Cast Iron Irish Apple Cake is a great dessert for using fresh apples. The sweet brown sugar butter topping paired with granny smith apples creates the perfect dessert. You'll love the true apple flavor in my take on this traditional Irish dessert! It's the ultimate comfort food.
I'm going to go out on a limb here and say that this is the best way to use up apples during apple harvest season. My apples of choice for this dish are Granny Smith apples because they're tart apples that hold their shape while they're cooking. This means that each bite will have crisp apples paired perfectly with a golden brown crust - and my mouth is watering just thinking about it.
The next time that you have a craving for a simple recipe prep those apple slices and make this. It's popular for a reason - so find out why! You can make this during the fall months when everyone craves all things apple or during St. Patrick's Day as a fun Irish treat.
Speaking of great apple recipes, be sure to check out my Apple Cider Cupcakes. They're a yummy grab-and-go treat. And this Apple Crumble Tart is the perfect slice of pie.
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Ingredients
Salted butter - If you only have unsalted butter, this will work as well. Just add an extra pinch of salt.
White sugar - For sweetness.
Brown sugar - For more sweetness, it adds a nice, rich coloring and warm flavor.
Green apples - You can use any type of apple that you might have on hand but the tartness Granny Smith apples provides a great contrast to the sweetness of the brown sugar butter topping.
Vanilla extract - Vanilla enhances the other flavors.
Eggs - Helps to bind together the dry ingredients.
Sour cream - Adds moisture to the cake batter.
Flour - All purpose flour is needed to create the batter base.
Baking powder - Helps to add texture to the cake.
Salt - For taste. Adding salt enhances all the other flavors.
Ground cinnamon - Adds that warmth that we all love.
Rolled oats - Gives the topping a nice texture.
How To Make Cast Iron Irish Apple Cake
First, you will cook the apples in brown sugar butter syrup. While they cook you will make the cake batter. The batter gets spread on the cooked apples and the whole thing goes into the oven to bake. While it bakes you can make the optional oat crumble topping.
Step One: Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
Step Two: Add the sugar and the butter to a cast iron pan. Cook on low heat until melted.
Top Tip
It is fine to use cold butter in this step since it will be heated but for the cake batter softened butter will work best.
Step Three: Add the sliced apples and cook for 10 minutes to soften.
Step Four: Cream the sugar and butter in a large mixing bowl until fluffy. Mix in the eggs and the vanilla extract.
Step Five: Add the sour cream and mix well.
Step Six: Add the dry ingredients until combined well.
Step Seven: Take the cast iron pan off of the heat and add the cake batter over the top of the cooked apples in spoonfuls.
Step Eight: Spread out the batter so that it is even.
Step Nine: Place the pan on a baking sheet that is lined with foil, and then put it in the oven and bake for 25-30 minutes.
Step Ten: Mix the ingredients together to make the streusel. Spread the mixture out onto a rimmed baking sheet and then bake this at the same time as the cake for 8 minutes.
Step Eleven: Let the cake rest in the skillet for 5 minutes once baked. Then, invert it onto a serving plate.
Step Twelve: Sprinkle on the optional streusel topping, if using, when serving.
Variations
Add apple pie spice - This is a fun way to add even more of the apple pie flavor.
Change the texture of the apples - While I like adding apple slices, you can add chopped apples into smaller pieces and add that way as well. This easy apple cake recipe is quite forgiving in however you want to do to apple pieces.
Add a different topping to the top of the cake - The streusel topping is delicious, but you can vary the topping options for this moist cake. Topping with a scoop of ice cream or even vanilla custard sauce is a great way to make this dessert even sweeter.
Common Questions
Can I prep this cake ahead of time?
Slicing and prepping the large apples ahead of time is a great way to speed up the process of making this traditional Irish cake. You can slice the apples so that they're ready to add, which is quick and easy to do. If you're worried about the apple browning, just mix a little lemon juice with the apple slices or small pieces.
Do I have to make this cake in a cast iron skillet?
You don't have to. I like using the skillet because it's less clean up and dishes that have to be done, but you can easily add this recipe to a prepared cake pan and bake it in the oven that way.
How do I store leftover cake?
Once the cake cools down to room temperature, any leftovers need to be stored in an airtight container in the fridge. You can also cover the cake with plastic wrap so that it stays fresh.
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📖 Recipe
Cast Iron Irish Apple Cake
Ingredients
Apple Layer:
- 4 oz salted butter
- ½ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 4 green apples cored and sliced
Cake Later:
- 4 oz salted butter softened
- ¾ cup white sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 ¾ cups flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Streusel Layer (optional):
- 2 oz salted butter
- 1 cup rolled oats
- ¼ cup flour
- ¼ cup brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 F.
- Add butter and sugar to a 10 inch cast iron pan. Cook over low until they melt.
- Add apples. Cook over medium-low for 10 minutes to soften.
- Meanwhile, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Mix in the vanilla extract and the eggs.
- Add the sour cream and mix well.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix until thoroughly incorporated.
- Remove the cast iron pan from the heat. Spoon the cake batter over the top of the apples.
- Spread gently so the batter is even.
- Place on a baking pan lined with foil (in case the juices overflow) and bake for 25 -30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, mix together the streusel ingredients to form large crumbs. Spread on a rimmed baking pan. Bake at the same time as the cake for 8 minutes or until the crumbs are golden.
- Allow the cake to rest in skillet for 5 minutes, then invert onto a serving plate.
- Sprinkle with the streusel.
Ang
Delicious! A lovely dessert and quite easy to make. Great with custard on the side.