Go Back
Print Recipe

Irish Apple Cake

Coffee cake meets apple pie in this Irish Apple Cake with Streusel Topping. Enjoy for dessert, teatime or as a breakfast treat.
Prep Time30 minutes
Cook Time1 hour 10 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: Irish
Keyword: apple cake, dessert, Granny Smith apples, St. Patrick's Day, steusel topping
Servings: 8 servings

Equipment

  • 9 inch springform pan

Ingredients

For the Streusel Topping:

  • 6 tablespoons cold salted European-style butter, cubed (like KerryGold)
  • 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup rolled oats
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar

For the Cake:

  • 1/2 cup salted European-style butter, room temperature (1 stick, like KerryGold)
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 3 tablespoons milk
  • 3 medium Granny Smith apples peeled and thinly sliced
  • Confectioners' sugar or crème anglaise aka, melted vanilla ice cream) for serving

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350˚ F. Grease a 9-inch springform pan.

Make the streusel topping:

  • In a bowl of food processor, combine the flour, cubed butter, sugar and salt; pulse until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; stir in oats. Place streusel mixture in the fridge to stay chilled while you make the cake.

Make the cake:

  • Cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, then beat in the eggs one at a time.
  • Whisk together flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
  • Fold dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a spatula along with the milk.
  • Spoon batter into prepared pan, smoothing evenly. (Batter will be thick.)
  • Top batter with sliced apples, layering evenly as possible; cover apples with streusel topping.
  • Bake until the top is golden and crisp, 60 to 70 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool slightly before removing sides of pan.
  • When cool, store cake in an airtight container at room temperature. When ready to serve, dust the cake with confectioners' sugar or drizzle with crème anglaise, aka, melted vanilla ice cream.

Notes

  • If you don’t have a food processor, use a pastry cutter or two knives to cut in butter in your streusel topping.
  • Boost the flavor of your cake with an Irish or European-style butter, (like KerryGold), which has a richer taste due to a higher butterfat content and less water.
  • Granny Smith apples hold up to baking and their tart flavor balances the sweetness of this cake. Substitute an apple suitable for baking like Honeycrisp or Braeburn if you prefer.
  • Vanilla ice cream is crème anglaise that’s been frozen. Use Ina Garten’s trick for easy crème anglaise: Place some premium vanilla ice cream (like Häagen-Dazs) in the microwave on 50% power to melt; drizzle over apple cake to serve.
  • This cake will last up to 4 days at room temperature. You can also freeze it for up to 1 month. To soften cake or refresh, reheat briefly in the microwave or cover it in foil in a 350°F oven for 15 minutes.