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Irish Apple Cake

Irish Apple Cake
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Looking for a dessert that feels like a hug? This Irish Apple Cake has it all—soft, spiced cake, tart apples, and a crunchy streusel topping. Top it off with some custard sauce, and you’ve got a cozy treat that’s perfect for everything from quiet afternoons to special family dinners.

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cake:

  • ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
  • ½ cup sugar
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs (room temp)
  • 1¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • 3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled and chopped

For the Streusel Topping:

  • ¾ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup rolled oats (optional but yummy!)
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, cold and cubed

For the Custard Sauce:

  • ¾ cup whole milk
  • Dash of salt
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions

1. Get the Cake Batter Ready

  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Grease and line an 8-inch round pan (parchment paper is your friend here).
  2. In a big bowl, beat the butter and sugar until it’s light and fluffy. About 2 minutes will do.
  3. Add the vanilla and eggs one at a time. Then mix in the milk.
  4. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Slowly fold the dry mix into the wet stuff until just combined.
  5. Stir in your apple chunks. The batter will be thick and apple-packed—totally normal!

2. Make that Streusel

  1. Mix the flour, oats (if using), sugar, and salt in a bowl.
  2. Toss in the cold butter cubes. Use your fingers to rub the butter into the dry mix until it looks crumbly—like small pebbles. Keep it in the fridge until you’re ready.

3. Assemble & Bake

  1. Pour the batter into your pan and spread it evenly.
  2. Sprinkle the streusel on top, pressing it down just a little so it stays put.
  3. Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
  4. Let it cool for 15 minutes (if you can wait that long!).

4. Whip Up the Custard Sauce

  1. Heat the milk with a pinch of salt in a saucepan over medium heat. Don’t let it boil! Just warm it up.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk the egg yolks and sugar until they’re pale and slightly thickened.
  3. Slowly drizzle some of the warm milk into the egg mixture while whisking non-stop. Then, pour it all back into the saucepan.
  4. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens—about 3–4 minutes. Once it’s ready, stir in the vanilla and set it aside.

Notes

How to Serve:

Serve warm slices of cake with a generous drizzle of custard sauce. Want to go all out? Add whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

Pro Tips:

Go for Granny Smith apples if you love that tangy apple flavor. Prefer it sweeter? Use Honeycrisp or Golden Delicious.

For a perfect streusel, keep the butter cold. Rub it in quickly with your fingers to get a crumbly texture, or use a pastry cutter.

Storage & Reheating:

Store the cake in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days—or in the fridge for up to a week.

Keep custard sauce in the fridge (in a sealed container) for up to 2 days. Warm it up on low heat before serving.

To reheat slices of cake, pop them in the microwave for 15–20 seconds.

Find it online: https://cakeshungry.com/irish-apple-cake/