transfer batter to prepared pan, smoothing top. Sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar.
08 - Bake for 45 to 50 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted in center comes out clean.
09 - Heat milk and cream in saucepan over medium heat until just simmering.
10 - Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl until pale and smooth.
11 - Gradually pour hot milk into yolks while whisking constantly. Return to saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Do not boil.
12 - Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
13 - Allow cake to cool slightly. Serve warm slices with generous spoonfuls of vanilla custard.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast between tender apples and that golden, slightly crisp topping hits every perfect texture note
- Warm custard over still-warm cake might be one of the simplest pleasures Ive ever discovered
02 -
- Overworking the butter mixture makes the cake tough, so stop when it looks like breadcrumbs
- The custard can scramble in seconds if the heat is too high or you stop stirring
03 -
- Peeling the apples completely prevents tough skins from interrupting the tender texture
- Letting the cake cool for exactly 10 minutes makes slicing much easier