Irish Apple Cake with Brown Sugar Custard Comfort
Tender, apple-studded Irish apple cake with gentle warm spices and a thin buttery crumble-style top, served with a warm, pourable brown sugar custard sauce.
Equipment
- 8–9 inch (20–23 cm) springform pan or deep round cake tin
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Hand mixer or wooden spoon
- Rubber spatula
- Wire rack
- Small saucepan
Ingredients
For the apple cake
- 170 g unsalted butter softened
- 150 g light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature if possible
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 250 g all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 120 ml whole milk
- 3–4 tart apples (such as Granny Smith) about 600–700 g; peeled, cored, and chopped into 1–1.5 cm (1/2-inch) cubes
For the buttery crumble-style top
- 65 g all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 50 g light brown sugar packed
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 55 g unsalted butter cold, diced
- 2 tbsp rolled oats optional
For the warm brown sugar custard sauce
- 4 large egg yolks
- 100 g light brown sugar packed
- 2 tbsp cornstarch (cornflour) about 16 g
- 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
- 240 ml whole milk
- 120 ml heavy cream (double cream)
- 1 tbsp unsalted butter stirred in at the end
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C / 350°F. Butter and line an 8–9 inch (20–23 cm) springform pan with parchment on the base, then lightly flour the sides and tap out excess.
- Make the crumble-style topping: in a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and optional oats. Add cold diced butter and rub in with fingertips until pea-sized damp crumbs form. Refrigerate while you make the batter.
- Prep the apples: peel, core, and chop into 1–1.5 cm (1/2-inch) cubes. If desired, toss very lightly with a little lemon juice to slow browning, then set on a towel-lined plate to wick excess juice.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter and brown sugar until lighter and slightly fluffy, about 2–3 minutes. Beat in eggs one at a time (scraping down between additions), then mix in vanilla.
- Add one-third of the dry ingredients to the butter mixture and mix just to combine. Add half the milk and mix gently. Repeat with another third of dry ingredients, remaining milk, then the final third of dry ingredients, mixing only until no dry streaks remain (the batter will be thick).
- Fold in the chopped apples with a spatula until evenly distributed. If the batter becomes too stiff, drizzle in 1–2 tablespoons extra milk and fold gently.
- Scrape batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle the chilled crumble topping evenly over the surface without pressing hard. Bake on the middle rack for 45–55 minutes, rotating the pan once around the 35-minute mark, until a skewer in the center comes out with moist crumbs but no wet batter (tent with foil if the top browns too quickly).
- Cool on a wire rack for 20–30 minutes. Run a thin knife around the edge and release the springform ring. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.
- Make the brown sugar custard sauce: whisk egg yolks, brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt until smooth. Warm milk and cream until steaming (not boiling), then whisk a small ladleful into the yolk mixture to temper. Return everything to the saucepan and cook over low to medium-low heat, whisking constantly, until thickened and pourable. Off heat, whisk in butter and vanilla. Serve warm over slices of cake.
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcalCarbohydrates: 66gProtein: 7gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 165mgSodium: 320mgPotassium: 260mgFiber: 4gSugar: 36gVitamin A: 750IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 140mgIron: 2.2mg
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