This Apple Cake filled with juicy apples and warm spices is the perfect fall or winter dessert, drizzled with a creamy custard sauce.

a serving of apple cake

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This easy apple cake recipe is a favorite dessert we love to serve to guests. The cake is mildly spiced, with a layer of sliced tart apples, topped with a crumbly streusel. And it’s not complete without the sauce for apple cake: A serving of cream, or a luscious custard sauce. This recipe is similar to Irish Apple Cake with Cream Sauce.

Apple Cake with Custard Sauce

My friend Michelle shared this recipe with me years ago, and it’s my go-to dessert for fall and winter entertaining. You can decide how much custard you want to add to the top of the cake–a drizzle or several spoonfuls.

a serving of Apple Cake with Custard Sauce

Why we love this apple cake

This cake is ultra delicious with a cup of tea or coffee, but it’s even better to serve for dessert for a dinner party. It’s impressive with the custard sauce drizzled over the cake.

You can make the dessert ahead, and reheat the custard before serving.

The consistency of the cake is super moist and  juicy from the apples. But if you love “salted caramel” you may want to try our Salted Caramel Apple Cake recipe!

how to make apple cake

Easy ingredients for apple cake and custard

  • Granny Smith apples 
  • Brown sugar
  • Cinnamon
  • Softened butter
  • Salt
  • Sugar
  • Flour
  • Eggs

spooning custard sauce on cake
For the custard:

  • Sugar
  • Cornstarch
  • Salt
  • Eggs
  • Light cream
  • Vanilla

crumb mixtre for apple cake

How do you make apple crumb cake?

  1. Prepare a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.
  2. Peel and slice apples; coat with the brown sugar and cinnamon by mixing together with a spoon or your hands, and placing in a 9×13 pan.
  3. Mix the next ingredients together (butter, sugar, flour, salt, eggs) to make a crumble. Place on top of the apple mixture.
  4. Bake!

fresh baked Apple Cake

Make the custard:

  1. To make the custard, in a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, salt, eggs, and cream.
  2. Stir constantly until smooth and thick.
  3. Stir in vanilla.

a bite of apple cake

How do you serve?

If you’ve made the recipe ahead, reheat the custard. Spoon the warm sauce over individual servings of apple cake.

Tips and substitutions:

What kind of apples are the best? We love tart, so we use Granny Smith. But any apple will do, just make sure they are firm. You can also use Jazz Apples or Royal Gala or Braeburn. Use what you have locally, as long as they are fresh and crisp. You do not want to use apples that are mealy, mushy, or heavily bruised.

We’ve added Pumpkin Butter to the vanilla sauce for a pumpkin custard. Very festive and tasty for fall.

Blogger dinner in backyard

Years ago we hosted a beautiful dinner in our backyard for a group of bloggers.

Three of the guests came a little later (delayed flight) and one came after dinner, but I determined to move with style and grace, removing a place setting, welcoming the late guests, and embracing the moment.

What did we serve for dessert? This amazing apple cake with custard sauce. DELISH!

apple cake

More apple cake recipes to try:

Hood River Fresh Apple Cake

Cake Pan Apple Bars with frosting

Cinnamon Apple Pie Cake

apple cake
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Apple Cake with Custard Sauce

This Apple Cake filled with juicy apples and warm spices is the perfect fall or winter dessert, drizzled with a creamy custard sauce.
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 8
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Ingredients
 

  • 8 cups Granny Smith apples, peeled and sliced
  • 4 tbsp brown sugar
  • 2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 cup softened butter
  • 1 tsp. salt
  • 2 cups sugar
  • 2 cups flour
  • 2 eggs

For the custard:

  • ½ cup sugar
  • 1 tbsp cornstarch
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 2 egg yolks, beaten
  • 2 cups light cream
  • 1 tsp. vanilla

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 9×13 pan with cooking spray.
  • Peel and slice apples; coat with the brown sugar and cinnamon by mixing together with a spoon or your hands, and placing in a 9×13 pan.
  • Mix the next 5 ingredients together (butter, sugar, flour, salt, eggs) to make a crumble. Place on top of the apple mixture.
  • Bake at 350 for 1 hour.

Make the custard:

  • To make the custard, in a saucepan over medium heat, stir together the sugar, cornstarch, salt, eggs, and cream. Stir constantly until smooth and thick. Stir in 1 tsp. vanilla.
  • Spoon the warm sauce over individual servings.

Notes

Reposted from November 2013
Cuisine: American
Course: Dessert
Did you make this recipe?Tag @reluctantentertainer on Instagram and hashtag it #reluctantentertainer!

Apple Cake with Custard Sauce