This Irish Apple Cake is easy and delicious and goes great with coffee or tea. You can serve it as is or add some whipped cream or custard sauce if you want it over the top. As always, we include gluten and dairy free substitutions. Use a sweet-tart apple for best results.
We talk you through this recipe in Episode 225 of our podcast. If you enjoyed this Irish Apple Cake, you may also like our recipes for Classic Coffee Cake and Baked Apple Pudding.
Ingredients
Streusel topping
¾ cup all-purpose flour or gluten free all purpose flour
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup rolled oats or quick oats
⅛ teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons cold butter or dairy free butter, cubed
Irish Apple Cake
½ cup (1 stick) butter or dairy free butter, at room temperature
½ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour or gluten free 1-1 flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon nutmeg
¼ teaspoon cardamom
¼ cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
3 tablespoons whole milk or plant milk
2 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced
Instructions
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) then butter or grease a 9-inch spring form pan. Set aside.
For the Streusel Topping
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, sugar, oats and salt.
Using a pastry blender or a fork, rub in the cold butter until you have coarse meal texture. Set aside in the fridge while you make the cake.
For the Irish Apple Cake
Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until light and fluffy.
Next, beat in the eggs one at a time until combined. Then stir in the vanilla.
In a separate medium bowl combine the flour, baking powder, spices, and salt.
Fold the dry ingredients into the butter mixture along with the milk.
Once the batter is completely blended, transfer it to the prepared cake pan and lay the sliced apples on top, overlapping where ever needed. Cover the apples with all the streusel topping. Press down gently with your hand.
Bake for roughly 60 minutes, or until the top is golden brown all over and crisp. Remove from the oven and allow the cake to cool completely.
When ready to serve, dust the cake with powdered sugar, slice and enjoy. Custard sauce is also a great accompaniment.