Irish Apple Cake
My Irish apple cake is a simple, homemade cake with a soft, cinnamon and nutmeg spiced batter and lots of tender diced apples. The cinnamon sugar topping bakes into a crunchy layer over the top. It’s not overly sweet, so a slice is just as good with morning coffee as it is for dessert.
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When I first started making this cake, getting the apples right took me a few tries. My first cakes were all Granny Smith, and John’s verdict was “a little too tart.” That’s fair! Tossing Honeycrisp into the mix fixed it. After years of baking, a mix of Granny Smith and Honeycrisp is still my favorite. It gives you tart and sweet in the same bite, and the apples stay firm instead of getting mushy.
Is this cake for fall baking? Yes! How about St. Patrick’s Day? Absolutely! This cake is my go-to dessert after a St. Patrick’s Day dinner of colcannon, and a mug of Irish coffee on the side never hurts. It makes enough to serve 8, so you can share with friends and family or save the leftovers for later.
My Tips for the Best Irish Apple Cake
- Granny Smith: tart and firm.
- Honeycrisp: sweeter, still firm.
- Braeburn: a good mix of sweet and tart.
- Golden Delicious: milder and a little softer, but still works.
Still in an apple mood? My apple turnovers and apple cinnamon bread pudding are calling your name.
How to Make Irish Apple Cake
Start with the Cake Batter
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease the pan and line it with parchment paper. Now, a confession. You’ll see a regular cake pan with no parchment in my photos and video. I was in a hurry, grabbed what I thought was my springform, and skipped the parchment completely. Oops! Learn from me and line that pan!
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a bowl. Set it aside for now.
- Your butter should be soft enough to dent with a finger, but not shiny or melted. Beat it along with the granulated sugar for about 2 to 3 minutes with a hand mixer, until it looks pale and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then mix in the buttermilk and vanilla. Don’t panic if it looks a little curdled. That’s totally normal, and it smooths out wonderfully once the flour goes in. Out of buttermilk? Stir 1 teaspoon of vinegar into ½ cup of whole milk and let it sit for about 5 minutes.
- Add the dry ingredients a little at a time and stop mixing the second the dry flour disappears. Overmixing makes the cake tough, and you’re aiming for tender. Fold in the diced apples with a spatula. Heads up: this batter is thick! It’s packed with apples and feels more like soft cookie dough than cake batter.
- Spread the batter into the pan and smooth it out. Sprinkle the cinnamon sugar across the top. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes. Start checking around 25 minutes, especially if you’re using a dark pan. Dark pans run hot and may bake the cake a few minutes faster. The cake is done when it turns golden brown and the center springs back when you press it lightly. Let it rest in the pan for 10 minutes before removing.
Make the Vanilla Custard
- Heat the milk in a saucepan over low heat until it’s steaming and tiny bubbles show up around the edge. Don’t let it boil! In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch (if using) until smooth. The cornstarch is optional. It makes the custard a little thicker. Personally, I like to make the custard without cornstarch that way it doesn’t have a chance to congeal as it cools.
- Slowly pour about ½ cup of the warm milk into the yolk mixture while whisking. This warms the eggs up slowly so they don’t scramble in the hot pan. Pour everything back into the saucepan. Keep the heat on low and stir constantly, scraping the bottom, for about 5 minutes. The custard is ready when it coats the back of a spoon and a line drawn through it with your finger holds its shape. Custard made with cornstarch can have a few bubbles, which helps it thicken all the way. Custard made without it should stay below a simmer. Otherwise, it separates and gets grainy.
- Take the pan off the heat and stir in the vanilla. Pour it through a mesh strainer to catch any bits of cooked egg, then spoon it over the warm cake. The custard keeps thickening as it cools.
No time to make custard? No problem. A scoop of vanilla ice cream or a dollop of homemade whipped cream works too.
How to Store Leftover Cake
Keep the cake and the custard in separate containers. The cake stays good covered in an airtight container on the counter for 1 to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Leftover custard stays good in the fridge for up to 3 days; don’t leave it on the counter. Reheat it over low heat and while stirring constantly.
Common Irish Apple Cake Questions
Can I Freeze This Cake?
Yes! Just freeze it without the custard. Wrap individual slices in plastic wrap and transfer them into a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw and warm slightly before serving. The apples won’t have quite the same texture as a fresh slice, so fresh-baked is still the way to go.
The custard doesn’t freeze. Make a fresh batch, or keep leftover custard in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Why Isn’t My Custard Thickening?
Thin custard usually just needs more time or a tiny bit more heat. Low heat is what you want, but it takes some patience. Keep it on low, keep stirring, and give it a few more minutes. It’s ready when it coats the back of a spoon.
Don’t crank the heat to rush it. That’s the fastest way to get sweet scrambled eggs. Custard made with cornstarch needs a bit of a bubble for about a minute to fully thicken. Custard made without cornstarch is supposed to stay thin. It’s a pourable sauce, not a pudding, and it thickens more as it cools.
Ingredients
For the Cake
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup buttermilk, or whole milk + 1 teaspoon vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 medium apples, peeled, cored, and diced in ½-inch pieces (about 3 cups)
Topping
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
For the Custard Sauce
- 2 cups whole milk
- 4 large egg yolks
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch, optional, for a thicker custard
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
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Instructions
Make the Cake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper. A 9-inch springform pan also works. Make sure to grease the sides well and line the bottom with parchment.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg in a bowl. Set aside.2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking powder½ teaspoon baking soda½ teaspoon salt1 teaspoon ground cinnamon¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- Beat the butter and sugar until they're light and fluffy, about 2 to 3 minutes. Mix in the eggs one at a time, followed by the buttermilk and vanilla.½ cup unsalted butter½ cup granulated sugar2 large eggs½ cup buttermilk1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Fold in the diced apples.3 medium apples
- In a small bowl, combine the cinnamon and sugar.2 tablespoons granulated sugar½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Pour the batter into the pan, smooth the top, and sprinkle with the cinnamon-sugar mixture. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the top springs back when lightly touched.
- Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. While the cake cools, make the custard sauce.
Make the Custard Sauce
- Warm the milk in a saucepan over low heat until steaming (do not boil). In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch (if using) until smooth.2 cups whole milk4 large egg yolks⅓ cup granulated sugar1 tablespoon cornstarch
- Slowly add ½ cup of warm milk to the egg mixture while whisking. Return the mixture to saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened (about 5 minutes). Do not let it boil.
- Remove from heat, stir in the vanilla, and strain through a mesh strainer if desired. Serve warm over the apple cake.1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Notes
- The calories listed are an approximation based on the ingredients in the recipe card and a serving size of 1 slice of cake with custard sauce. Actual calories will vary.
- You can use a 9-inch round cake pan to make this cake (this is what I did in the video). I recommend lining it with parchment paper and leave some hanging over the edge for easy removal. The easier way is to use a springform pan. Line the bottom with parchment and grease the sides really well.