Irish Apple Cake.

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This is the perfect cake for brunch with coffee or tea and as a delightful finish to your St. Patty’s Day meal. My Irish Apple Cake makes a regular appearance every March. I’ll often serve this with some whipped cream on top and an Irish coffee. (Or, if I’m being honest, with both!!!!)  While Irish Soda Bread usually gets all the attention, having a great Irish dessert in my arsenal of recipes really adds something to my St. Paddy’s Day menus. 

How to make Irish Apple Cake

  • To get started on this recipe, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray and then line it with parchment paper and spray it again.  This will make removing the cake much easier.
  • Next, make your crumbled topping by mixing the flour, oats, sugar and salt in a large bowl.  Using your hands or a fork, mix in the butter cubes until the mixture is clumped and some of it looks like wet sand.  Just keep in the fridge until it is time to top the cake.
  • To make the actual cake, using a hand-mixer, cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl.  Alternatively, use a stand mixer and put it on medium high.  Beat it for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy.  Then, add the vanilla and one egg at a time until fully incorporated.

NOTE:  You don’t have to use KerryGold Irish butter but the quality and flavor is amazing and is my recommended butter.

cut Irish Apple Cake.
  • In a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients.  Alternating the dry ingredients and the milk, start adding to the butter and sugar mixture.  Fold in each batch until completely incorporated.  Once the batter is completely mixed, add to the pan your prepped.
  • Top the batter with the sliced apples in a circular pattern covering the entire top of the cake.  Then add your crumble topping covering all the apples.
  • Bake the cake for about 60-80 minutes until the top is golden brown and crisp.  Remove from the oven and let cool 1o minutes.
  • Run a knife around the edges to loose from the pan.   Gently remove the cake from the pan and let it cool on a rack for 30 minutes.
Irish Apple Cake.
  • Right before you are ready to serve, dust it with confectioner’s sugar.  I keep a shaker can of powdered sugar right in my kitchen cabinet with my spices.  This makes this job so easy and makes finishing desserts look great.

FAQ:  About Irish Apple

Irish Apple Cake bakes for 60-80 minutes at 350°F until the crumble topping is golden brown and crisp. The wide time range depends on your oven and the moisture content of the apples.
Granny Smith apples work best for this recipe because they hold their shape during baking and provide a nice tart contrast to the sweet cake and crumble topping. You’ll need 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored, and thinly sliced.
Yes, you can use a hand mixer instead of a stand mixer. Cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy, then add vanilla and eggs one at a time.
Use a 9-inch round cake pan. Make sure to spray it with cooking spray, line with parchment paper, and spray again for easy removal.
While the recipe calls for salted butter (8 tablespoons for the cake, 6 tablespoons for the crumble), you can use unsalted butter and add an extra pinch of salt to both the cake and crumble mixture.
Yes, you can substitute the 3 tablespoons of skim milk with whole milk, 2% milk, buttermilk, or even non-dairy alternatives like almond milk or oat milk.
The ¼ cup of rolled oats adds texture to the crumble. You could substitute with quick oats, chopped nuts, or simply use more flour, though the texture will be slightly different.
The recipe uses ½ cup sugar in both the cake and crumble topping. You can reduce each by up to ¼ cup, but this will affect the texture and sweetness balance with the tart Granny Smith apples.
The cake is done when the crumble topping is golden brown and crisp, typically after 60-80 minutes. You can also insert a toothpick into the cake portion (avoiding the apples) – it should come out clean.
Alternating the dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt) with the 3 tablespoons of milk prevents overmixing and helps create a tender cake texture. Add about 1/3 of the dry ingredients, then half the milk, continuing until everything is just incorporated.
Arrange the thinly sliced Granny Smith apples in a circular pattern, covering the entire surface of the batter before adding the crumble topping.
Yes, use cold salted butter cut into small cubes for the crumble topping. Work it in with a fork or your fingers until the mixture resembles wet sand with clumps.
Store the cake covered at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. The crumble topping may soften slightly over time.
Dust the cake with sifted confectioners’ sugar right before serving, not while it’s still warm, to prevent the sugar from dissolving.
Yes, this cake is delicious served warm or at room temperature. Let it cool for at least 10 minutes after baking before removing from the pan.
Yes, you can make the crumble topping (flour, oats, sugar, salt, and cold butter) ahead of time and store it in the refrigerator until you’re ready to top the cake.
Slice the 3 Granny Smith apples just before assembling the cake to prevent browning. If you must slice them ahead, toss with a little lemon juice.
Yes, the recipe calls for the apples to be peeled, cored, and thinly sliced for the best texture and appearance.
Baking time can vary from 60-80 minutes depending on your oven, altitude, and the moisture content of the apples. Look for a golden brown, crisp crumble topping as your indicator of doneness.
Use the double-spray method: spray the 9-inch round pan with cooking spray, line with parchment paper, then spray again. Also, run a knife around the edges before removing from the pan.
The crumble should resemble wet sand with clumps. If too dry, add a bit more cold butter. If too wet, add a little more flour and oats.
Yes, you can freeze the completely cooled cake (without the confectioners’ sugar dusting) for up to 3 months. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Thaw at room temperature and dust with confectioners’ sugar before serving.

Did you like this recipe?  If so, leave a rating and comment.  I’d love to hear from you.

If international desserts are your jam, don’t miss my French Clafoutis aux prunes recipe or my German inspired Apple Strudel.  BUT, if you are looking to pull together your own Irish menu, check out some of these amazing recipes.

Bailey’s Irish Parfait

Lyons-Dooley Irish Soda Bread

Traditional Irish Barmbrack

Traditional Irish Lamb Stew

Irish Cheddar Potato Bake

Crusted Corned Beef

Irish Soda Bread

Irish Cream Liqueur

Irish Coffee

Irish Apple Cake.

Irish Apple Cake

Irish Apple cake is a classic dessert and the perfect finish to a traditional St. Patty's Day meal. The cake is great with a cup of tea, coffee or on a brunch menu. The fresh apples and streusel-like topping make it a winner.
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 40 minutes
Course Dessert
Cuisine Irish
Servings 8 Served

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

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Ingredients
 
 

FOR THE CAKE

  • 8 Tbsp. of salted butter, Kerrygold would be great here
  • ½ Cup Sugar
  • 2 Tsp. Pure vanilla extract
  • 2 Large Eggs
  • 1 ¼ Cups All-purpose flour
  • 1 Tsp. Baking powder
  • 1 Tsp. Ground cinnamon
  • 1/8 Tsp. Salt
  • 3 Tbsp. Skim milk
  • 3 Granny Smith apples, peeled, cored and thinly sliced
  • Cooling spray for pan
  • Confectioners’ sugar, sifted on top of the finished cake

CRUMBLE TOPPING

  • 6 Tbsp. Cold-salted butter cut into small cubes
  • ¾ Cup All-purpose flour
  • ¼ Cup Rolled oats
  • ½ Cup Sugar
  • 1/8 Tsp. Salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9-inch round cake pan with cooking spray. Line it with parchment paper and spray it again. (This will make it easy to remove)
  • To make the crumble topping, mix the flour, oats, sugar and salt in a bowl. Work in the butter cubes with a fork or your fingers until the mixture resembles wet sand. You’ll have lots of clumps and that is great! Put in the refrigerator until it is time to top the cake.
  • To make the cake, cream the butter and sugar in a large mixing bowl. If you have a stand mixer, put it on medium high and beat for about 5 minutes until light and fluffy. Then add the vanilla and one egg at a time until fully incorporated.
  • In a separate bowl, mix all the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Alternating the dry ingredients and the milk, start adding to the butter/sugar mixture. Fold in each batch until completely incorporated. Once the batter is completely mixed add to the pan.
  • Top the batter with the sliced apples in a circular pattern covering the entire surface. Top the apples with the crumble topping.
  • Bake the cake until the crumble topping is golden brown and crisp, 60-80 minutes. Remove from the oven and let the cake cool about 10 minutes. Before removing the cake from the pan and putting it on a rack to cool completely, run a knife around the perimeter of the cake to loosen from the pan. Right before serving, dust it with the confectioners’ sugar.
Keyword cake, dessert, fruit dresser, irish food
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