Irish Apple Cake
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This moist and tender Irish Apple Cake is filled with sliced granny smith apples and covered in a crunchy, streusel topping. This simple dessert is perfect for St. Patrick’s Day and during fall apple-picking season!
Check out this Irish Pub Food page for even more delicious Irish recipes.
This traditional Irish Apple Cake recipe is delicious dusted with powdered sugar, topped with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.
It is a dense cake, almost like cornbread, that is not overly sweet and has just a hint of spice.
more apple dessert recipes
Ingredients needed
Streusel Topping
- All-purpose flour mixed with Irish butter and granulated sugar creates a delicious, crunchy topping.
Apple Cake
- All-purpose flour, baking powder to make it rise, ground cinnamon and sea salt.
- Irish butter is best but any high-quality butter will work.
- Granulated sugar for a bit of sweetness.
- Eggs
- Milk
- Pure vanilla extract was not used in the original recipe in Ireland, but it rounds out the flavor of the cake nicely in modern times.
- 2 large, 3 medium or 4 small Granny Smith apples. Any tart, cooking apple can be substituted.
- Powdered/Confectioner’s sugar for dusting.
Be sure to check out the detailed printable recipe card below
How to make Irish Apple cake
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round cake or springform pan. Set aside.
To make the streusel topping: sift the flour into a medium-sized bowl and cut in the butter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs.
Set aside.
To make the cake: sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt into a large bowl.
In a separate bowl, beat the sugar and butter together until creamy.
Gradually beat in the eggs, adding half of the flour mixture with the second egg.
Gently fold in the remaining flour mixture along with the milk and vanilla.
Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples. Arrange the apple slices on top of the cake batter.
Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over the top.
Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until browned and firm to the touch.
Allow cake to cool before removing from pan. Dust cake with powdered sugar before serving.
Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- I live in the Arizona desert and needed 2 tablespoons of milk to achieve the desired consistency. If you live in a humid climate you may only need one tablespoon. The batter should be thick like a brownie batter.
- To remove the cake from the pan – flip the cooled cake over onto a large plate. Place a cooking rack on the bottom of the cake and flip it over onto the rack.
- All ovens bake differently. Baking times are approximate and may vary by 10 minutes.
Tools used to create this recipe
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- Large Mixing Bowl
- Medium Mixing Bowl
- Hand Mixer
- Sifter
- Silicone Spatula
- Apple Peeler, Corer, Slicer
- Measuring Cups
- Cutting Board & Chefs Knife
- Round Wire Cooling Rack
- Recipe adapted from The Complete Irish Pub Cookbook
More traditional Irish recipes
- Classic Shepherd’s Pie with Lamb
- Fisherman’s Pie
- Guinness Steak Pie
- Creamy Parsnip and Apple Soup
- Guinness Pot Roast
- Creamy Seafood Chowder
- Irish Soda Bread
- Traditional Irish Coffee
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Enjoy!!
Irish Apple Cake
Equipment
- 8-inch round cake pan
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter I used Kerrygold
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
Apple Cake
- 1.33 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 0.5 cup unsalted butter 1 stick – at room temperature
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 large Granny Smith apples or 3 medium – 1 pound 2.5 ounces before slicing
- powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9-inch round cake or springform pan. Set aside. (I used Baker's Joy spray)
- To make the streusel topping: sift the flour into a medium-sized bowl and cut in the butter until the mixture resembles bread crumbs. Set aside.
- To make the cake: sift the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt into a large bowl.
- In a separate bowl, beat the sugar and butter together until creamy. Gradually beat in the eggs, adding half of the flour mixture with the second egg. Gently fold in the remaining flour mixture along with the milk and vanilla.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top.
- Peel, core, and thinly slice the apples. Arrange the apple slices on top of the cake batter. Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over the top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 50 to 60 minutes, until browned and firm to the touch. Allow cake to cool before removing from pan. Dust cake with powdered sugar before serving.
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
- I live in the Arizona desert and needed 2 tablespoons of milk to achieve the desired consistency. If you live in a humid climate you may only need one tablespoon. The batter should be thick like a brownie batter.
- To remove the cake from the pan – flip the cooled cake over onto a large plate. Place a cooking rack on the bottom of the cake and flip it over onto the rack.
- All ovens bake differently. Baking times are approximate and may vary by 10 minutes.
