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–+ servings
Top horizontal view of an Irish Apple Cake, topped with thinly sliced apples, is nestled into parchment paper and freshly baked in a black cast iron skillet.
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Cast Iron Irish Apple Cake

Irish Apple Cake is a traditional dessert in Ireland. Recipes for the moist and tender cast iron cake are as varied as the beautiful people who live in the Emerald Isle. This heritage recipe is a simple and tasty dessert everyone will love.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time45 minutes
Servings: 10 servings
Calories: 212kcal
Author: Stephanie Wilson

Ingredients

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 8 tablespoons butter 1 stick
  • 2/3 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1 egg beaten
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla
  • medium apple sliced thinly (about 1 cup)
  • 1 tablespoon sugar
  • Dash of ground cloves and a dash of cinnamon

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and line a 10-inch cast-iron skillet with parchment paper. Set aside.
  • Add the flour and baking powder to a large bowl. Using a pastry cutter or your fingers, cut 8 tablespoons of butter into the flour until it resembles coarse crumbs. Whisk the sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg into the flour and butter mixture.
  • Make a well in the center of the bowl and fold in the web ingredients of the beaten egg, milk, and vanilla. Mix until a soft, almost scone-like dough forms.
  • Spoon and press dough into the bottom of the parchment-lined skillet. Layer thinly sliced apples over the dough. Combine 1 tablespoon of sugar and a dash each of ground cloves and cinnamon. Sprinkle over the apples.
  • Place the skillet on the middle rack of your oven. Bake in a 350-degree oven for 30-35 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Then, switch the oven to broil. Keep the apple cake in the oven and broil, on the middle rack, 2-3 minutes or until the edges of the cake are golden brown. This step is optional... but I love the added crispness.
  • Allow the cake to cool slightly, cut into wedges and dust with powdered sugar. Or serve with whipped cream -- or ice cream -- all of which makes a delightfully delicious topping to this Irish Apple Cake!

Notes

  1. Doubling the Recipe: I've not tested doubling this recipe. If you do double it, here is a great tutorial on scaling up cake recipes.
  2. Apples: 

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 212kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 9g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 37mg | Sodium: 154mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 14g