Irish Apple Crumble Cake
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This Irish Apple Crumble Cake is a moist, tender, buttery cake packed with fresh apples and topped with a delicious crumble. And easy? Oh my, yes. Delicious? Absolutely!
Fair warning, the aroma coming from your oven will make everyone in the house hungry, before dinner… or tea!
I recently read an interview, which I referenced in our Irish Scones Recipe, where well-known Irish baker, Catherine Leyden, said Irish scones are second only to an Irish apple tart.
It’s been noted that “Apples have been grown in Ireland for at least 3000 years. Indeed, St. Patrick is said to have planted a number of apple trees in Ireland, including one at Ceangoba, a settlement close to where Armagh is now situated.”
So important are apples and apple trees in Ireland that penalties were leveled to protect the fruit.
“Early monastic records tell us that the monks were given apples with their meals, especially at festival times. The Brehon laws (originating between 2000 and 1000BC) stipulated that anyone cutting down an apple tree would be subject to a severe penalty; namely a fine of five cows, and even removing a limb or branch would warrant a fine of some sort.”
All of that to say… I always think of apples on St. Patrick’s Day.
And much like our Irish Apple Cake, this Apple Crumble Cake is a bit of a marriage between that cake… and a coffee cake with its so delicious streusel topping.
Irish Apple Crumble Cake Ingredients
The ingredients are simple but the buttery cake, sweetened with fresh apples, and warmed with cinnamon is anything but simple.
Gather these ingredients:
- Butter (Irish butter is amazing if you have it)
- Light brown sugar
- Large eggs
- All-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt
- Ground cinnamon
- 1 large fresh apple
How to Make the Apple Crumble Cake
Begin by making the crumble. Combine sugar, flour, and butter in a food processor or with your fingertips, until they resemble coarse crumbs. Set aside.
With an electric handheld mixer, cream the butter until it’s pale and fluffy, then beat in the brown sugar.
Next, add the eggs, one at a time, and beat until fully incorporated.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, salt, and ground cinnamon; fold into the butter mixture. The batter will be very thick. Then fold in the chopped apples and transfer to an 8-inch cake pan, preferably with a removable bottom.
Sprinkle the crumble topping over the cake and bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Let cool before cutting into wedges and serving.
More Crumble Desserts to Try
- Individual Berry Crumbles
- Strawberry Rhubarb Crumble
- Baked Apple Crumble with Vanilla Ice Cream
- Blackberry Crumble Jam Bars with Oat Streusel
- German Cinnamon Apple Streusel Muffins
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Irish Apple Crumble Cake
This Irish Apple Crumble Cake is a moist and tender, buttery cake that's packed with fresh apples and topped with a delicious crumble. And easy? Oh my, yes. Delicious? Absolutely!
Ingredients
Apple Cake
- 1/2 cup butter
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 2/3 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 large apple, peeled, cored and sliced
Crumble Topping
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup flour
- 3 tablespoons butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease and line an 8-inch round cake pan. Set aside.
- With an electric hand mixer, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl until pale and light. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating until fully incorporated.
- Add the flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon to the butter mixture. Stir until a smooth but thick cake batter forms. Fold in the apples and transfer the batter to the prepared cake pan. Use a spatula to evenly spread the batter to the edges of the pan.
- Using a hand mixer or pastry cutter, blend the crumble topping ingredients into coarse crumbles. This can also be done with your fingertips. Sprinkle evenly over the top of the cake batter.
- Bake for 40-45 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan 10 minutes before transferring to a rack to cool.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 376Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 88mgSodium: 373mgCarbohydrates: 51gFiber: 2gSugar: 26gProtein: 5g
Just baked this tonight – my family said it’s the best little cake I’ve ever made (not sure if that says much, lol). What a pain to get that thick, sticky batter into the baking dish though! Hang in there, you’ll get it in the dish and smoothed out, and it will be soooo worth it! My Dad, rest in peace, always ate dessert first, so we honored him and had it nice and warm out of the oven, before dinner. What an easy but amazing treat – thank you for the recipe!