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A freshly baked apple cake dusted with powdered sugar on a white cake stand, served with hot tea.

Rustic Irish Apple Cake with Cinnamon Cream Drizzle

This traditional Irish Apple Cake is a delightful, comforting dessert featuring tender, spiced apples baked into a moist, buttery cake, perfect with a dollop of cinnamon cream or a warm cup of tea.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: 8 servings
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: Irish
Calories: 410
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Apple Filling
  • 3-4 medium cooking apples e.g., Bramley, Granny Smith, Honeycrisp, peeled, cored, and sliced 1/4-inch thick
  • 1/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
  • pinch ground cloves (optional)
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
For the Cake Batter
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs room temperature
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup buttermilk room temperature (or milk + 1/2 tbsp lemon juice/vinegar)
For the Cinnamon Cream Drizzle
  • 1/2 cup heavy cream cold
  • 2 tbsp powdered sugar
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 9-inch (23 cm) round springform pan or deep cake tin
  • Parchment Paper
  • Large mixing bowls
  • Electric mixer (handheld or stand)
  • Spatula
  • Paring knife
  • Apple peeler/corer
  • Whisk

Method
 

Prepare the Apples
  1. In a medium bowl, combine the peeled, cored, and sliced apples with 1/4 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp cinnamon, nutmeg, optional ground cloves, and lemon juice. Toss gently to coat. Set aside.
Prepare the Cake Batter
  1. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Lightly grease and flour a 9-inch round springform pan or deep cake tin, then line the bottom with parchment paper.
  2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the softened unsalted butter and 3/4 cup granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy (about 3-4 minutes).
  4. Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk. Begin and end with the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter.
Assemble and Bake the Cake
  1. Pour about half of the cake batter into the prepared pan and spread it evenly across the bottom.
  2. Arrange half of the spiced apple slices evenly over the batter.
  3. Carefully spoon the remaining cake batter over the apples, gently spreading it to cover as much of the apples as possible.
  4. Arrange the remaining apple slices decoratively on top of the batter, pressing them gently into the surface.
  5. Bake for 60-70 minutes, or until a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the center of the cake comes out clean. If the top begins to brown too quickly, loosely tent the cake with aluminum foil.
  6. Let the cake cool in the pan on a wire rack for 15 minutes before carefully removing the springform ring (if using). Continue to cool completely on the wire rack.
Make the Cinnamon Cream Drizzle
  1. While the cake cools, combine the cold heavy cream, powdered sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract in a small bowl.
  2. Whisk by hand or with an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Be careful not to overmix into butter.
Serve
  1. Slice the cooled cake and serve warm or at room temperature, with a generous dollop or drizzle of cinnamon cream.

Notes

For an extra golden crust and a touch of sweetness, sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of coarse sugar (like turbinado or demerara sugar) over the top of the cake before baking. The cake can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or refrigerated for up to 5 days. If you don't have buttermilk, you can make a substitute by adding 1/2 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar to 1/2 cup of regular milk and letting it sit for 5-10 minutes until it curdles slightly.