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–+ servings

Old Irish Apple Cake

Rose
Old Irish Apple Cake is a rustic farmhouse dessert made with tender tart apples, warm cinnamon, and a buttery oat streusel topping. Not overly sweet and beautifully moist, this traditional Irish cake is perfect served with tea, coffee, or a drizzle of homemade custard sauce.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 50 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Irish
Servings 8 slices
Calories 320 kcal

Equipment

  • 8- or 9-inch round cake pan
  • mixing bowls
  • hand mixer or stand mixer
  • whisk
  • pastry cutter or fork
  • saucepan (for custard)

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup milk or light cream
  • 3 medium tart apples, peeled and thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (streusel)
  • 1/4 cup rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar (streusel)
  • 4 tablespoons cold butter, cubed
  • 1 cup whole milk (custard, optional)
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream (custard, optional)
  • 3 egg yolks (custard, optional)
  • 1/4 cup sugar (custard, optional)
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (custard, optional)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease and line an 8- or 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper for easy removal.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 2–3 minutes.
  • Beat in the eggs one at a time. Add half the dry mixture, then mix in milk, and finish with the remaining dry ingredients. The batter will be thick.
  • Spread the batter evenly into the prepared pan. Arrange the sliced apples evenly over the top, gently pressing them into the batter.
  • In a small bowl, combine flour, oats, and sugar. Cut in the cold butter until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the apples.
  • Bake for 45–55 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool slightly before removing from pan.
  • For the optional custard sauce, heat milk and cream until steaming. Whisk egg yolks and sugar separately, then slowly add warm milk mixture while whisking. Return to heat and cook gently until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Serve warm over cake slices.

Notes

Use tart apples like Granny Smith for best texture. Do not overmix the batter to keep the crumb tender. Use cold butter for the streusel topping to achieve a crumbly texture. Let the cake rest at least 15 minutes before slicing. Custard sauce is optional but highly recommended for a traditional Irish finish.

Nutrition

Calories: 320kcalCarbohydrates: 45gProtein: 5gFat: 14gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 85mgSodium: 180mgPotassium: 210mgFiber: 3gSugar: 25gVitamin A: 450IUVitamin C: 6mgCalcium: 80mgIron: 1.6mg
Keyword apple streusel cake, farmhouse apple cake, Irish apple cake, traditional Irish dessert
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