Irish Apple Cake with Custard Sauce

Irish Apple Cake is on the must-bake list at our house every year around St. Patrick's Day, but honestly, we make it much more often than that.

The cake includes tart, crisp apples suspended in light and tender vanilla spice cake with a crunchy sugar topping.

Serve the cake with creamy vanilla custard sauce or buttery whisky sauce. I really don't know which I like more, I usually just make both. 😋

I have never been to Ireland but it's on my list of must-visit places for so many reasons, not the least of which is Irish food. I mean, from what I understand, most traditional Irish food comes smothered or encased in cheese, potatoes, beer or pastry. So.... yum.

Plus, the Irish really like their sweets. And, apparently Irish Apple Cake tops the list. If that's true - or even close to true - I'm in. Because Irish Apple Cake is the bomb.

The cake itself is not overly sweet, and gently spiked with cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves. It also somehow manages to be both light and dense. I know, that doesn't make any sense....

But try it and you'll see what I mean. All those chunks of apple have a lightening effect on the cake, adding moisture and flavor while breaking up the thick batter so that every perfect bite is a delicious combination of tender cake and tart apples.

The Best Part of Irish Apple Cake is the Crunchy, Sugary Top

Right before baking, Irish Apple Cake is sprinkled with sugar, creating a thin, crackly layer that contrasts nicely with the soft, tender cake.

I baked this cake yesterday in a completely empty house. It was a challenge to not pick off that delicious sugary layer and eat it before my family got home.

Don't worry. I didn't. They all got slices of cake with the sugary topping still in tact. I can, occasionally, summon some restraint. 

Serve this Cake with Vanilla Custard Sauce or Whisky Sauce

A drizzle of custard sauce on a slice of Irish Apple Cake somehow make this classic comfort food even better.

Custard sauce, also known as crème anglaise, is basically unfrozen vanilla ice cream. It's a thin sauce, not thick like pudding. The sauce soaks right into the tender cake creating a texture that's almost like bread pudding. SO GOOD.

Also, custard sauce is a cinch to make and will keep in your refrigerator for about 2 weeks. If you have some left over after the apple cake is eaten and gone, drizzle it on pretty much any other pie, cake, or brownie. Or, stir in some cream and pour it into an ice cream maker to make vanilla ice cream.

And, just to throw another delicious option at you, Irish Apple Cake is also absolutely delicious drenched in spoonfuls of buttery Whisky Sauce.

Honestly, there are few desserts that can't be improved with a drizzle of whisky sauce. Making the sauce is super easy, requiring a small handful of ingredients and about 20 minutes of your time.

Whisky Sauce will keep in the refrigerator for about 3 weeks, but if it actually lasts that long in your house, you've got considerably more willpower than I do. 😊

What Are the Best Kind of Apples to Use in this Cake?

It's important to use tart, crisp apples in this cake. I used Granny Smith, but any kind of tart apple will do.

If the apples are crisp, they'll retain some of their crunch even after baking. The contrast of textures in Irish Apple Cake is one of the best things about it -  slightly crispy apples, crunchy sugar topping, tender cake and smooth custard sauce.

#1. Be very careful to not overwork the batter

For a super tender cake, it's important not to overwork the cake batter. Beating or kneading flour into dough strengthens the gluten – those strands of protein that give bread it's sturdy structure and chewy texture. That's not the effect you're going for here.

In order to create a cake with a super tender crumb, stir the flour gently into the batter by hand. Be sure to mix only long enough to combine the ingredients and moisten all of the flour.

Then, to create even more lightness, fold in beaten egg whites right before sprinkling the cake with sugar and popping it into the oven.

#2. This recipe calls for buttermilk even though fresh milk is more traditional

I like the subtle tang the buttermilk gives to the cake. Buttermilk also reacts with the baking soda to create an even lighter and more tender crumb.

However, if you'd rather use fresh milk, go for it. Your cake will still be delicious.

#3. Bake Irish Apple Cake in a Spring Form pan

The sides of spring form pans are tall enough to contain the cake without batter spilling out over the sides. A spring form pan also makes removing this cake from the pan super easy.

If you'd rather bake this cake in a regular cake pan, I'm sure it will be fine as long as the sides are at least three inches tall, and you butter and flour the sides and bottom of the pan really well. Let the cake cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes before flipping it out to cool completely on a wire rack.