Traditional Irish Apple Cake with Custard Sauce
Ingredients
- FOR THE CAKE:
- 115g unsalted butter, softened
- 110g caster sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 160g plain flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon fine salt
- 45ml whole milk or single cream
- 450g firm tart apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
- Icing sugar, for dusting (optional)
- FOR THE STREUSEL TOPPING:
- 95g plain flour
- 25g rolled oats
- 75g caster sugar
- 85g unsalted butter, cold and cubed
- FOR THE VANILLA CUSTARD:
- 6 large egg yolks
- 75g caster sugar
- 375ml whole milk
- 1 vanilla pod (or 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract)
Instructions
- 1
Prepare the workstation.
- 2
Gather all equipment and ingredients.
- 3
Preheat the oven to 180°C conventional or 160°C fan. Grease a 9-inch (23cm) springform cake tin and line the base with baking paper.
- 4
Prepare the streusel by combining the flour, rolled oats and sugar in a bowl. Rub in the cold butter with your fingertips until the mixture forms coarse, uneven crumbs. Refrigerate while preparing the cake.
- 5
Beat the softened butter and caster sugar until pale and creamy.
- 6
Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- 7
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- 8
Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture, adding the milk or cream gradually. Mix only until the batter is evenly combined and thick but spreadable.
- 9
Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and spread it evenly to the edges.
- 10
Arrange the sliced apples over the batter in an even layer. They do not need to be arranged decoratively, but avoid piling them too heavily in the centre.
- 11
Scatter the chilled streusel loosely over the apples without pressing it down.
- 12
Bake for 50–60 minutes, or until the topping is lightly golden and a skewer inserted into the cake portion comes out without wet batter. Test more than one area, as the baked apples will remain moist.
- 13
Leave the cake in the tin for 15–20 minutes before releasing the sides. Transfer it carefully to a wire rack and allow it to cool until slightly warm.
- 14
Dust with icing sugar before serving, if desired.
- 15
Making the Vanilla Custard
- 16
Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium-low heat until steaming but not boiling.
- 17
If using vanilla pod, split the pod lengthways, scrape out the seeds, and add both the seeds and pod to the milk as it heats. Remove the pod before tempering the egg yolks.
- 18
Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks and caster sugar together in a heatproof bowl until smooth and slightly paler.
- 19
Slowly pour a small amount of the hot milk into the yolk mixture while whisking continuously. Gradually whisk in the remaining milk.
- 20
Return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring continuously with a silicone spatula or wooden spoon, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of the spoon. Do not allow it to boil.
- 21
Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract if using. Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve for a smoother consistency.
- 22
Serve slices of Irish apple cake with warm custard. If making the custard in advance, press cling film directly onto the surface to prevent a skin from forming, then refrigerate once cooled.
