Irish Apple Cake for St. Patrick's Day

Irish Apple Cake for St. Patrick's Day

Irish Apple Cake

A rustic, warmly spiced traditional Irish cake packed with tender apples and finished with a golden sugar crust — perfect for St. Patrick's Day celebrations!

Servings 8

 

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoons cinnamon
• 0.5 teaspoons mixed spice (or allspice)
• 0.3 teaspoons salt
• 4.1 ounces unsalted butter, cold and cubed
• 0.8 cups granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 0.3 cups whole milk
• 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 3 large cooking apples (e.g. Granny Smith or Bramley), peeled, cored & diced
• 1 teaspoons lemon zest
• 2 tablespoons demerara or raw sugar (for topping)
• 1 tablespoons powdered sugar (for dusting)

Steps

1

Preheat & Prep: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Grease a 9-inch round springform or cake tin and line the base with parchment paper.

2

Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoons cinnamon, 0.5 teaspoons mixed spice (or allspice), and 0.3 teaspoons salt until evenly combined.

3

Cut in butter: Add the cold, cubed 4.1 ounces unsalted butter, cold and cubed to the flour mixture. Using your fingertips or a pastry cutter, rub the butter into the flour until the mixture resembles coarse, sandy breadcrumbs. Stir in 0.8 cups granulated sugar.

4

Add wet ingredients: In a small jug, whisk together 2 large eggs, 0.3 cups whole milk, and 1 teaspoons vanilla extract. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until a soft, thick batter forms — do not overmix.

5

Fold in apples: Fold in the diced 3 large cooking apples (e.g. Granny Smith or Bramley), peeled, cored & diced and 1 teaspoons lemon zest until evenly distributed throughout the batter. The batter will be quite thick — that's perfect!

6

Fill & Top: Spoon the batter into the prepared tin and smooth the top with a spatula. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons demerara or raw sugar (for topping) evenly over the surface to create a lovely crunchy crust.

7

Bake: Bake in the preheated oven for 50–55 minutes, or until the top is deep golden brown and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. If the top browns too quickly, loosely tent with foil after 40 minutes.

8

Cool & Serve: Allow the cake to cool in the tin for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

9

Dust & Enjoy: Once slightly cooled, dust with 1 tablespoons powdered sugar (for dusting). Serve warm in generous wedges with a dollop of lightly whipped cream or custard. Sláinte! 🍀

Notes

Apple choice: Bramley apples are the traditional Irish favourite — tart and fluffy when baked. Granny Smith works as a great substitute. Avoid sweet dessert apples as they can make the cake too sugary.

Make it ahead: This cake keeps beautifully for 2–3 days wrapped at room temperature, and the flavour deepens overnight.

Serving suggestion: Traditionally served warm with a generous pour of hot custard or a scoop of vanilla ice cream. A dusting of powdered sugar is all the decoration you need!

Whiskey twist: For a grown-up version, toss the diced apples in 1 tbsp of Irish whiskey before folding into the batter.

Happy St. Patrick's Day! 🍀 This Irish Apple Cake is a beloved classic from the Irish countryside — humble, rustic, and deeply satisfying. The demerara sugar on top bakes into a wonderfully crunchy crust, while the tart apples inside keep everything moist and fragrant. Don't skip the custard if you can help it — that's the truly Irish way to serve it!

 

Chrysanthemum. Longwood Gardens,

Kennett Square, Pennsylvania USA IMG 0268
Canon PowerShot G11 Camera
Photograph by Roy Kelley
Roy and Dolores Kelley Photographs

Roy Kelley, Retired, Former Associate Broker, RE/MAX Realty Group

Gaithersburg, Maryland