Irish Apple Cake Custard Sauce (Printable)
Enjoy a traditional Irish Apple Cake, tender and cinnamon-spiced, served warm with a delightful homemade custard sauce.
# What You'll Need:
→ For the Apple Cake
01 - 2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
04 - 1/2 teaspoon salt
05 - 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
06 - 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
07 - 1/2 cup unsalted butter, cold and cubed
08 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
09 - 3 large Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - 1/2 cup whole milk
12 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
→ For the Custard Sauce
13 - 2 cups whole milk
14 - 4 large egg yolks
15 - 1/2 cup granulated sugar
16 - 1 tablespoon cornstarch
17 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
# How to Make It:
01 - Preheat your oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease and line a 9-inch round cake pan, ensuring non-stick surfaces are ready for baking.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg until uniformly combined.
03 - Add the cold, cubed unsalted butter to the dry ingredients. Using your fingertips, rub the butter into the flour mixture until the consistency resembles coarse crumbs.
04 - Stir in the granulated sugar. Subsequently, fold in the thinly sliced Granny Smith apples, ensuring each slice is well coated within the mixture.
05 - In a separate bowl, whisk together the large eggs, whole milk, and vanilla extract until thoroughly blended.
06 - Gently pour the wet ingredient mixture into the dry ingredients and apple mixture. Mix with a spatula or wooden spoon until just combined; avoid overmixing to maintain a tender crumb.
07 - Transfer the prepared batter into the 9-inch round cake pan, spreading the top evenly. Bake for 45 to 50 minutes, or until a wooden skewer inserted into the cake's center emerges clean. Allow the cake to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before carefully inverting it onto a wire rack.
08 - While the cake bakes, begin preparing the custard sauce. In a medium saucepan, heat 2 cups of whole milk over medium heat until it reaches a gentle simmer, just before boiling.
09 - In a separate heatproof bowl, vigorously whisk the 4 large egg yolks, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, and 1 tablespoon cornstarch until the mixture becomes pale and thick.
10 - Gradually pour a small ladleful of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture while whisking constantly. This tempering step prevents the eggs from scrambling. Once tempered, slowly incorporate the entire yolk mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining hot milk, whisking continuously.
11 - Continue cooking the custard over low heat, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon or heatproof spatula. Cook until the sauce visibly thickens and coats the back of your spoon. Crucially, do not allow the custard to boil, as this can cause it to curdle.
12 - Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. For an exceptionally smooth custard, strain it immediately through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl.
13 - Present warm slices of the Irish Apple Cake, generously adorned with spoonfuls of the creamy homemade custard sauce.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- It&s a dessert that feels incredibly special and homemade, yet it&s surprisingly straightforward to achieve.
- The warm, spiced apple cake with that luscious, creamy custard—it&s a combination that truly sings, comforting your soul with every spoonful.
02 -
- Never, ever overmix your cake batter once the wet and dry ingredients are combined; it develops the gluten too much, leading to a tough cake.
- When making the custard, whisking constantly while tempering the eggs and cooking over low heat is absolutely vital to prevent a scrambled, lumpy mess.
03 -
- Allow your cake to cool slightly in the pan before attempting to invert it; this gives the structure time to set and prevents crumbling.
- For an even more pronounced spice flavor, lightly toast your cinnamon and nutmeg in a dry pan for 30 seconds before adding them to the flour mixture.