Irish apple custard cake (Printable)

A moist apple cake infused with spices, served with a smooth homemade custard sauce for comforting flavors.

# What You'll Need:

→ For the Apple Cake

01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 2 teaspoons baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
04 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
05 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
06 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and diced
07 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
08 - 3 large eggs
09 - 1/4 cup whole milk
10 - 4 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and sliced
11 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

→ For the Custard

12 - 2 cups whole milk
13 - 4 large egg yolks
14 - 1/3 cup granulated sugar
15 - 2 teaspoons cornstarch
16 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

# How-To Steps:

01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan with parchment paper.
02 - Sift together flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt in a large bowl.
03 - Rub in the cold diced butter with your fingertips until the mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
04 - Stir the sugar into the flour-butter mixture until evenly distributed.
05 - Whisk together eggs, milk, and vanilla extract in a separate bowl.
06 - Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and mix until just combined.
07 - Gently fold in the apple slices, ensuring they are well distributed throughout the batter.
08 - Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.
09 - Bake for 45–50 minutes, or until golden brown and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
10 - Heat milk in a saucepan over medium heat until just simmering. Do not boil.
11 - Whisk egg yolks, sugar, and cornstarch until pale and thick.
12 - Gradually pour the hot milk into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
13 - Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 3–5 minutes. Do not let it boil.
14 - Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract.
15 - Serve the apple cake warm or at room temperature, with the custard poured over each slice.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The texture is perfectly moist and tender, with soft apples melting into the crumb while the top develops a lovely golden crust
  • Its one of those rare cakes that actually tastes better the next day, making it perfect for making ahead
  • The homemade custard takes five minutes but transforms this humble cake into something downright elegant
02 -
  • The butter must remain cold when you rub it into the flour, or you will lose that signature tender texture
  • Do not overmix the batter once the liquid is added, or the cake will become tough and dense
  • The custard can go from perfect to scrambled in seconds, so keep the heat low and stir without stopping
03 -
  • Peel the apples thinly so you do not lose too much of their flesh and natural sweetness
  • If your apples are very tart, you can increase the sugar in the batter by a tablespoon
  • Let the custard cool slightly before serving, it thickens more as it cools

Return