Irish Apple Cake Custard (Printable)
Tender spiced apples baked in a moist cake served with warm creamy custard. A classic Irish sweet.
# What You'll Need:
→ Apple Cake Components
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→ Warm Custard Components
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# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 9-inch round cake pan and line the base with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well combined.
03 - Add the cold cubed butter to the flour mixture. Rub into the dry ingredients with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
04 - Stir in the granulated sugar, then fold in the sliced apples until evenly coated with the flour mixture.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
06 - Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix gently until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter.
07 - Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan, smoothing the top. Bake for 50–55 minutes until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
08 - In a saucepan, heat 2 cups whole milk until just steaming. Do not allow the milk to reach a boil.
09 - While milk heats, whisk together egg yolks, granulated sugar, and cornstarch in a bowl until smooth and lump-free.
10 - Gradually pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to prevent curdling. Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring continuously until thickened and coating the back of a spoon. Do not let the custard boil.
11 - Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Serve the cake warm or at room temperature with warm custard poured over each slice.
# Expert Tips:
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- The contrast between the tender, spice scented cake and the cool vanilla custard creates that perfect balance of textures and temperatures
- It comes together faster than you would think, but tastes like something that required generations to perfect
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- The trick to tender cake is stopping the moment the ingredients are combined, even if tiny flour streaks remain
- When tempering the custard, pour the hot milk so slowly that you wonder if it is worth it, because this prevents scrambled eggs
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- Cold butter is not optional here, and I have learned that if the butter starts softening while I am working, I put the entire bowl in the freezer for ten minutes
- The custard continues thickening as it cools, so remove it from the heat when it is slightly thinner than your desired consistency