Irish apple cake custard (Printable)
Tender spiced apples baked in moist cake, served warm with creamy vanilla custard sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Apple Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
04 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
06 - ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
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 diced
12 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar for topping
→ For the Custard
13 - 2 cups whole milk
14 - 4 large egg yolks
15 - ⅓ cup granulated sugar
16 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
17 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
# Directions:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
03 - Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - Stir in ¾ cup granulated sugar until evenly distributed.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla extract.
06 - Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until just combined.
07 - Gently fold in the diced apples until evenly incorporated.
08 - Pour the batter into the prepared pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar.
09 - Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until golden and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
10 - In a saucepan, heat 2 cups milk until just below boiling.
11 - In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until smooth and pale.
12 - Gradually pour the hot milk into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
13 - Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let it boil.
14 - Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
15 - Serve warm apple cake slices with generous spoonfuls of warm custard.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The contrast between the tender, spiced cake and the silky vanilla custard creates the kind of dessert comfort that makes people close their eyes when they take the first bite
- It uses simple pantry staples but somehow tastes like something you would travel across an ocean to experience again
02 -
- Cold butter is absolutely crucial here, because it creates those tender pockets that make Irish apple cake so distinctive
- Do not let the custard boil at any point, or you will end up with scrambled eggs instead of silky sauce
03 -
- Use a mix of apple varieties if you can, combining tart and slightly sweet for more complexity
- Peeling the apples completely prevents any tough bits in the tender cake