This old-fashioned cake is a lightly spiced, rustic dessert studded with fresh apples, a buttery crumb and a crunchy topping. It’s delicious on its own, but when paired with a vanilla custard sauce, it becomes irresistibly yummy. Perfect for St. Patrick’s Day or whenever you crave a cozy bite.
Rustic apple cake
At some point in the past years, I realized that this cake, a staple growing up, was the popular Irish apple cake. My very Irish great-grandmother left a small archive of fantastic recipes, and this is one of them. It's worth making for sure!
- It's versatile. Bite into an apple cake with a cinnamon crumble, and you have a little piece of heaven right there. Serve it with a light vanilla custard sauce (a classic pairing), and it becomes a whole dessert.
- It's a contrast of textures. You get a soft and moist crumb, juicy apples and a buttery, crunchy topping.
- It's everybody's favorite. It's a great cake for a brunch table, potluck, picnic, bake sale, or snacking all day.
- Make it ahead: it keeps well for several days and can be frozen.
Ingredient Notes
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
- Apples: I use granny smith apples exclusively (the green ones, my absolute favorites for baking). They're tart apples and bring some acid to the mix that complements the overall sweetness of the cake. And they hold their shape and don't turn mushy in the oven. If you have another favorite that you usually bake with (pink lady, fuji, Honeycrisp apples), by all means, use it.
- Sugars: both white and brown are used. You can use only one, but brown adds a caramel undertone that white doesn't have.
- Baking powder and baking soda: make sure they aren't expired.
- Buttermilk makes the preparation tender and counteracts the metallic flavor of the baking soda. What if you don't have fresh buttermilk? You can buy buttermilk powder and prepare it as needed. Or make homemade buttermilk (it's very easy; see Notes in the recipe card for details).
Crumble topping
Without it, you have a great apple snacking cake. With it, you have a super amazing cake that will bring raves and become part of your baking rotation.
- By hand: it's a small amount, so use a bowl and a fork, your hands, or a pastry cutter. I like this way (and not the food processor) because it renders larger, irregular clumps that bake crunchier in my experience.
- Make-ahead: crumble can be made ahead and frozen! Make a large batch and have it ready whenever you need it.
Make the streusel
The dry ingredients are mixed in a medium bowl, and the butter is added and integrated until crumbly. Always refrigerate it while preparing the apple cake batter.
Cake batter
This cake involves layering the batter and the sliced apples to different textures.
You'll make two layers of cake batter and the same amount of apples.
Vintage Kitchen Tip
After incorporating flour in a cake batter, we don't want to develop gluten, as it will toughen the baked cake. So mix *just* until it's all well incorporated but don't overbeat. I like to end mixing with a silicon spatula to ensure the ingredients are fully integrated.
Layers
This cake involves layering the batter and the sliced apples to different textures.
You'll make two layers of cake batter and the same amount of apples.
Drop mounds of cake batter on top of the apples and spread carefully to cover.
Vintage Kitchen Tip
When adding the batter layer on top of the apples, the best way is to drop mounds so they'll be easier to spread. Aid yourself with the damp back of a spoon barely dipped in water. You will find that the batter glides easily, and the apples don't stick as much.
Topping
Sprinkle the cinnamon crumb mixture on top. I like to press it slightly so it bakes more compacted.
Custard cream sauce
It's the classic way of eating this apple cake.
This light vanilla sauce is the French crème Anglaise (or English cream), a fantastic preparation that is used for several old-fashioned recipes like the baked floating island and is the base for traditional churned ice cream.
To make it ahead, refrigerate it in an airtight container (preferably glass) or tightly covered bowl.
Kitchen Notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer (like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend keeping track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Make ahead: you can make the streusel topping ahead and keep it refrigerated in an airtight container. The whole apple cake can be kept refrigerated for several days or frozen for a month, always well covered.
- Serving: this is a fantastic cake on its own or with a hot cup of coffee or tea. Our favorite way is slightly warm with custard sauce, whipped cream a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Related recipes you might like:
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Irish Apple Cake with Crumble Topping
Ingredients
For the Streusel Topping:
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, or apple pie spice mix
- ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
Cake batter:
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup buttermilk, use store-bought or make your own (see Notes below)
For the Apples:
- 3 to 4 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, or apple pie spice mix
Instructions
Make the streusel or crumble:
- In a medium bowl, combine ½ cup all-purpose flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup packed light brown sugar and ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- Cut in ¼ cup cold unsalted butter pieces using a pastry blender, your fingers or a fork until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Reserve in the fridge while preparing the rest of the cake.
For the cake batter:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Grease and flour a 9-inch (22-23cm) round springform cake pan.
- In a medium bowl, sift together 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¼ teaspoon baking soda and ¼ teaspoon salt. Reserve.
- In a large bowl, cream together ½ cup unsalted butter, softened, and ¾ cup granulated sugar for about 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add 2 eggs, one at a time, beating to incorporate after each addition. Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and mix.
- Add the sifted dry ingredients to the butter mixture in 2 parts, alternating with ½ cup buttermilk, beginning and ending with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Don’t overmix at this point or the cake will be tough. With a spatula, give the mixture a few folds to make sure it’s well integrated, and there are no dry spots in the bottom of the bowl.
For the apples:
- In a bowl, toss 3 to 4 medium Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced with 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¼ cup granulated sugar and ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon.
For the cake:
- Pour half of the cake batter into the prepared pan. Smooth with the spatula.
- Arrange half of the apple slices over the batter. Pour the remaining batter over the apples, and then arrange the rest of the apple slices on top.
- Sprinkle the streusel topping evenly over the apples. Press it slightly to compact a bit.
- Bake for about 50 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. It might take more depending on your oven and pan.
- Let the cake cool in the pan for 10 minutes before running a smooth-bladed knife around the edges to loosen any stuck bits. Release the sides of the springform pan.
- Serve the cake warm with custard sauce, vanilla ice cream or a dollop of whipped cream.
Allison says
My whole family LOVED this cake! I appreciate the tips, pictures and options given with the recipe that really did help! Everyone agreed that we definitely keep the recipe to make again and next time I will try the custard sauce!
Paula Montenegro says
SO happy to know it worked so well Allison! It's my great-grandmother's recipe that I tweaked a little, and it's also one of our family's favorites.