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Irish Apple Cake with Custard and Oat Streusel Recipe

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4.1 from 6 reviews

A classic Irish Apple Cake featuring tender apple slices layered over a spiced batter and topped with a buttery oat streusel. Served best with a smooth vanilla custard sauce, this comforting dessert blends cinnamon-spiced cake, tart Granny Smith apples, and a crumbly topping for a perfect balance of textures and flavors.

Ingredients

Cake Batter

  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 Tbsp whole milk or cream
  • 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/8 tsp salt
  • About 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled and thinly sliced (a little over a pound after slicing)

Streusel Topping

  • 3/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup old fashioned rolled oats
  • 6 Tbsp unsalted cold butter, cut into small pieces
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

Vanilla Custard Sauce

  • 6 large egg yolks
  • 6 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk (or half and half or cream)
  • 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
  • Confectioner's sugar, for dusting

Instructions

  1. Preheat and Prepare Pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 9-inch springform pan to prevent sticking and ensure easy removal of the cake.
  2. Make the Custard Sauce: Heat the milk over medium heat until just simmering. In a separate bowl, whisk together egg yolks and sugar until combined. Gradually drizzle hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly to temper the eggs. Return mixture to the pan with remaining hot milk and cook over medium heat, stirring continuously with a silicone spatula until it coats the back of a spoon. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla extract. Strain through a sieve into a heatproof container, cover with plastic wrap touching the surface to prevent skin, and refrigerate until completely chilled.
  3. Prepare Streusel Topping: Combine flour, oats, and sugar in a bowl. Cut cold butter into the mixture using fingers or a pastry cutter until coarse crumbs form. Refrigerate this topping until ready to use.
  4. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a mixing bowl, beat softened butter and sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, indicating incorporated air for a tender crumb.
  5. Add Eggs and Dry Ingredients: Beat in eggs one at a time to the creamed mixture. In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Fold these dry ingredients into the wet mixture along with the milk or cream until just combined.
  6. Assemble the Cake: Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth evenly. Arrange the sliced apples evenly over the batter (no need to be perfect). Sprinkle the chilled streusel topping evenly over the apples.
  7. Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 50 minutes to 1 hour until the top is lightly browned and a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
  8. Cool and Serve: Let the cake cool slightly in the pan before removing the sides of the springform. Dust the top with confectioner's sugar. Serve with the chilled vanilla custard sauce alongside.

Notes

  • Use Granny Smith apples for their tartness and firmness to hold shape during baking.
  • The custard sauce can be made in advance and kept refrigerated for up to 2 days.
  • Be careful not to overcook the custard sauce to avoid curdling; it should thicken just enough to coat the back of a spoon.
  • Keeping the butter cold for the streusel helps create a nice crumbly texture.
  • This cake is best served slightly warm or at room temperature with the chilled custard sauce.

Find it online: https://cozyplatter.com/irish-apple-cake-with-custard-and-oat-streusel-recipe/