Irish Apple Custard Cake (Printable)

Tender spiced apples baked in moist cake served warm with creamy vanilla custard sauce.

# What You’ll Need:

→ Apple Cake Components

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1½ teaspoons baking powder
03 - ½ teaspoon salt
04 - ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
05 - ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
06 - ½ cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
07 - ¾ cup granulated sugar
08 - 2 large eggs
09 - ½ cup whole milk
10 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
11 - 3 medium tart apples, peeled, cored, and diced
12 - 2 tablespoons granulated sugar for topping

→ Vanilla Custard Sauce

13 - 2 cups whole milk
14 - 4 large egg yolks
15 - ⅓ cup granulated sugar
16 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
17 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease an 8-inch round cake pan and line with parchment paper.
02 - In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg until well blended.
03 - Rub cold cubed butter into the flour mixture with your fingertips until coarse crumbs form.
04 - Stir in ¾ cup sugar. Whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla in a separate bowl, then add to dry ingredients. Mix until just combined.
05 - Gently fold diced apples into the batter, being careful not to overmix.
06 - Pour batter into prepared pan, smooth top, and sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar. Bake for 45-50 minutes until golden and a skewer comes out clean. Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
07 - Heat 2 cups milk in a saucepan until just below boiling. Meanwhile, whisk egg yolks, ⅓ cup sugar, and cornstarch until smooth.
08 - Gradually pour hot milk into yolk mixture while whisking constantly. Return to saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring continuously until thickened enough to coat a spoon. Do not boil. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
09 - Slice warm cake and serve with generous spoonfuls of warm custard sauce.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The contrast of warm tender cake against cool creamy custard creates the kind of comfort food moment that makes rainy afternoons feel perfect
  • It comes together with simple pantry staples but tastes like something from a village bakery
  • The cake keeps beautifully for days and actually tastes better as the apples soften and the spices deepen
02 -
  • Cold butter is non negotiable for that tender crumb texture, warm butter will make the cake heavy and dense
  • The custard can go from perfect to scrambled in seconds over high heat, patience and low heat are your friends
  • Letting the cake cool completely in the pan makes it soggy, that 10 minute window is the sweet spot for removal
03 -
  • Room temperature ingredients mix more easily and create a more uniform batter, so take everything out of the fridge about 30 minutes before starting
  • The sugar topping creates a lovely crunchy crust, but press it gently into the batter so it does not all roll off when you slice the cake

Go Back