Irish Apple Cake (Traditional Irish Dessert Recipe)

Traditional Irish cake with apples and cinnamon, often served with custard or cream.

Ingredients (Serves 6–8)

For the Cake:

• 300 g cooking apples, peeled, cored, and diced

• 250 g all-purpose flour

• 125 g unsalted butter, cold and cubed

• 150 g sugar

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp ground cinnamon

• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg

• 1 large egg

• 150 ml milk

For the Topping (Optional):

• 1 tbsp sugar

• ½ tsp cinnamon

Preparation

1. Prepare the apples:

   • Preheat oven to 180°C (350°F).

   • Toss diced apples with cinnamon and set aside.

2. Make the cake mixture:

   • In a bowl, rub butter into flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.

   • Stir in sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

   • Beat egg with milk and add to the dry mixture, mixing gently.

3. Assemble the cake:

   • Fold apples into the batter.

   • Transfer to a greased 20 cm (8-inch) cake tin.

   • Sprinkle sugar and cinnamon over the top if using.

4. Bake:

   • Bake for 45–50 minutes until golden and a skewer inserted comes out clean.

5. Serve:

   • Allow to cool slightly and serve warm.

Serving Suggestions

• Traditionally served with custard, fresh cream, or vanilla ice cream.

• Ideal as a dessert or afternoon tea cake.

Cooking Tips

• Use tart cooking apples for the best flavor balance.

• Do not overmix to keep the cake tender.

• Cake keeps well for 2–3 days stored airtight.